An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Wildlife; Hunting; Lands-Management; Licenses-and-Permits
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 2, 2024) — Kentucky’s fall hunting seasons bring expanded opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy their favorite activities. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources conducts annual quota hunts for deer, waterfowl, pheasants and sandhill cranes.
Hunters can apply for these quota hunts through Sept. 30 via the MyProfile online portal at fw.ky.gov. Applications are not accepted over the phone, and the minimum fee is $3 per application. Applicants will receive a confirmation number, and results will be posted online as soon as Oct. 6 through MyProfile. Randomized drawings are conducted to determine recipients of the hunt opportunities that are each limited to a specific quota number.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife offers 37 deer quota hunts at various wildlife management areas (WMAs) and state parks; waterfowl quota hunts at five public land locations; pheasant hunts at three WMAs; and statewide permits to hunt sandhill cranes.
Locations and dates for 2024-25 deer season quota hunts at Kentucky state parks include:
Quota deer hunts during the 2024-25 season will also be held at 17 WMAs throughout the state. A quota hunt at Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area in Meade County is scheduled Dec. 14-15.
For a complete list of all quota deer hunts, dates and special regulations view pages 32-35 of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s annual Fall Hunting and Trapping Guide or visit the online Quota Hunts webpage at fw.ky.gov. Some hunts are reserved for youth or mobility-impaired hunters. Kentucky’s annual hunting guides (booklets summarizing applicable regulations) are also available at license vendors throughout the state.
Upland bird hunters can apply for pheasant quota hunts that will be held at Green River Lake on Nov. 15-17 and at Yellowbank and Clay WMAs on Dec. 6-8.
For waterfowl, quota hunts will be held at Ballard WMA and Sloughs WMA. Review procedures for these hunts on page 33 of the Fall Hunting and Trapping Guide or through the department’s online Waterfowl Hunting Regulations webpage.
The statewide sandhill crane season is Dec. 7 through Jan. 31, 2025. Drawn sandhill crane hunters will be issued printable tags attached to hunting permits, accessible through the online sandhill crane app at fw.ky.gov. Selected applicants must pass an online sandhill crane identification test before receiving a permit, and must carry the crane permit and tags while hunting in addition to a valid Kentucky hunting license and Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit.
Quota hunts control the number of hunters in an area to provide quality hunting opportunities and regulate harvests at specific areas. Residents and non-residents are eligible, but a maximum of 10 percent nonresidents can be drawn in each deer quota hunt pool. Only the person successfully drawn for a quota hunt may hunt. Prior to hunts, drawn hunters must purchase applicable licenses and permits to legally hunt during quota hunts.
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