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Ballard WMA

2026-27 season.

Check before you hunt. Confirm these dates in Kentucky Public Lands Hunting 2026-27. Seasons, closures and area rules can change.

Deer

Sep 5 – Oct 14

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only.

  • Archery and crossbow: Sep 5 – Oct 14
  • Youth: Oct 10–14

In the guide: “Deer - Archery/Crossbow: Open under statewide archery/crossbow seasons through Oct. 14 only.”

Oct 10–14

Follows the statewide season (youth Oct 10–14), firearms only. Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Deer - Youth Gun: Open during youth only gun season through Oct 14, 2026; closed for free youth weekend”

Nov 7–8

Firearms, either sex. Quota hunt, 65 hunters drawn.

In the guide: “Deer - Modern Gun: [quota] Ballard WMA: Nov. 7-8, 65 slots. Hunters awarded one preference point for each antlerless deer harvested, up to four. Scouting permitted through Oct. 14.”

All hunting

Closed Dec 24–25, Jan 1.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Ballard is closed to all access on Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.”

Turkey

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Turkey: Closed”

Dove

Sep 1 – Oct 13

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 7 · Ballard WMA: Dove: Sept. 1 - Oct. 13, 2026. No woodcock hunting permitted.”

Ducks and geese

Closed Nov 26–29.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Ballard WMA is closed for the Thanksgiving segment of the season.”

Ducks and teal

Sep 19–23

Follows the statewide season (ducks and teal Sep 19–23).

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Ballard WMA is open for early wood duck and teal seasons with no daily drawing.”

Dec 7 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide season (ducks and teal Dec 7–23, Dec 26–31, Jan 2–31), Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only, shooting ends at 2 pm. Quota hunt.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · [quota] Quota hunts are held Wednesdays through Sundays of the second duck season segment. All hunters must be off the area by 2 p.m. daily.”

Geese

Closed Sep 1–15.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 9 · September Canada goose: Ballard Zone. Private lands in this zone are open to this season, public lands remain closed.”

Closed Nov 30 – Dec 6, Feb 1–15.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Ballard WMA is open exclusively for quota waterfowl hunting from Oct. 15 to March 15. Ballard is closed to all other types of hunting or access during this period.”

Dec 7 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide season (goose (western zone) Dec 7–23, Dec 26–31, Jan 2–31), Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only, shooting ends at 2 pm. Quota hunt.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · [quota] Quota hunts are held Wednesdays through Sundays of the second duck season segment (geese). All hunters must be off the area by 2 p.m. daily.”

Quail

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Quail: Closed”

Rabbit

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Rabbit: Closed”

Squirrel

Aug 16 – Oct 14

Any legal weapon.

In the guide: “Squirrel: Open Aug 16 - Oct 14, 2026.”

Woodcock

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 7 · Ballard WMA: No woodcock hunting permitted.”

Raccoon, furbearers, and coyote

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Furbearer: Closed”

Area rules

Main Unit. Closed to unauthorized public access Oct. 15 - March 15. The tract at the junction of Hwy 1105 and Sallie Crice and the area west of Hwy 473 within the two-mile driving loop are closed to all hunting year-round as marked by signs. Closed to deer muzzleloader season. Waterfowl quota hunters check in by 5 a.m. Central and must be off the area by 2 p.m.; closed to all access Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. The Ohio River from 50 yards upstream of the WMA's north border to 50 yards downstream of its south border is closed to waterfowl hunting Oct. 15 - Mar. 15. Areas may close when floodwaters or drought keep hunters out. Non-toxic shot only for doves and other migratory birds.

Nearby areas

Boatwright WMA around 7 miles away

West Kentucky WMA around 15 miles away

Winford WMA around 15 miles away

Coil Estate WMA around 15 miles away

Doug Travis WMA around 25 miles away

County zone deer bag limits apply on all WMAs; quota deer hunters may take up to two deer on a quota hunt in Zones 2, 3 and 4, only one antlered, and any buck counts toward the statewide one-buck limit. Hunting for squirrels, rabbits, quail, grouse and furbearers is closed the first two days of modern firearms deer season (Nov. 14-15) on WMAs. Dogs must be leashed on WMAs from March 1 until the third Saturday in August, with exceptions. Camping only where designated; no baiting; no nails or screw-in steps in trees; trail cameras must carry the owner's customer ID. Hunter orange during any firearms season for deer, bear or elk, also on ground blinds, except on WMAs where firearms hunting for those species is prohibited. Public dove fields are closed to all access from Aug. 15 until sunrise Sept. 1; on WMAs and leased fields, dove shooting hours are 11 a.m. to sunset Sept. 1-Oct. 26. Areas manipulated for dove hunting are not legal for waterfowl hunting. Youth-only waterfowl days are Nov. 21 and Feb. 13, and military/veteran-only days Nov. 22 and Feb. 14. A light goose conservation order runs Feb. 16-Mar. 31 with a free permit. Sandhill cranes (Dec. 7-Jan. 31) are by drawn permit only. During WMA deer quota hunts, only drawn hunters and one non-hunting assistant each may be on the area.

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