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Kentucky Ruffed Grouse Seasons and Limits, 2026-27
Kentucky ruffed grouse: open today, with every KDFWR season row, limit and permit for 2026-27.
Photo: GerryT (CC BY 2.0)
The short version for ruffed grouse
Kentucky lists 1 season line for ruffed grouse in 2026-27, running between November 1, 2026 and February 28, 2027. Worth knowing before a grouse trip: grouse Zone counties only (plus December at Pennyrile SF, Tradewater WMA, Fort Knox). Methods KDFWR allows for ruffed grouse: shotgun, dogs.
Source: Guide p. 27 and Guide p. 28 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Every 2026-27 season row for ruffed grouse
Ruffed grouse rows are sorted by first day; lines without dates are those KDFWR had not set or that follow another season.
| Window | Where | Dates | Limit | Details | Open? | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grouse | Grouse Zone | Nov 1–13, 2026 Nov 16–Feb 28, 2027 | 4 daily, 8 possession | Closed Nov. 14-15. Also open in December on Pennyrile State Forest, Tradewater WMA and Fort Knox (except during quota deer hunts). | Guide p. 27 |
The 53-county Grouse Zone
Grouse Zone counties only (plus December at Pennyrile SF, Tradewater WMA, Fort Knox).
Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Campbell, Carter, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, McCreary, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe.
Source: 301 KAR 2:122 and Guide p. 28 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Bag and possession limits for ruffed grouse
The grouse lines below come straight from the guides, so the counting rule is exact.
| Applies to | KDFWR limit |
|---|---|
| Ruffed grouse | 4 daily, 8 possession |
Source: Guide p. 28 and Guide p. 27 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Lawful gear for ruffed grouse
What KDFWR allows and bans when hunting ruffed grouse, by season group.
| Group | Legal methods | Banned |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | – |
| Point | Rule text |
|---|---|
| WMA rules | No bait, no nails/screw-ins in trees, stands marked and timed, trail cameras labeled with customer ID, no camping except designated sites, 10+ person events need a permit, small game and furbearer closed first two days of modern gun deer season. |
| Wanton waste | Reasonable effort to recover big game and upland birds and remove edible parts. |
| Drones and aircraft | No manned or unmanned aircraft (drones) to hunt or harass wildlife. |
Methods for ruffed grouse, in short: shotgun, dogs.
Source: Guide p. 28, Guide p. 30, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse paperwork and prices
Fees were adjusted in January 2026; the list shows the current grouse items.
| License or permit | Resident | Nonresident | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $7.40 | $26.43 | Not valid for deer, elk, turkey or bear. | |
| Not sold | $68.71 | Not valid for deer, elk, turkey or bear. | |
| $6.34 | $10.57 | Valid for the license year if bought before the 16th birthday. | |
| $44.39 | Not sold | Annual Hunting/Fishing |
Kentucky mails no paper license; a grouse hunter buys online or from an agent and carries a copy or screenshot.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Ruffed Grouse: orange, checking and bait
These are the Kentucky rules most likely to matter on a grouse hunt, close to KDFWR wording.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | A grouse hunter afield during the modern gun, muzzleloader or youth gun deer days, or a firearm elk or bear season, must show solid orange on 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 | No harvest report is due for ruffed grouse, since Telecheck covers seven other species only. |
| Hunter education | Born on or after January 1, 1975? Then a grouse hunt needs a hunter education card, or the free exemption permit and a licensed adult alongside. |
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 ruffed grouse
Start with these areas for ruffed grouse; 36 records match in all, and WMAs can set shorter seasons than the statewide rows.
| Name | Kind | Where | Acres | Listed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National forest | 710,298 | Chart: open | ||
| Ranger district | 209,423 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 183,503 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 170,938 | Listed species | ||
| Ranger district | 146,434 | Listed species | ||
| WMA | 38,788 | Chart: open | ||
| River and rec area | 30,300 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 24,033 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,351 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 17,753 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 15,088 | Chart: open | ||
| Access area | 15,036 | Chart: open |
Source: KDFWR land records and Guide p. 30 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Kentucky ruffed grouse pack list
Kentucky ruffed grouse gear here follows the game on this page; nothing loads until you tap a button.
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Light shotgun sling
Flushing birds in laurel and young timber goes better with a light shotgun sling.
Daily grouse hours on key dates
Legal light for ruffed grouse on the key dates, computed with the NOAA solar formula.
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset for most species (deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, groundhog).
| Date | Hopkinsville (Christian) | Lexington (Fayette) | Harlan (Harlan) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | 5:43 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. CST | 6:33 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. EST | 6:26 a.m. to 6:07 p.m. EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 6:29 a.m. to 5:07 p.m. CST | 7:20 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. EST | 7:12 a.m. to 5:50 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.
American woodcock camouflaged in leavesPhoto: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Ruffed grouse walking on the groundPhoto: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain)
American woodcock in the woodsPhoto: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain)
Ruffed Grouse questions
Is this grouse page checked against KDFWR?
The grouse rules were read from KDFWR’s 2026-27 guides and the regulations on November 10, 2026.
Does a new grouse hunter need a course first?
Born on or after January 1, 1975? Then a grouse hunt needs a hunter education card, or the free exemption permit and a licensed adult alongside.
What does KDFWR allow per grouse hunter?
In KDFWR wording for ruffed grouse: 4 daily, 8 possession.
When are ruffed grouse in season in Kentucky?
Grouse (Grouse Zone): Nov 1 to Nov 13, 2026; Nov 16, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.
Can I use a rifle on ruffed grouse in Kentucky?
Shotgun, 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 does a grouse hunter have to buy?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; 1-Day Hunting $7.40 resident, $26.43 nonresident; 7-Day Hunting Not sold resident, $68.71 nonresident; Youth Annual Hunting $6.34 resident, $10.57 nonresident. All grouse items and fees are in the table above.
Do grouse hunters wear hunter orange?
A grouse hunter afield during the modern gun, muzzleloader or youth gun deer days, or a firearm elk or bear season, must show solid orange on head, back and chest.
Which hours apply to ruffed grouse?
30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset for most species (deer, elk, bear, turkey, small game, groundhog). Clock times for grouse hunting depend on the county: Central Time in the west, Eastern Time across the rest.
Where can I hunt ruffed grouse on public land?
36 records in the Kentucky land data open or list ruffed grouse; check each area page before you go.
Can I hunt grouse outside the Grouse Zone?
53 counties: Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Bracken, Breathitt, Campbell, Carter, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Greenup, Harlan, Harrison, Jackson, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Mason, McCreary, Menifee, Montgomery, Morgan, Nicholas, Owsley, Pendleton, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Wayne, Whitley and Wolfe. Grouse Zone counties only (plus December at Pennyrile SF, Tradewater WMA, Fort Knox).