Hunting in Kentucky: 12 Great Public Hunting Lands

Hunting has always been a part of human society since we came to be on this planet. However, the forced global imposition of capitalism by colonizers shifted how we acquire food, clothing, and other tools.

Traditionally, communities hunted animals for sustenance and to make clothes and tools. Nowadays, our food is locked away in grocery stores and warehouses, our clothes are imported from overseas, and our tools are made of plastics.

Plus, hunting has shifted to a recreational activity or a sport. The shift creates issues such as trophy seeking, overhunting, and species extinction.

Rather than completely cutting out hunting, humans must seek a balanced approach that holds respect for the animals and the land. This article will focus on subsistence hunting in Kentucky.

Kentucky offers many options for those interested in procuring food and materials for their communities. Make sure you have the right licenses, hunting season dates, and have paid the appropriate fees before checking out these 12 options for public hunting in Kentucky.

Barren River Lake Wildlife Management Area – Lucas

Located in Lucas County, KY, Barren River Lake Park is a great option for subsistence hunting in Kentucky. The park offers deer, squirrel, rabbit, quail, turkey, and furbearer hunting during season. Waterfowl hunting includes walk-in or boat-in on the lake and river.

Hunters can stay in the park resort either in one of the lodge cabins or at a campsite. Barren River Lake Park is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Hunters cannot use a modern firearm in the Peninsula Unit of the wildlife management area. The season goes from November 1st to December 31st.

Coil Estate Wildlife Management Area – Carlisle

Within Carlisle County, Coil Estate offers 360 acres of land for public hunting in Kentucky. The eastern portion of the park is open under statewide regulations while the western 435 acres are only open for hiking and wildlife viewing. Coil Estate Wildlife Management Area allows hunters to catch every animal except the grouse or elk.

The park is open for October muzzleloader season only. Hunters must walk in to reach the hunting grounds. There is no camping, and the park is open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Daniel Boone National Forest – Winchester

The largest forest in the state of Kentucky is located in Daniel Boone National Forest. The forest is open under statewide rules and regulations, so make sure you brush up before you head out. Hunters can choose which animal they’d like to hunt in Daniel Boone, however they’ll need a permit for elks.

For those that also fish, with the appropriate license, hunters can fish in lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams.

There are multiple campgrounds to choose from, including some that offer RV parking spaces. For those that aren’t camping, the park is open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Doug Travis Wildlife Management Area – Arlington

The Doug Travis Wildlife Management Area is located along the Mississippi River in Arlington, KY. The area is open for terrestrial animal and waterfowl hunting, except for grouse and elk. There is a modern gun season in which hunters may use new weapons. They can also use older guns or bows during this season.

Keep an eye out for signs because the Fish and Wildlife Management Department closes some areas to the public between November 1st and March 15th.

The park is open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. Barebones campsites are available both by reservation and first-come-first-serve.

Fleming Wildlife Management Area – Wallingford

With Fleming Creek snaking through the area, Fleming Wildlife Management Area allows hunters to capture any animals aside from the elk. If hunting rabbits, grouse, or quail, there are specific quotas of seven, eight, and seven respectively. Plus, the pheasant quota is two or three (depending on whether you’re hunting open or drawn).

The season typically goes from November to December, but pheasant season only goes from December 1st to 4th for open hunters. Hunters who won the draw can hunt between December 5th and 31st.

There is no campsite in Fleming but there are five either reservation or first-come-first-serve options around the area.

Legacy LLC Hunting Access Area – Martin/Pike

Legacy LLC Hunting Access Area is made of three different areas spreading between Martin and Pike Counties. Hunters can choose any animal to capture, though the elk quota is 16 for the season. For elk hunting, the state requires a permit in addition to following the statewide rules and regulations.

The season ranges between November 1st and December 31st.

There is dispersed camping available throughout the area. Some campsites allow horses and RVs. There are a few that require reservations as well. Legacy LLC Hunting Access Areas are open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Livingston County Wildlife Management Area and State National Area – Livingston

Located in Livingston County, near the border with Missouri, the Wildlife Management Area and State National Area offers deer, squirrel, rabbit, quail, turkey, and furbearer hunting. There is a quota for hunting deer with a modern gun, which is five.

There are two bluffs that hunters can set up on. On these tracts, the government only permits muzzleloading equipment during modern gun deer season. These are also the only places one can fill the youth-mentor quota. During other seasons, the areas are open to statewide regulations and rules.

There is parking and the park is open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Marrowbone State Forest and Wildlife Management Area – Marrowbone

Marrowbone State Forest and Wildlife Management Area is a great place for hunting in Kentucky. Except for grouse and elk, hunters can choose whatever animal they want to during seasons. They must follow statewide rules and regulations.

Only hunters drawn during quota hunts may use the area during all deer hunting seasons. The archery and crossbow quota hunt goes from the third Monday in October to November 30th. There is a blackout period during the quota hunt that starts on the first Saturday in November.

The State Forest is located in Marrowbone and is open between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Nolin River Lake Wildlife Management Area – Edmonson, Grayson, and Hart

The wildlife management area around Nolin River Lake spans three counties in Kentucky. The park includes Edmonson, Grayson, and Hart counties.

The seasons for rabbit and quail range from November 14 to December 31. Each hunter can take one rabbit and one quail per season. The state does not permit grouse and elk hunting.

Deer hunting includes modern weapons, youth guns, and bows/crossbows. Hunters can also bring muzzleloaders to capture deer.

Nolin River Lake is open from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Monday through Friday. There are 32 campsites that have water and electricity. These require reservation but there are 27 first-come-first-serve sites as well.

Peabody Wildlife Management Area – Clay

Originally part of the Peabody Coal Company, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources bought over 50,000 acres in Clay County to create the Wildlife Management Area. Only quails have a quota hunt in this area, with the state allowing eight animals per season. Deers have a quota for using modern guns, with seven animals allowed per season.

The park is open from December 1st to the 31st except during deer quota hunts.

There are no campsites in Peabody itself but there are some camping sites in the area. The park itself is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Pike Elkhorn Hunting Access Area – Pike

In Pike County, KY, the Pike Elkhorn Hunting Access Area is where hunting in Kentucky shines. The state permits hunting of all animals in this area, as long as individuals follow statewide rules and regulations. The elk is the only animal with a quota during season.

During archery season, hunters can use crossbows through most of the season. The only exception is during the November open youth hunt. There are modern and youth deer hunt seasons as well.

The area is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. There are no campsites available on Pike Elkhorn, however hunters can camp in the surrounding area.

Yatesville Lake Wildlife Management Area – Lawrence

Located in Lawrence County, KY, Yatesville Lake is a state park that has sections open to hunting. From rabbits to deer, hunters have a variety of options each season. There is no quota hunt process, but hunters must check-in and -out each day. During check-out, hunters must register the animals they procured. Hunters can also take to the lake or river to hunt waterfowl.

Hunters cannot use any modern weapons or in-line muzzleloading guns. The state only permits open or iron sights on weapons. All season, the state allows archery and crossbow hunting.

The hunting season goes from the second Monday of December. There are 47 campgrounds at the park, plus 16 “boat-in”sites and four “hike in” sites. The park hours go from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.