Deer Hunting Laws On Private Kentucky Property Explained

Deer hunting laws in Kentucky include regulations on licenses, permits, fees, seasons, limits, checking and tagging, transportation, equipment, and clothing. Hunters must comply with these laws, and in some cases, additional regulations specified by landowners when hunting on private property. While landowners in Kentucky may be exempt from needing a license to hunt on their own land, they must still follow other deer hunting laws and cannot hunt without a license on lands other than their own.

Hunting laws in Kentucky: licenses, permits, and fees

Deer hunting laws do apply to private property in Kentucky. Hunters must follow state hunting regulations as well as any regulations specified by the landowner.

Licenses:

Hunters in Kentucky are required to have a valid hunting license to hunt any game animal within the state. The type of license needed depends on the hunter's age, residency status, and the type of game they plan to hunt.

Resident License Types:

• Resident hunting license
• Youth license
• Sportsman license types
• Trapping licenses
• 1-day hunting licenses

Non-resident License Types:

• Annual non-resident hunting license
• 1-day hunting licenses
• 7-day hunting licenses
• Trapping license types
• Youth hunting licenses

Permits:

In addition to hunting licenses, hunters in Kentucky may need to obtain specific permits depending on the type of game they are hunting and the location.

Deer Permits:

• Statewide Deer Permit: Allows hunters ages 16 and older to harvest up to four deer (one antlered and three antlerless, or four antlerless).
• Youth Deer Permit: Allows hunters ages 12-15 to harvest up to four deer.
• Additional Deer Permit: Allows hunters to take up to two additional deer beyond the limit set by the statewide permit.

Other Permits:

• Bear Permits
• Turkey Permits
• Elk Permits
• Non-resident Permits
• Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit
• Federal Duck Stamp: Required to hunt ducks, geese, rails, and gallinules.

Fees:

The cost of hunting licenses and permits in Kentucky varies depending on the type of license or permit. For example, the Annual Youth Hunting License (ages 12-15) is $5, while the Annual Landowner/Tenant Trapping License is $20.

Hunters should refer to the official Kentucky hunting regulations website for the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on hunting licenses, permits, and associated fees.

Hunter education requirements

Deer hunting laws in Kentucky include a range of requirements and restrictions that hunters must adhere to, even when hunting on private property. While some regulations may differ for private landowners, hunter education requirements are consistent across the state. Here is an overview of the hunter education requirements in Kentucky:

• All hunters born on or after January 1, 1975, are mandated to obtain hunter education certification to legally hunt within Kentucky. This certification ensures that individuals possess the knowledge to hunt safely, responsibly, and ethically within the state.
• Hunters can obtain their Kentucky Hunter Education Card by completing a course approved by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. There are two options available: an instructor-led classroom course or a combination of an online course and a range day.
• The instructor-led course involves a written test and a live-fire session. It is conducted in various regions across the state.
• The online course typically takes around 4-6 hours to complete. After successful completion, students must pre-register for a range day to demonstrate their practical skills. Upon finishing both components, students will receive their Hunter Education Certificate.
• Hunters who are 12 years of age or older and born on or after January 1, 1975, are required to obtain this certification. The minimum age to get certified is 9 years.
• Youth under 12 years of age are exempt from obtaining hunter education certification. However, they must be under the direct supervision of an adult (18 years or older) who meets the hunter education requirements when hunting.
• Hunters who have not obtained the Hunter Education Certificate may opt for a Temporary Hunter Education Exemption Permit. This permit allows hunting in Kentucky for one year from the purchase date without the certificate. However, they must be supervised by a licensed adult (18 years or older) who meets the hunter education requirements.
• The Kentucky Hunter Education Certificate is recognised across the US and other countries with mandatory hunter education requirements, allowing certified hunters from Kentucky to hunt in other regions with this reciprocity.
• In addition to the Hunter Education Certificate, a separate Hunting License is required to hunt any game animal within Kentucky. Different licenses are available depending on age, residency status, and the type of game being hunted.
• Hunters must also comply with other regulations, such as wearing hunter orange clothing during specific seasons and following bag limits and harvest reporting requirements for the particular game animal they are hunting.

Hunting on public or private land

In terms of hunting licenses, Kentucky has specific requirements. A hunting license is required for any person hunting game animals within the state, including residents and non-residents. The type of license needed depends on factors such as age, residency status, and the type of game being hunted. For example, residents have access to licenses such as the resident hunting license, youth license, sportsman license types, and trapping licenses. Non-residents, on the other hand, can obtain annual non-resident hunting licenses, 1-day hunting licenses, or 7-day hunting licenses.

