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Boatwright WMA - Swan Lake Unit

2026-27 season, part of Boatwright WMA. The Swan Lake Unit of Boatwright WMA. Check the area map for exact boundaries.

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”

Turkey

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Turkey: Closed”

Dove

Sep 1 – Oct 13

Any legal weapon.

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

Ducks and geese

Closed Dec 24–25, Jan 1.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 12 · Boatwright WMA is closed to waterfowl hunting on Mondays, Tuesdays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.”

Ducks and teal

Nov 26 – Jan 31

Follows the statewide season (ducks and teal Nov 26–29, 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. 12 · [quota] Boatwright WMA is open for waterfowl hunting, Wednesdays - Sundays, during the regular waterfowl season. All hunters must be assigned a hunt unit each day through a drawing.”

Geese

Nov 26 – Feb 15

Follows the statewide season (goose (western zone) Nov 26 – Dec 23, Dec 26–31, Jan 2 – Feb 15), Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only, shooting ends at 2 pm. Quota hunt.

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 12 · [quota] Boatwright WMA is open for waterfowl hunting, Wednesdays - Sundays, during the regular waterfowl season (geese).”

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 · Swan Lake portion of Boatwright WMA: No woodcock hunting permitted.”

Raccoon, furbearers, and coyote

Closed this season.

In the guide: “Furbearer: Closed”

Area rules

Closed to deer muzzleloader and modern gun seasons. Areas designated by signs are closed to all hunting.

Nearby areas

Ballard WMA around 7 miles away

Winford WMA around 9 miles away

Coil Estate WMA around 10 miles away

Doug Travis WMA around 15 miles away

West Kentucky WMA around 15 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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