Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge is 11,852 acres of public hunting land in Marshall, McCracken and Graves counties, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 119 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 49 antlered bucks among them. KDFWR's 2026-27 rule for the area: Refuge permits are required for anyone required to have a hunting license and is engaged in hunting activities on the refuge. The free permit should be obtained and signed before arriving.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: KDFWR's page for the area. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports, 2016-17 to 2025-26.
Clarks River National Wildlife RefugeOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 11,852 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Marshall County, McCracken County, Graves County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 119 (49 antlered bucks, 64 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum feet, maximum feet |
| Contact | (270) 527-5770 |
| Nearest towns | Benton (next to it), Hardin (3 mi) and Paducah (6 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge?
KDFWR lists these rules for the area. Where it says the area is open under statewide seasons, the county's zone rules apply.
Fall Hunting Season
- Refuge permits are required for anyone required to have a hunting license and is engaged in hunting activities on the refuge. The free permit should be obtained and signed before arriving.
- Visit the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge page or call (270-527-5770) for full hunting details.
- The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Clarks River NWR.
Source: KDFWR's page for Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge?
Hunters telechecked 119 deer on Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in the 2025-26 season: 49 antlered bucks, 6 button bucks and 64 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 133 deer a season, from 111 in 2024-25 to 180 in 2017-18.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 119 | 49 | 64 | 99 | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| 2024-25 | 111 | 51 | 50 | 87 | 8 | 9 | 7 |
| 2023-24 | 141 | 57 | 72 | 108 | 15 | 9 | 9 |
| 2022-23 | 137 | 68 | 57 | 110 | 15 | 9 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 113 | 46 | 64 | 83 | 16 | 9 | 5 |
| 2020-21 | 123 | 45 | 67 | 99 | 17 | 2 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 113 | 38 | 60 | 99 | 10 | 0 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 124 | 33 | 79 | 102 | 16 | 0 | 6 |
| 2017-18 | 180 | 57 | 96 | 149 | 14 | 2 | 15 |
| 2016-17 | 173 | 63 | 94 | 139 | 20 | 1 | 13 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by public land. Antlered bucks are KDFWR's count of males with visible antlers; the rest of the males are button bucks.
Spring turkey telechecked on the area: 50 in 2025, 35 in 2024, 28 in 2023 and 18 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 57.83% wetland, 23.28% forest, 18.62% open land and 0.26% open water. Elevation runs from feet to feet.
Which county is Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County | 7,958 | 1 | 1,201 | 51st |
| McCracken County | 3,544 | 1 | 863 | 73rd |
| Graves County | 387 | 1 | 2,698 | 5th |
Acres measured by FilledTag on KDFWR public hunting area boundaries and the U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. County harvest: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Zones: KDFWR current deer zones.
How do you get to Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge?
Along a 40-mile stretch of Clarks River; nearest town is Benton. No established roads or trails. Clarks River is the only National Wildlife Refuge located entirely within Kentucky. Land is still being purchased to complete projected size of 18,000 acres. Hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing. Owned by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 91 U.S. Hwy. 641 North, Benton, KY 42025
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: I-24, I-69, US 68 and US 641. Nearest towns: Benton (next to it), Hardin (3 miles), Paducah (6 miles) and Calvert City (8 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Kentucky Lake WMA (3.2 miles), Kaler Bottoms WMA (3.8 miles), Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (7.6 miles) and Lake Barkley WMA (10.8 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge: Refuge permits are required for anyone required to have a hunting license and is engaged in hunting activities on the refuge. The free permit should be obtained and signed before arriving. Visit the Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge page or call (270-527-5770) for full hunting details. The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Clarks River NWR.
How many deer were killed on Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge last season?
Hunters telechecked 119 deer on Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in the 2025-26 season: 49 antlered bucks and 64 does. The most taken with firearms (99).
What county is Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in?
Marshall County (7,958 acres), McCracken County (3,544 acres) and Graves County (387 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge in?
Marshall County is in Zone 1, McCracken County is in Zone 1 and Graves County is in Zone 1. Unlimited number of antlerless deer using the statewide deer permit plus additional deer permits. Area rules can be stricter than the zone's, as listed above.
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Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, size, habitat, contact and directions: KDFWR, Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge.
- Deer, elk and turkey harvest on the area: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by public land. County harvest: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county.
- Boundary: KDFWR public hunting area boundaries. Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries; U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer. National forest and refuges: U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
FilledTag is not part of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from KDFWR or measured from public maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Kentucky hunting All Kentucky WMAs Marshall County deer harvest McCracken County deer harvest Graves County deer harvest