Kentucky Afield Outdoors: Previewing more than a dozen game hunting seasons opening this fall

Every year, millions of people throughout the country go hunting. They’re in search of locally sourced, healthy meat.

During the era of flashy entertainment, food delivery services, virtual reality – all those instantaneous things – there’s something special about immersing yourself in nature and calling yourself a hunter.

Whether taking aim involves drawing a bow, lining up iron sights or peering through a scope, hunting seasons for more than a dozen game species open in Kentucky each fall.

Before you take to the field, familiarize yourself with the rules. Consult the 2024-25 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide for a comprehensive summary of fall hunting regulations for game species such as squirrels, rabbits, deer, turkey and more. The 2024-25 Kentucky Hunting Guide for Migratory Birds and Waterfowl expands upon regulations for species including doves, ducks and geese.

Both guides are available online at fw.ky.gov . While the dove/waterfowl guide remains digital only, the general fall hunting guide will soon be available as a printed booklet wherever hunting licenses are sold.

Read further for more information on what you can expect this hunting season.

Small Game Hunting

Kentucky’s fall squirrel hunting season entered full swing August 17. It continues through Feb. 28 – making it one of the state’s longest hunting seasons. Other small game seasons, including rabbit, quail and grouse, begin in November.

Cody Rhoden, small game program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, noted that squirrel hunting makes for a great time for any level of hunter – one of the reasons squirrels are the state’s third most hunted game species. The daily harvest limit is six squirrels and the possession limit is 12. Hunters are not limited in the number of squirrels they may take per season.

“Squirrel hunting can be a great way to hone your skills early in the season for other game seasons starting later,” Rhoden said. “Marksmanship, moving through the woods quietly, and keen eyesight are among the skills necessary.”

A reliable source of food will attract game species, especially as squirrels start filling food caches in preparation for cold weather. Hunters should scout for these food sources, particularly acorns and other tree nuts.

“Keys to success include frequenting quality hardwood stands such as oak, hickory and beech,” Rhoden said.

Most hunters use a shotgun early in the season, as leaves on trees can partially obscure squirrels. Later in the season, when branches are bare and squirrels are more visible, switch to a .22-caliber rifle to cause less damage to the meat.

Using dogs to track and tree squirrels is a legal hunting method employed by approximately one quarter of squirrel hunters. Rhoden says it’s a fun way to increase your harvest.

Rabbit and quail seasons open Nov. 1 in the eastern part of the state, and Nov. 11 in the west. While rabbit populations are generally good at many of the public lands managed by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, quail numbers are lower.

Many quail hunters gravitate to Peabody Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Ohio, Muhlenberg and Hopkins counties. This massive 41,000-acre WMA offers great habitat and room to roam.

Rhoden also suggests hunters participate in a new department survey. This is available through the MyProfile portal on the department website, fw.ky.gov . Biologists will use survey information to help guide management decisions.

Deer Hunting

Deer numbers in Kentucky are strong from year to year because the state has adequate water and plenty of forage to power deer reproduction – statewide, does on average produce more than one fawn a year. Kentucky’s deer population has steadily risen from an estimated 800,000 in 2014.

That translates to plenty of opportunity for hunters. Last season, Kentucky’s deer harvest ranked the seventh highest on record, with more than 140,000 whitetails taken. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Deer Program Coordinator Joe McDermott anticipates similar totals this season.

“Modern gun season is what drives deer harvest in Kentucky,” he noted. “We usually get 15 to 20 percent of our total harvest taken during the first two days of modern gun season. The better the weather on opening weekend, the better the harvest.”

Another major factor is mast production – mast includes tree nuts such acorns and hickory nuts.

“In low mast years, you generally get a better harvest of female deer. They’re moving around in search of food,” McDermott said. “As the females move around, the male deer follow. Hunter harvest increases because the deer become more visible.”

Kentucky’s early start to deer season – archery begins Sept. 7 this year – means hunters can find bucks with antlers still in velvet. Hunters at this time of year focus on areas where deer are eating.

Modern gun season coincides with breeding season, also called the “rut.” Bucks in search of female deer may act unpredictably, appearing in open fields in the middle of the day or venturing into areas where they are not normally seen.

Modern gun season opens statewide Nov. 9 and continues for the next three weeks, closing Nov. 24. For safety reasons, hunters must wear a blaze orange hat and blaze orange coat or vest during this season.

Unless they are Kentucky residents hunting on their own property, hunters born after 1974 must earn their hunter education certification. This applies to all hunting and species. Schedules for these hunter safety courses are available online at fw.ky.gov . A special one-year exemption permit is available for those unable to receive their required training in time for the season.

While you’re on the website, type “ Learn to Hunt Deer ” into the search bar. Here you’ll find tips on how to get started in deer hunting, where to hunt, venison recipes and more.

The statewide deer permit and youth deer permit allow for the harvest of up to four deer, only one of which may be antlered. Hunters in Zone 1 can harvest an unlimited number of antlerless deer by purchasing additional deer permits.

Hunters are especially important to keep deer populations at acceptable levels.

“We’d like to see more hunters harvesting does this season,” said McDermott. “We want to see more of an equal harvest between bucks and does for more representative population statistics.”

