Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources

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Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Serving People,
Conserving Fish & Wildlife

To learn more about the Department’s mission and programs, please follow this page and visit https://fw.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx.

Earlier this month, Kentucky Wild members rolled up their sleeves and assisted with freshwater mussel tagging at Thomas ...
10/21/2026

Earlier this month, Kentucky Wild members rolled up their sleeves and assisted with freshwater mussel tagging at Thomas More University’s Biology Field Station near California, Kentucky.

Participants learned about freshwater mussel conservation and had the opportunity to “glitter tag” over 3,500 mussels that will soon be released into wild waterways in Kentucky.

Prior to their release, freshwater mussels raised in captivity are tagged using adhesive and glitter - a process that encapsulates the glitter and poses no danger to the mussels. The bedazzled tags allow biologists to identify the mussels according to year class long after their release.

You can support the conservation of vulnerable and declining wildlife AND have the opportunity to participate in exciting member experiences like this when you become a member of Kentucky Wild.

Join here today: https://bit.ly/3p1jPg0

Hunters showed up and showed out last week! The Youth-Only and Early Muzzleloader seasons wrapped up yesterday, with hun...
10/20/2026

Hunters showed up and showed out last week! The Youth-Only and Early Muzzleloader seasons wrapped up yesterday, with hunters harvesting more than 10,500 deer statewide.

Over the nine-day Youth-Only Season, youths harvested 6,490 deer (51% antlerless, 49% antlered). During the two-day Early Muzzleloader Season, hunters harvested 4,021 deer (64% antlerless, 36% antlered).

Both seasons saw significant increases over 2025, when youth hunters harvested 5,645 deer and early muzzleloader hunters harvested 1,599, a combined increase of 3,267 more deer this year than last year!

And the season is far from over. Here’s what’s ahead:
•Modern Fi****ms: Nov. 14-29
•Late Muzzleloader: Dec. 12-20
•Archery and Crossbow: Through Jan. 18
•FREE Youth Weekend: Dec. 26-27

Congratulations to all the hunters who took part!

Find more information about deer hunting in Kentucky: https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Pages/Deer.aspx

📸 Mason Tolliver, Greenup County (Submitted by Dillion Tolliver)

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a month away…What better time to be able to put a wild-harvested turkey on you...
10/19/2026

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a month away…

What better time to be able to put a wild-harvested turkey on your table than during the Early Fall Turkey Sh***un Season, starting THIS weekend (Oct. 24-30).

Get IN the holiday spirit by getting OUT(side)! 🦃

For more on fall turkey hunting, including bag limits, rules, and regulations, refer to the 2026-27 fall hunting guide:https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Documents/huntingguideentire.pdf

Summer into fall is a busy time for our Kentucky Fish and Wildlife folks across the state!From wrapping up summer camps ...
10/17/2026

Summer into fall is a busy time for our Kentucky Fish and Wildlife folks across the state!

From wrapping up summer camps and the state fair, to sampling our lakes and stocking fish, to kicking off dove season and hosting hundreds of visitors for National Hunting and Fishing Day-- our team has been hard at work conserving, protecting, and enhancing Kentucky’s Fish and Wildlife resources all the while providing opportunities for hunters and anglers, meeting the fellow Kentuckians they serve, and educating the next generation along the way.

To learn more about hunting and angling opportunities in Kentucky: https://fw.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Early Muzzleloader Season for deer starts tomorrow (woohoo!), and we wanted to leave you with a couple of reminders goin...
10/16/2026

Early Muzzleloader Season for deer starts tomorrow (woohoo!), and we wanted to leave you with a couple of reminders going into the weekend:

•In Zone 1 counties, harvesting a few extra does helps with herd balance and improves deer quality across the landscape. (Even if you’re not in Zone 1, you are helping out your local ecosystem by striving to bag your zone’s limit this season!)
•Hunter orange is required.
•Be sure to review the 2026 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide or visit for current regulations and license requirements, available here:https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Documents/huntingguideentire.pdf

Whether you’re getting in on the action of this early season, or you are mentoring a youth during the last weekend of the Youth-Only Fi****ms Season, we wish you a safe and successful weekend!

