37 S.

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Lake Barkley 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

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Archery and crossbow: Sep 5 – Jan 18
  • Youth: Oct 10–18, Dec 26–27
  • Muzzleloader: Oct 17–18, Dec 12–20
  • Modern firearms: Nov 14–29

In the guide: “Lake Barkley WMA: All non-refuge tracts open under statewide regulations (deer)”

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: “Lake Barkley WMA: All non-refuge tracts open under statewide regulations (turkey)”

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”

Ducks and teal

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

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Areas owned or managed by the KDFWR that are not listed below are open to statewide seasons and limits: ducks”

Geese

Follows the statewide seasons.

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

In the guide: “Migratory birds p. 11 · Areas owned or managed by the KDFWR that are not listed below are open to statewide seasons and limits: geese (September Canada goose Western Zone)”

Rabbit and quail

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

In the guide: “Lake Barkley WMA: All non-refuge tracts open under statewide regulations (rabbit, quail, Western Zone)”

Squirrel

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

In the guide: “Lake Barkley WMA: All non-refuge tracts open under statewide regulations (squirrel)”

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: “Lake Barkley WMA: All non-refuge tracts open under statewide regulations (furbearers)”

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

All non-refuge tracts. North Island Refuge is closed Nov. 1 - Feb. 15. Migratory birds guide p. 13: refuge areas closed to all hunting are the area west of the main river channel between river mile 51 (Hayes Landing Light) and the TVA power transmission lines at river mile 55.5, closed Nov. 1 - Feb. 15, and the area west of a line from the north point of the mouth of Fulton Bay to the south point of the mouth of Honker Bay, closed Nov. 1 - Mar. 15. Season-long blind drawing Sept. 21; permanent blinds only within 10 yards of assigned markers in the two areas the guide describes (p. 14).

Nearby areas

Lake Barkley WMA - Duck Island Refuge within this area

Kenlake State Resort Park around 10 miles away

Kentucky Lake WMA around 10 miles away

Beechy Creek WMA around 15 miles away

Jones-Keeney WMA around 30 miles away

Pennyrile State Forest around 30 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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