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Lake Barkley WMA - Duck Island Refuge

2026-27 season, part of Lake Barkley WMA. Duck Island Refuge on Lake Barkley. 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”

Oct 17–18

Follows the statewide season (youth and muzzleloader Oct 17–18), muzzleloader only.

In the guide: “Deer - Muzzleloader: Open for October muzzleloader season only.”

All hunting

Closed Oct 15–16, Oct 19 – Mar 15.

In the guide: “Duck Island Refuge is closed Oct. 15 - March 15, with the exception of the October muzzleloader deer season”

Turkey

Sep 5 – Oct 14

Follows the statewide seasons, archery only.

  • Archery: Sep 5 – Oct 14
  • Crossbow: Oct 1–14

In the guide: “Turkey: Open under statewide archery/crossbow seasons through Oct. 14 only.”

Dove and woodcock

Follows the statewide season (dove Sep 1 – Oct 14).

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).

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 season (september canada goose (western zone) Sep 1–15).

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)”

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.”

Raccoon, furbearers, and coyote

Follows the statewide seasons.

  • Raccoon: Oct 1–14
  • Furbearers, water-set trapping: Mar 16–31
  • Coyote: Aug 1 – Oct 14, Mar 16–31

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

Raccoon, furbearers, coyote, dove, woodcock, and ducks and geese

Closed Oct 17–18.

In the guide: “Duck Island Refuge is closed Oct. 15 - March 15, with the exception of the October muzzleloader deer season (other species during it)”

Area rules

Closed to deer modern gun season. Boating is allowed, but hunting is prohibited on and within 200 yards of Duck Island Oct. 15 - March 15.

Nearby areas

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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