Last week, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife hosted the inaugural Hooked on Inclusion Fishing Derby!Volunteers from across the ...
10/15/2026

Last week, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife hosted the inaugural Hooked on Inclusion Fishing Derby!

Volunteers from across the agency headed to the Pfieffer Fish Hatchery, where 35 athletes from Special Olympics Kentucky joined for a day of fishing and fun.

Thank you to everyone who came together to make this a great day, and a special thank you to the folks at Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation for all they did to make this day happen!

Did you know - Marbled salamanders are rule breakers 🙅🏻‍♀️Rather than laying eggs during spring, females lay their eggs ...
10/14/2026

Did you know - Marbled salamanders are rule breakers 🙅🏻‍♀️

Rather than laying eggs during spring, females lay their eggs in the fall. And, unlike many other salamander species that deposit eggs in water, they lay eggs on dry land beneath logs, rocks, or leaf litter in or near vernal pools.

The story doesn't end there. Female marbled salamanders guard their eggs from potential predators until Autumn rains submerge the nest with water, at which point the eggs complete development and hatch.

Once hatched, the fully aquatic larvae continue to grow before beginning a terrestrial life phase months later.

YOU can support the conservation of salamanders and other native non-game wildlife by becoming a member of Kentucky Wild.

Learn more and join here today: https://bit.ly/3q7pt0J

Photo by Geoff Roberts

Congratulations to all of the youth hunters who got up and at’em this past weekend for the opening of the Youth-Only Fi*...
10/13/2026

Congratulations to all of the youth hunters who got up and at’em this past weekend for the opening of the Youth-Only Fi****ms Season!

At least 2,491 youth hunters were successful the first two days of the season, harvesting a total of 2,681 deer with a fi***rm.

Of those harvested, 50% were antlered, 45% were female, and 5% were buck fawns.

The season is not over yet (running now until Oct. 18) … let’s keep the momentum going.

Hunt safe, make memories, and be sure to send us photos— we’d love to hear about your hunt!

2026-2027 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide:https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Documents/huntingguideentire.pdf

📸 Landon Shewmaker (Submitted by Will Shewmaker)

Our ongoing deer movement study, conducted in cooperation with the University of Kentucky, uses GPS-collared deer to tra...
10/12/2026

Our ongoing deer movement study, conducted in cooperation with the University of Kentucky, uses GPS-collared deer to track movement across the landscape!

This tracking shows us patterns of how their movement changes day to day and how much they move during different parts of the day.

In this week's figures, we can see…
•Bucks and does may travel similar distances on some days and very different distances on others.
•Movement patterns can vary between sexes and individual deer, some more active at different times.

October brings changes that can influence deer movement. As food sources and cover change, deer may adjust where and when they move. Deer also tend to be most active around sunrise and sunset: this is known as crepuscular activity (and is a good reminder for motorists to keep an eye out for deer crossing when on the road during these times).

For young hunters heading out to the field as the Youth-Only Season continues (Oct. 10-18) or for those getting ready for early Muzzloader Weekend (Oct. 17-18), keep an eye out for signs of deer activity, like tracks or trails. Even when you aren't seeing deer, there can be plenty of clues about where they've been and how they're using the habitat around them!

For more on deer hunting in Kentucky: https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Pages/Deer.aspx

Despite the blazing heat of last month, this year’s September harvest was the highest on record, with 8,448 deer taken a...
10/10/2026

Despite the blazing heat of last month, this year’s September harvest was the highest on record, with 8,448 deer taken across the state during the month!

Here are some other highlights from the September Deer Harvest Report:
•Our 4-day CWD Antlerless season wrapped up, totaling 1,294 deer reported harvested across the 21 counties and over 1,000 samples submitted by hunters for CWD testing.
•Resident/nonresident harvest has remained steady, with a slight dip in nonresident participation compared to years past.
•Some counties have already made significant strides towards antlerless harvest goals. (As we continue this effort, this is a great opportunity to donate any excess venison to a local hunger-relief program such as Hunters for the Hungry or Boone Brothers!)

To view the full September Deer Harvest Report:https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Documents/Deer-Report-Sept26.pdf

📸 Landon Tackett, Pike County

Address

1 Sportsmans Lane
Frankfort, KY
40601

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+18008581549

Website

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