Some public lands are managed for quota deer hunts , which are intended to regulate the number of hunters in an area and number of deer harvested. Hunters can apply for these hunts online at fw.ky.gov in September.

These quota hunts are held on 16 WMAs, five state parks and Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area. Additionally, there are hunts for mobility-impaired hunters on Green River Lake WMA, Taylorsville Lake WMA and Zilpo-Twin Knobs Campgrounds.

Throughout the past two decades, a highly contagious neurologic disease fatal to members of the deer family called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has spread across North America.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife has implemented a CWD Response Plan with the goal of containing the spread of the disease. CWD was first detected in Kentucky last year, in a deer harvested in Ballard County. A CWD Surveillance​ Zone is in effect for Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall, and McCracken counties. Know the regulations, including mandatory check station requirements, before hunting in these counties. ​​
All deer harvested within the CWD Surveillance Zone by any method ​on Nov. 9-11, Nov. 16-17 and Nov. 23-24 (weekends during modern gun, plus the Monday after opening weekend) must be brought to a CWD Check Station or CWD Sample Drop-off site .

Hunters outside of the CWD Surveillance Zone can also further assist biologists by submitting samples of any harvested deer for testing at CWD Sample drop-off sites located throughout the state .

Fall Turkey Hunting

Wild turkeys, which breed in spring, require a different approach than what hunters use in April.

“In fall, you want to locate groups of birds, then run up and bust the flock up – scatter them,” said Zak Danks, Wild Turkey and Grouse Program coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “Then you’ll sit down in that area and wait for them to reassemble.”

In spring, tom turkeys are on the move in search of mates. However, turkeys have a different motivation later in the year.

“In fall, turkeys are influenced by food sources, primarily tree mast such as oak acorns,” Danks said.

Fall flocks may contain a number of first-year birds which are not educated about hunters. They are easier to hunt as a result. Hunters may also take hen turkeys in fall.

Fall turkey hunting doesn’t have the popularity of spring hunting. Last year’s fall harvest hovered around 1,000 birds; spring hunters average around 30,000 birds. Fall turkey hunters should note that birds cannot be hunted within 300 feet of bait used for deer.

This could be a good year for fall turkeys, Danks said, with acorn and tree nut production being a major factor. “During years of good mast production, turkeys don’t need to move around as much to find food,” he said. “We had a good hatch year and hunters may likely see more birds out while hunting.”

Kentucky’s fall turkey hunting starts with archery season on Sept. 7 and extends through Jan. 20. Shotgun seasons are Oct. 26-Nov. 1, and Dec. 7-13.

Many areas throughout the state support turkey populations. During Kentucky’s spring 2024 turkey season, the most fruitful WMAs open to public hunting included Peabody, Green River Lake, Lake Cumberland, Clay and Big Rivers WMA and State Forest. Visit the Harvest Results for a review of previous seasons.

Waterfowl and Migratory Bird Hunting

Hunters have a variety of migratory birds from which to choose during the fall hunting seasons. The most popular is dove hunting, with the season beginning on Sept. 1. Early Canada goose season in the western goose zone also begins on Sept. 1. Seasons for other species, including rails, woodcock, snipe and sandhill cranes, follow later in the year.

Dove hunters should look for fields with bare ground, food and water sources close by. While hunting can begin at 11 a.m. on opening day, many hunters chose to wait and hunt during the cooler afternoon hours. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife offers more than 50 dove fields which are open for public hunting – locations are available online at fw.ky.gov .

September goose season is geared toward Canada geese which nest in Kentucky. There are two goose hunting zones, with hunting in the western end of the state from Sept. 1-15, followed by hunting in eastern areas of Kentucky from Sept. 16-30.

“Kentucky’s September wood duck and teal season begins on Sept. 21,” said John Brunjes, waterfowl and migratory bird program coordinator. “The opening day of September wood duck and teal seasons is one of our most popular days of migratory bird hunting all season.”

September wood duck and teal season continues for five days. Teal-only season continues for an additional four days before concluding on Sept. 29.

Regular duck and goose seasons start on Thanksgiving (Nov. 28) and continue through January or mid-February. Check the 2024-25 Kentucky Hunting Guide for Migratory Birds and Waterfowl for all season dates and bag limits.

Only U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved non-toxic shot , such as tungsten or steel, is allowed for waterfowl hunters. Some public dove fields also require non-toxic shot.

Furbearer Hunting

Some species are huntable year-round and found all over the state, such as coyote, though it’s important to check ahead of time as restrictions vary depending on location and date. During the fall, hunters may not use artificial lights at night until the season begins on Dec. 1.

Looking for signs of coyote activity while hunting for other game species can be a useful scouting tool for a hunter seeking a coyote.

Bobcat hunters should make sure to acquire a free bobcat hunting permit before going afield. In addition, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is collecting lower jaws from harvested bobcats and river otters for a population study. Please call 1-800-858-1549 to request a sample packet and instructions.

Wild Pigs

Kentucky no longer allows hunting for wild pigs in an effort to stop the spread of this harmful species. For those experiencing damage from wild pigs, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife offers free trapping services in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Please report all wild pig sightings, damage or release in Kentucky online at fw.ky.gov/wildpigs or by calling 1-800-858-1549.

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

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