Every hunter in western Kentucky has this Saturday circled on the schedule.
It’s the official launch of archery season for deer, and over the next four and a half months — including the firearm campaign — hunters should be able to expect cool, fall mornings, and the sound of leaves crunching as deer walk through the woods.
Officials with Kentucky Fish & Wildlife Resources have once again noted their will be plenty of opportunities for hunters to fill their tags. In 2023-24 alone, nearly 141,000 deer were harvested. It’s the seventh highest effort on record, and in line with numbers from the last decade.
Joe McDermott, deer program coordinator for KDFWR, said Kentucky holds about 25 deer per square mile statewide, and the Commonwealth remains a top state for Boone and Crockett record bucks.
Because of the variety of methods and seasons offered, there are a few requirements hunters must know before going afield.
Hunting licenses and permits can be purchased online at fw.ky.gov and at authorized license agents throughout the state. Allowable equipment for deer hunting includes archery, crossbow, muzzleloader and modern gun, but they each have specific dates they can be utilized.
Archery runs until January 20, 2025.
Crossbow is from September until January 20, 2025.
Youth-only is October 12-13.
Muzzleloader is from October 19-20 and December 14-22.
Modern gun is from November 9-24.
And free Youth Weekend is December 28-29.
Valid proof of hunter education certification is required for hunters born after 1974. Hunter education classes are available in person and online. Hunters can find a course that best suits their needs and sign up online.
For new hunters without hunter education certification, a free temporary exemption permit is available. This allows a person to hunt for one year before certification is required but they must be accompanied in the field by an adult who is hunter education-certified or born before 1975.
Kentucky’s statewide deer permit allows hunters to take up to four deer. Each hunter may only harvest one antlered deer statewide per year. Harvest limits for antlerless deer and method restrictions vary across Kentucky’s four deer zones, which are designated based on deer population density.
Hunters in western Kentucky need to be aware of specific requirements within the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone.
In December 2023, it was detected in Ballard County, marking the first time CWD has been documented in Kentucky. CWD is a fatal neurologic disease that affects white-tailed deer, elk and other members of the deer family. Its surveillance zone now include Ballard, Carlisle and McCracken counties, as well as Calloway, Marshall, Graves, Hickman and Fulton counties.
Special regulations, including a ban on deer baiting and carcass transportation restrictions, apply in this zone.
