Upland birds
Pheasant Hunting in Kentucky, 2026-27
Season windows, legal methods and licenses for ring-necked pheasants, straight from the 2026-27 KDFWR guides.
Photo: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain)
Kentucky ring-necked pheasants at a glance
Ring-necked pheasants get 1 separate line in the KDFWR calendar this license year. Among the pheasant details, KDFWR stresses this: put-and-take quota hunts only. For ring-necked pheasants the method list reads: small game equipment, dogs.
Source: KDFWR page (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Kentucky pheasant dates, line by line
The table carries every pheasant line in the 2026-27 guides, each linked to its source page.
| Season | Covers | Date range | Take | Note | Right now | Doc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quota hunts | Green River Lake, Clay a | Quota days | 2 birds per hunter per quota day; 3 on clean-up day | Green River Lake WMA: 3 days from the third Friday in November; Clay and Yellowbank WMAs: 3 days from the first Friday in December; plus a clean-up day. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time | No dates | KDFWR page |
Pheasant quota hunt areas
Put-and-take hunts at Green River Lake, Clay and Yellowbank WMAs. Apply Sept. 1-30.
| Quota hunt area |
|---|
| Green River Lake WMA |
| Clay WMA |
| Yellowbank WMA |
Green River Lake WMA: 3 days from the third Friday in November; Clay and Yellowbank WMAs: 3 days from the first Friday in December; plus a clean-up day. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time Times are on local clock time: Central Time in the western 41 counties, Eastern Time elsewhere.
Source: KDFWR Quota Hunts page and Guide p. 34 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
How many ring-necked pheasants you may take
Possession limits govern what a pheasant hunter carries home; daily limits reset each day.
| Species or group | Limit as printed |
|---|---|
| Pheasant (quota hunts) | 2 per quota hunt day; 3 on the clean-up day |
Source: KDFWR page (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
What a pheasant hunter may use
Weapon rules for ring-necked pheasants follow the season type, so check which season you are in before reading across.
| Season type | Legal | Not legal |
|---|---|---|
| Small game | Rimfire rifle or handgun, .410 handgun, shotguns 10 ga or smaller (plugged to 3) with shot No. 2 or smaller, muzzleloading rifles, archery/crossbow, .177-.25 air guns, falconry, slingshots, dogs. | – |
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Dogs | No dogs for deer or elk or spring turkey; dogs may flush turkeys in fall; bear dogs only in legal seasons with approved breeds; leashed tracking dogs may recover deer, elk and bear; rabbits, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and opossums may be run year-round. |
| Wanton waste | Reasonable effort to recover big game and upland birds and remove edible parts. |
| Fire, explosives, gas | No taking wildlife with fire, explosives, smoke or gas. |
The species table sums up legal methods for ring-necked pheasants as: small game equipment, dogs.
Source: Guide p. 28, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Licenses and permits for ring-necked pheasants
Kentucky sells these pheasant items online and through license agents; nothing is mailed.
| Item | Resident | Nonresident | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $26.43 | $26.43 | if drawn |
Hunters under 12 need no license for ring-necked pheasants; ages 12 to 15 buy the youth versions, and an adult must accompany youth with a firearm after deer, elk, turkey or bear.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Before you hunt ring-necked pheasants
A short rule list for ring-necked pheasants, from hunter orange to reporting.
| Subject | What it says |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | Ring-necked pheasants share the woods with deer hunters, so whenever a deer firearm or muzzleloader season is open, a pheasant hunter wears solid orange on the head, back and chest. |
| Public land bait | No baiting on WMAs, Big South Fork NRRA, Daniel Boone NF, Jefferson NF, Land Between The Lakes or state parks open to hunting. |
| Harvest report | Unlike deer or turkeys, ring-necked pheasants need no Telecheck call or online report. |
| Hunter education | Hunter education is required for anyone born on or after January 1, 1975; a first-time pheasant hunter can instead use the free one-time exemption permit and hunt beside a qualified licensed adult. |
Source: Guide p. 10, Guide p. 8 and Guide p. 9 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Public places that list ring-necked pheasants
Of 4 public areas tied to ring-necked pheasants in the KDFWR records, the largest twelve are listed with their counties.
| Area | Type | Counties | Acreage | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WMA | 21,019 | Listed species | ||
| WMA | 8,979 | Listed species | ||
| WMA | 7,555 | Listed species | ||
| Refuge | 381 | Listed species |
Source: KDFWR land records and Guide p. 30 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Kentucky ring-necked pheasants hunting gear picks
Kentucky ring-necked pheasants hunters get four items suited to a Kentucky year, from the September bow opener to February rabbits.
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Shooting time for Kentucky ring-necked pheasants
No clock window applies to ring-necked pheasants; sunrise and sunset are shown to plan around the rule above.
Pheasant quota hunts: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time.
| Date | Bowling Green (Warren) | Covington (Kenton) | Hazard (Perry) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 21, 2026 | Sun 6:55 a.m. to 4:32 p.m. CST | Sun 7:53 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. EST | Sun 7:43 a.m. to 5:19 p.m. EST |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula for each county seat on its own clock (KDFWR prints no sunrise table, so sunrise and sunset are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for the exact point, on Central Time in the 41 western counties and Eastern Time elsewhere, with daylight time ending November 1, 2026 and starting March 14, 2027.); checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Mourning dove perched on a wooden fence railPhoto: Judy Gallagher (CC BY 2.0)
Flock of mallards taking flight over a marshPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
White-tailed deer moving through autumn woodsPhoto: NPS Photo (Public domain)
Pheasant questions
Where do the pheasant rules on this page come from?
The pheasant tables come from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, the migratory bird guide and 301 KAR, checked November 10, 2026.
How is the pheasant limit counted?
The current pheasant rule: 2 per quota hunt day; 3 on the clean-up day.
Do ring-necked pheasants need a special permit?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; Pheasant Quota Hunt Permit $26.43 resident, $26.43 nonresident. Other pheasant permits appear in the license table.
What gear is legal for a pheasant hunt?
Small game equipment, dogs. Rimfire rifle or handgun, .410 handgun, shotguns 10 ga or smaller (plugged to 3) with shot No. 2 or smaller, muzzleloading rifles, archery/crossbow, .177-.25 air guns, falconry, slingshots, dogs.
What time does pheasant hunting end each day?
Pheasant quota hunts: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. Mind the time zone on a pheasant trip; the western part of the state keeps Central Time.
Is hunter orange required for ring-necked pheasants?
Ring-necked pheasants share the woods with deer hunters, so whenever a deer firearm or muzzleloader season is open, a pheasant hunter wears solid orange on the head, back and chest.
When do I apply for a pheasant hunt?
Put-and-take hunts at Green River Lake, Clay and Yellowbank WMAs. Apply Sept. 1-30; permit $26.43 if drawn.
Which public areas list ring-necked pheasants?
4 public areas in the KDFWR records list ring-necked pheasants or open them on the 2026-27 chart; the land table above names the biggest.
Can I use a drone to find ring-necked pheasants?
No manned or unmanned aircraft (drones) to hunt or harass wildlife.
Is a hunter safety card required for pheasant hunting?
Hunter education is required for anyone born on or after January 1, 1975; a first-time pheasant hunter can instead use the free one-time exemption permit and hunt beside a qualified licensed adult.