Big Rivers WMA and State Forest: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Big Rivers WMA and State Forest is 7,574 acres of public hunting land in Crittenden and Union counties, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 161 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 67 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.
Big Rivers WMA and State ForestOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 7,574 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Crittenden County, Union County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 161 (67 antlered bucks, 81 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 330 feet, maximum 600 feet |
| Contact | Office (270) 374-3025 |
| Nearest towns | Sturgis (next to it), Wheatcroft (8 mi) and Marion (9 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Big Rivers WMA and 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
- Closed to deer muzzleloader seasons.
- All deer hunting seasons on this WMA are closed during quota hunts except for drawn hunters. Archery/crossbow quota hunt from the fourth Monday in October through Nov. 30, except when closed during the quota hunt that starts the first Saturday in November.
- The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Big Rivers WMA in areas located within Union County only. Areas of the WMA located in Crittenden County are not open for the special antlerless season.
Source: KDFWR's page for Big Rivers WMA and State Forest, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Big Rivers WMA and State Forest?
Hunters telechecked 161 deer on Big Rivers WMA and State Forest in the 2025-26 season: 67 antlered bucks, 13 button bucks and 81 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 131 deer a season, from 88 in 2016-17 to 161 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 161 | 67 | 81 | 63 | 84 | 14 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 158 | 62 | 83 | 38 | 96 | 24 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 157 | 68 | 69 | 45 | 82 | 28 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 105 | 33 | 68 | 13 | 74 | 18 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 122 | 48 | 66 | 11 | 84 | 27 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 154 | 57 | 83 | 35 | 97 | 22 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 128 | 52 | 66 | 21 | 88 | 19 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 109 | 48 | 59 | 19 | 82 | 8 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 123 | 49 | 69 | 15 | 100 | 8 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 88 | 40 | 43 | 14 | 71 | 2 | 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: 23 in 2025, 37 in 2024, 29 in 2023 and 23 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Big Rivers WMA and State Forest?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 64.07% forest, 27.5% open land, 8.01% wetland and 0.41% open water. Elevation runs from 330 feet to 600 feet.
Which county is Big Rivers WMA and State Forest in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crittenden County | 5,090 | 1 | 2,394 | 11th |
| Union County | 2,485 | 1 | 915 | 69th |
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 Big Rivers WMA and State Forest?
From Sturgis, Kentucky at the intersection of U.S. HWY 60 and KY 109, travel north on KY 109 for 1.65 miles, turn left (west) onto KY 1508 and proceed 1.45 miles to main Union County entrance on left. Also from Sturgis, at the intersection of US 60 and KY 365, travel west on KY 365 and proceed 2.5 miles to main Crittenden County entrance and area office on right. Additional Crittenden County access is available on Bells Mine Road off KY 365. From Marion, travel 7.5 miles east on US 60, turn left on KY 365 and travel for 6.8 miles. Steep to very steep upland hardwood forests, flat to rolling bottomland hardwood forest, and agricultural lands bordered by the Ohio River to the west and the Tradewater River to the south. Good populations of deer, turkey, squirrel, and furbearers exist on the area. ATVs, horseback riding, and camping are prohibited. Co-owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Kentucky Division of Forestry.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: US 60, KY 109, KY 365 and KY 270. Nearest towns: Sturgis (next to it), Wheatcroft (8 miles), Marion (9 miles) and Clay (10 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Higginson-Henry WMA (7.9 miles), Lee K. Nelson WMA (16.7 miles), Sloughs WMA (17.1 miles) and Clear Creek WMA (19.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Big Rivers WMA and State Forest in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Big Rivers WMA and State Forest: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Big Rivers WMA and State Forest last season?
Hunters telechecked 161 deer on Big Rivers WMA and State Forest in the 2025-26 season: 67 antlered bucks and 81 does. The most taken with archery (84).
What county is Big Rivers WMA and State Forest in?
Crittenden County (5,090 acres) and Union County (2,485 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Big Rivers WMA and State Forest in?
Crittenden County is in Zone 1 and Union 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, Big Rivers WMA and 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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