37 S.

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Peabody 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 only.

  • 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: “Deer - Archery/Crossbow: Open under statewide regulations”

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 17–18, Dec 12–20

Follows the statewide seasons, muzzleloader only.

  • Youth: Oct 17–18
  • Muzzleloader: Oct 17–18, Dec 12–20

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

Nov 14–23

Follows the statewide season (modern firearms Nov 14–23), firearms only.

In the guide: “Deer - Modern Gun: Open under statewide regulations for 10 consecutive days starting the second Saturday in November.”

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”

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. 14 · Peabody WMA: Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m. on those portions open to hunting.”

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. 14 · Peabody WMA: Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m. on those portions open to hunting (geese).”

Quail

Follows the statewide season (western zone Nov 16 – Feb 10).

In the guide: “Quail: On the Sinclair Unit, quail hunting allowed between 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays; On the Ken Unit, quail hunting allowed between 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays.”

Rabbit

Follows the statewide season (western zone Nov 16 – Feb 10).

In the guide: “Rabbit: 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

Anyone 16 or older entering the area must carry a Peabody WMA user permit ($15, from license vendors). Rabbit and quail hunters on the Sinclair and Ken units must check in and out at a kiosk and display a department hang-tag. On the Sinclair Unit, quail hunting only 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; on the Ken Unit, 7:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. Wednesdays and Saturdays; daily quail limit four on either unit. The Sinclair Unit portion bounded by KY 176, S1 road and Goose Lake Rd. (including Goose Lake) and the Ken Unit portion bounded by Wysox Rd., H2, H1 and H6 roads (including Island and South lakes) are closed Oct. 15 - March 15.

Nearby areas

Harris-Dickerson WMA around 15 miles away

L.B. Davison WMA around 30 miles away

Tradewater WMA around 30 miles away

Clear Creek 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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