Barren River Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Barren River Lake WMA is 8,735 acres of public hunting land in Barren and Allen counties, in KDFWR's Green River region. Hunters telechecked 192 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 81 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.
Barren River Lake WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 8,735 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Barren County, Allen County |
| KDFWR region | Green River region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 2 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 192 (81 antlered bucks, 97 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 482 feet, maximum 752 feet |
| Contact | Office (270) 646-5167; COE office (270) 646-2055 |
| Nearest towns | Glasgow (3 mi), Fountain Run (3 mi) and Scottsville (6 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Barren River Lake WMA?
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
- Rabbit and quail hunting seasons open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except during the opening weekend of modern gun deer season.
- On the Peninsula Unit, including Narrow, Goose and Grass Islands, hunters may use a muzzleloading shotgun or crossbow during the fall turkey firearm season and may use a crossbow during the fall turkey archery season.
ADA Acreage
- 300 Acres.
Source: KDFWR's page for Barren River Lake WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Barren River Lake WMA?
Hunters telechecked 192 deer on Barren River Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 81 antlered bucks, 14 button bucks and 97 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 143 deer a season, from 91 in 2016-17 to 198 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 192 | 81 | 97 | 128 | 35 | 13 | 16 |
| 2024-25 | 198 | 82 | 106 | 132 | 32 | 17 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | 166 | 75 | 80 | 111 | 23 | 14 | 18 |
| 2022-23 | 158 | 57 | 85 | 117 | 26 | 9 | 6 |
| 2021-22 | 131 | 55 | 69 | 82 | 20 | 10 | 19 |
| 2020-21 | 138 | 50 | 72 | 93 | 16 | 7 | 22 |
| 2019-20 | 123 | 58 | 59 | 82 | 14 | 6 | 21 |
| 2018-19 | 133 | 62 | 57 | 97 | 9 | 3 | 24 |
| 2017-18 | 98 | 47 | 46 | 68 | 13 | 7 | 10 |
| 2016-17 | 91 | 47 | 38 | 62 | 13 | 1 | 15 |
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: 9 in 2025, 28 in 2024, 25 in 2023 and 18 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Barren River Lake WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 82.3% forest, 13.75% open land, 2.29% open water and 1.84% wetland. Elevation runs from 482 feet to 752 feet.
Which county is Barren River Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barren County | 5,450 | 2 | 1,610 | 33rd |
| Allen County | 3,284 | 2 | 1,670 | 30th |
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 Barren River Lake WMA?
WMA consists of shoreline surrounding Barren River Lake. Access from US 31E and KY 87, 98, 100 and KY 252, and by lake. Hilly to gently sloping terrain, with woodlands and cleared bottomlands maintained for wildlife. Peninsula Unit, Grass, Goose, Mason and Narrows islands open to primitive weapons hunting only. Tailwater Campground open year-round; no camping on management area. The Goose Island Unit is the mobility impaired designated area. Boating, fishing on Barren Lake. Camping, golf, horseback riding, swimming, and lodge accommodations at nearby Barren River Lake State Resort Park. Owned by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 2065. Nearest towns: Glasgow (3 miles), Fountain Run (3 miles), Scottsville (6 miles) and Park City (8 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Marrowbone State Forest and WMA (17.5 miles), Nolin River Lake WMA (22.1 miles), Mud Camp Creek WMA (24 miles) and Gabbard Branch WMA (29.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Barren River Lake WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Barren River Lake WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Barren River Lake WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 192 deer on Barren River Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 81 antlered bucks and 97 does. The most taken with firearms (128).
What county is Barren River Lake WMA in?
Barren County (5,450 acres) and Allen County (3,284 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Barren River Lake WMA in?
Barren County is in Zone 2 and Allen County is in Zone 2. Up to four deer. 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, Barren River Lake WMA.
- 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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