In certain situations, individuals may be exempt from obtaining a hunting license. These exemptions include:

• Kentucky resident owners of farmlands, their spouses, and dependent children hunting on their own farmlands during an open season.
• Tenants, their spouses, and dependent children hunting on farmlands where they reside and work.
• Kentucky residents on military leave of more than three days, with valid identification and papers.
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces based in Kentucky who engage in sport hunting or fishing on specific Kentucky National Guard properties.
• Resident and non-resident children under the age of 12, except for the elk hunt drawing application.
• Hunters eligible for the Free Youth Hunting & Trapping Week or Free Youth Deer Hunting Weekend, and accompanying adults who are not hunting.

It is worth noting that even when exempt from a license, hunters must follow hunting season laws, bag limits, hunter orange clothing requirements, and harvest recording, checking, and tagging rules.

For those interested in deer hunting specifically, Kentucky offers a statewide deer permit and a youth deer permit. These permits allow for the harvest of up to four deer, with a combination of antlered and antlerless deer, depending on the zone. Additional deer permits can be purchased to take more than four deer statewide.

When it comes to public land hunting in Kentucky, there are hundreds of thousands of acres available. These include Wildlife Management Areas, Hunting Access Areas, State Parks, Forests, and national recreational areas. State-managed public lands may have specific regulations that hunters must understand and follow. Wildlife Management Areas, for instance, may have check-in hunt requirements, restrictions on certain activities, hunter orange requirements, camping restrictions, and vehicle use restrictions.

Deer hunting seasons and limits

Deer hunting seasons in Kentucky are organized by firearms type, hunter age, and hunting zones. Seasons include archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, gun, youth-only, and youth-free seasons. Seasons dates may also vary depending on the type of deer being hunted, including antlered vs. antlerless or either sex seasons. The season typically opens in September, with later seasons closing at the end of December.

The bag limit for deer in Kentucky is one deer with visible antlers, excluding male fawns (button bucks). However, on some federally controlled areas, including Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Fort Campbell, and Fort Knox military reservations, a bonus antlered deer may be taken as determined by the governing agency for each area. The bag limit for antlerless deer is four.

The shooting hours for deer hunting in Kentucky are 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Hunters must wear hunter orange clothing that is visible from all sides during modern gun, muzzleloader, and youth firearm deer seasons.

Zone 1:

A hunter may harvest an unlimited number of antlerless deer using the statewide deer permit and additional deer permits.

Zone 2:

A hunter may harvest no more than four deer.

Zone 3:

A hunter may harvest no more than four deer, with a limit of one antlerless deer if using a firearm or air gun.

Zone 4:

A hunter may harvest no more than two deer, only one of which can be antlerless. Antlerless deer cannot be hunted during the modern gun season, the early muzzleloader season, or the first six days of the late muzzleloader season. The statewide bag limit of one antlered deer still applies.

Checking and tagging requirements

Deer hunting in Kentucky comes with a strict set of rules and regulations that hunters must follow. These rules are in place to ensure the safety of the hunters and the sustainable conservation of the deer population. One of the most important aspects of deer hunting in Kentucky is the checking and tagging requirements, which are crucial for compliance and monitoring. Here is a detailed overview of the checking and tagging requirements for deer hunting in Kentucky:

Checking Requirements:

• All harvested deer must be checked in, and hunters must follow the "Recording, Checking, Tagging, and Transportation" guidelines outlined in the deer hunting regulations.
• Hunters have two options for checking in their harvested deer: they can either call 1-800-245-4263 or complete an online check-in process through My Profile or fw.ky.gov.
• If the hide or head of the deer is removed before checking it in, hunters must provide proof of the deer's sex. This can be done by retaining the head or keeping the genitalia attached to the carcass.
• Hunters are required to fill out a harvest log immediately after harvesting the deer and before midnight on the day of harvest or recovery.
• Mandatory CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) Check Stations are in place in certain counties (Calloway, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, and Marshall). All deer harvested in these counties must be brought to a CWD Check Station for sampling.
• Voluntary Deer Sample Collection Stations are also available for hunters who want to have their deer tested when the mandatory CWD Check Stations are closed.

Tagging Requirements:

• A carcass tag is required if a harvested deer leaves the hunter's possession for any reason.
• Hunters must hand-make tags that include their name, phone number, and telecheck confirmation number before transferring possession of the deer to another person.
• Special CWD Surveillance Zone carcass tags are no longer required as of 2023. However, hunters must complete a harvest log and telecheck their deer before transferring the carcass.
• Hunters must comply with transportation restrictions when moving carcasses or high-risk parts of deer harvested within the CWD Surveillance Zone. Only specific parts, such as deboned meat, antlers, hides, etc., can be transported out of the zone.
• Whole carcasses or high-risk parts of deer harvested in other states cannot be brought back into Kentucky due to the risk of CWD transmission.

Frequently asked questions