elk bugling

Elk Hunting Info

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ELK HUNTING INFORMATION


Unless license exempt, all elk hunters are required to purchase a Kentucky annual hunting license and an elk hunting permit. Elk hunters must also print a ​vehicle hang tag to display in their vehicle while hunting, and is only available to print once a hunter has purchased their elk permit. Hunters must comply with all season dates, bag limits, hunter orange requirements, and equipment restrictions for their individual permit type. Upon the conclusion of their hunt, hunters are also required to complete the postseason elk hunter survey listed in their MyProfile. Failure to comply with the survey requirement will prohibit a hunter from applying for all KDFWR-administered quota hunts and no-hunt options the following year.

Please see the Annual Fall ​Kentucky Hunting Guide for​ a comprehensive list of elk hunting regulations.

​​ELK HUNT LOYALTY REDRAW​​​​​

​The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources ​shall conduct a secondary drawing of Elk Quota Hunt Permits each year to award unclaimed permits as a loyalty reward to long-time applicants. ​For more information, please check the Elk Hunt Loyalty Redraw page.

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Elk Hunting Areas

Elk Hunting Units: The Kentucky elk management zone is divided into 7 Elk Hunting Units (EHU), 6 of which are open for elk hunting. Kentucky is approximately 95 % privately owned, and much of the public land available for elk hunting received significant hunting pressure. The EHU system was developed in 2019 to reduce the risk of overharvesting elk in any one area.

Regulated Areas: Regulated Areas (RA) are privately owned properties that KDFWR has entered into an agreement with the landowner (via the voucher-cooperator or landowner-cooperator programs) to allow limited public access for elk hunting.

Hunting Area Drawing

All drawn elk hunters and Commission permit holders have the ability to apply for a specific Elk Hunting Unit and/or Regulated Area in a secondary drawing conducted by the Commonwealth Office of Technology. Prior to the drawing, each hunter can choose up to five unit or area preferences before midnight on June 30th. Once the selections have been made, each applicant, regardless of permit type, will be given an identifying number and drawn at random for the unit or area of their choosing. A computer will randomly draw an individual and look at their choices before moving to the next applicant. If there​​​​ are no openings in any of that applicant’s choices, or if an applicant fails to make a selection, the computer will randomly place the applicant in a hunt unit with an opening for their permit type. Results will be available by July 16th. Any remaining spots for Regulated Areas will be available on a first-come, first-served basis on August 4th at 8 AM EST through your “My Profile” page.


Max Number of Hunters per Hunt Unit (2023)

Either-Sex Archery /
Crossbow
Bull
Firearm Week 1
​Bull
Firearm Week 2
Cow
Firearm Week 1
Cow Firearm 
Week 2
Either-Sex Youth Total
Unit 230101021212 94
Unit 338212128284 140
Unit 439202025255 134
Unit 52310
1013135 74
​​ Unit 6259923235 94
Unit 7205512124 58
​​ Total175 75 75 122 122 25594

Percent Success by tag type and Elk Hunt Unit in 2022

Either-Sex Archery /
Crossbow
Bull
Firearm Week 1
Bull
Firearm Week 2​
Cow
Firearm Week 1 
Cow Firearm
Week 2
Either-Sex Youth
Total​
Unit 223%
11%
50%
33%
37%
0%
30%
Unit 340%
39%
45%
38%
44%
50%
41%
Unit 47%
44%
44%
32%
37%
100%
31%
Unit 529%
13%
43%
25%
44%
100%
36%
Unit 630%
50%
33%
29%
38%
100%
37%
Unit 747%
40%
100%
0%
75%
100%
51%
​​ Overall ​28% 31% 47% 29% 43% 85% ​37%

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