Pennyrile State Forest: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Pennyrile State Forest is 14,379 acres of public hunting land in Christian and Caldwell counties, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 102 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 56 antlered bucks among them. KDFWR's 2026-27 rule for the area: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: KDFWR's page for the area. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports, 2016-17 to 2025-26.
Pennyrile State ForestOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 14,379 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Christian County, Caldwell County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 102 (56 antlered bucks, 40 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum feet, maximum feet |
| Contact | (270) 797-3241 |
| Nearest towns | Dawson Springs (2 mi), St. Charles (6 mi) and Crofton (7 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Pennyrile State Forest?
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
- Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
Exceptions
- Archery/crossbow deer season closed during department-administered quota hunts.
- Closed during muzzleloader deer seasons.
- Closed for modern gun deer seasons, except for the quota hunt.
- Closed for youth gun deer season.
Source: KDFWR's page for Pennyrile State Forest, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Pennyrile State Forest?
Hunters telechecked 102 deer on Pennyrile State Forest in the 2025-26 season: 56 antlered bucks, 6 button bucks and 40 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 64 deer a season, from 40 in 2017-18 to 108 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 102 | 56 | 40 | 46 | 42 | 14 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 108 | 63 | 44 | 46 | 46 | 16 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 92 | 54 | 37 | 33 | 36 | 21 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 51 | 30 | 19 | 6 | 31 | 14 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 44 | 25 | 17 | 2 | 27 | 15 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 79 | 50 | 23 | 25 | 40 | 13 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 41 | 22 | 17 | 4 | 26 | 11 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 41 | 16 | 21 | 1 | 35 | 5 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 40 | 19 | 14 | 2 | 31 | 7 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 40 | 20 | 18 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 1 |
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: 28 in 2025, 16 in 2024, 23 in 2023 and 12 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Pennyrile State Forest?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 96.29% forest, 3.3% open land, 0.32% wetland and 0.08% open water. Elevation runs from feet to feet.
Which county is Pennyrile State Forest in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian County | 12,852 | 1 | 3,002 | 3rd |
| Caldwell County | 1,527 | 1 | 1,698 | 28th |
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 Pennyrile State Forest?
8 miles south of Dawson Springs. From Princeton, take US 62 east to KY 109, then south to WMA. From Hopkinsville, take US 41 north to KY 1348 west. Many trails, roads (some paved) within area. Hilly terrain, primarily timbered. Hiking trail. Food, lodging, camping and recreational facilities at Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park. Fishing in Beshear and Pennyrile lakes. Owned by Kentucky Division of Forestry
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 109, KY 398, KY 1348 and KY 672. Nearest towns: Dawson Springs (2 miles), St. Charles (6 miles), Crofton (7 miles) and Princeton (10 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Tradewater WMA (next to it), Jones-Keeney WMA (1.7 miles), Clear Creek WMA (11.5 miles) and Peabody WMA (13.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Pennyrile State Forest in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Pennyrile State Forest: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Pennyrile State Forest last season?
Hunters telechecked 102 deer on Pennyrile State Forest in the 2025-26 season: 56 antlered bucks and 40 does. The most taken with firearms (46).
What county is Pennyrile State Forest in?
Christian County (12,852 acres) and Caldwell County (1,527 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Pennyrile State Forest in?
Christian County is in Zone 1 and Caldwell 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, Pennyrile State Forest.
- 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.
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