Kentucky hunting seasons
Season dates for 2026-27, straight from the KDFWR regulations — starting with what you actually want to know.
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Kentucky
Deer Opens Sep 5 22 days away Turkey Opens Sep 5 22 days away Duck Opens Sep 19 36 days away Dove Opens Sep 1 18 days away
Dates checked against the KDFWR regulations Aug 13, 2026.
Deer season
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| CWD Antlerless Season Zone 1-3 counties inside the CWD Surveillance Zone. Antlerless only; firearms, bows or crossbows. | CWD Surveillance Zone | Sep 25 – Sep 28 |
| Modern Firearms Bag limits differ by deer zone (1-4), but the dates are statewide. | Statewide | Nov 14 – Nov 29 |
| Archery | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 – Jan 18, 2027 |
| Crossbow | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 – Jan 18, 2027 |
| Youth/Senior Crossbow Residents 65 and older and youth under 16. | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 – Jan 18, 2027 |
| Muzzleloader Early and late muzzleloader segments. | Statewide | Oct 17 – Oct 18; Dec 12 – Dec 20 |
| Free Youth Weekend Youth under 16 hunt without a license or deer permit when with an adult. | Statewide | Dec 26 – Dec 27 |
| Youth-Only Modern Firearms Begins the second Saturday in October and runs nine days. | Statewide | Oct 10 – Oct 18 |
Turkey season
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Shotgun | Statewide | Oct 24 – Oct 30; Dec 5 – Dec 11 |
| Spring Season Kentucky sets spring turkey dates in its Spring Hunting Guide, which currently covers March-June 2026. The 2027 dates were not published as of Aug. 13, 2026. | Statewide | Not set yet |
| Fall Archery | Statewide | Sep 5, 2026 – Jan 18, 2027 |
| Fall Crossbow | Statewide | Oct 1 – Oct 18; Nov 14 – Dec 31 |
| Spring Youth-Only Season Not published for 2027 as of Aug. 13, 2026. | Statewide | Not set yet |
Duck season
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Duck, Coot & Merganser | Statewide | Nov 26 – Nov 29; Dec 7, 2026 – Jan 31, 2027 |
| Teal & Wood Duck Early September season. | Statewide | Sep 19 – Sep 23 |
| Youth-Only Days | Statewide | Nov 21; Feb 13 |
| Falconry (ducks, coots & mergansers) | Statewide | Nov 26, 2026 – Feb 21, 2027 |
| Military/Veteran-Only Days | Statewide | Nov 22; Feb 14 |
Dove season
| Season | Zone | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Season Mourning and white-winged doves. | Statewide | Sep 1 – Oct 26; Nov 26 – Dec 6; Dec 19, 2026 – Jan 10, 2027 |
Draw & application deadlines
Coming up: Dove quota hunts — closes Aug 21, 2026.