37 S.

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Big Rivers WMA & State Forest

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 24, Dec 1 – Jan 18

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only.

  • Archery and crossbow: Sep 5 – Oct 24, Dec 1 – Jan 18
  • Youth: Oct 10–18, Dec 26–27
  • Muzzleloader: Oct 17–18, Dec 12–20

In the guide: “Deer - Archery/Crossbow: During quota hunts, all deer hunting seasons on this WMA are closed, except to drawn hunters. Archery/crossbow quota hunt from the fourth Monday in October through Nov. 30”

Oct 10–18, Dec 26–27

Follows the statewide season (youth Oct 10–18, Dec 26–27), firearms only. Only for youth hunters.

In the guide: “Deer - Youth Gun: Open under statewide regulations”

Oct 25 – Nov 5, Nov 9–30

Archery, either sex. Quota hunt, 130 hunters drawn.

In the guide: “Deer - Archery/Crossbow: [quota] Big Rivers WMA & State Forest #1: Oct. 25-Nov. 30, 130 slots. Archery and crossbow only. Closed during (and day before) the two-day quota hunt that starts the first Saturday in November.”

Closed Nov 6.

In the guide: “Deer: Closed during (and day before) the two-day quota hunt that starts the first Saturday in November (Big Rivers).”

Nov 7–8

Firearms, either sex. Quota hunt, 100 hunters drawn.

In the guide: “Deer - Modern Gun: [quota] Big Rivers WMA & State Forest #2: Nov. 7-8, 100 slots.”

Turkey

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Archery: Sep 5 – Jan 18
  • Crossbow: Oct 1–18, Nov 14 – Dec 31
  • Shotgun: Oct 24–30, Dec 5–11

In the guide: “Turkey: Open under statewide regulations”

Dove and woodcock

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Dove: Sep 1 – Oct 26, Nov 26 – Dec 6, Dec 19 – Jan 10
  • Woodcock: Oct 24 – Nov 13, Nov 16 – Dec 9

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 7 · Wildlife Management Areas not listed here or in the Closed Areas section are open under statewide regulations: dove, woodcock”

Dove

Sep 1, Sep 5

Any legal weapon. Quota hunt.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 7 · [quota] Quota dove hunts for drawn hunters Sept. 1 and Sept. 5 at Big Rivers WMA. Quota hunt fields are closed, except to drawn hunters, September 1-5.”

Ducks and teal

Follows the statewide season (ducks and teal Sep 19–23, Nov 26–29, Dec 7 – Jan 31), shooting ends at 2 pm.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Big Rivers WMA: Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m. Hunters may not enter the area until 4 a.m.”

Geese

Follows the statewide seasons, shooting ends at 2 pm.

  • September canada goose (western zone): Sep 1–15
  • Goose (western zone): Nov 26 – Feb 15

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Big Rivers WMA: Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m. (geese, Western Zone)”

Rabbit and quail

Follows the statewide season (rabbit, western zone and quail, western zone Nov 16 – Feb 10).

In the guide: “Rabbit, Quail: Open under statewide regulations (Western Zone)”

Squirrel

Follows the statewide season (Aug 15 – Nov 13, Nov 16 – Feb 28).

In the guide: “Squirrel: Open under statewide regulations”

Raccoon, furbearers, and coyote

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Raccoon: Oct 1 – Nov 13, Nov 16 – Feb 28
  • Furbearers, hunting and trapping: Nov 16 – Feb 28
  • Furbearers, water-set trapping: Mar 1–31
  • Coyote: Aug 1 – Nov 13, Nov 16 – Mar 31

In the guide: “Furbearer: Open under statewide regulations”

Closed Nov 14–15.

In the guide: “Two-day closure: Hunting for squirrels, rabbits, quail, grouse and furbearers is closed the first two days of modern firearms season for deer on WMAs.”

Area rules

Closed to deer muzzleloader season. During quota hunts, all deer hunting seasons are closed except to drawn hunters. The guide's exception says the archery/crossbow quota hunt starts the fourth Monday in October (Oct. 26); the quota hunt table says Oct. 25. Quota hunters need department hang tags and must Telecheck deer. Dove quota hunt fields are closed except to drawn hunters Sept. 1-5.

Nearby areas

Blackford Oaks WMA around 10 miles away

Higginson-Henry WMA around 15 miles away

Lee K. Nelson WMA around 20 miles away

Clear Creek WMA around 25 miles away

Sloughs 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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