Buck Creek WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Buck Creek WMA is 850 acres of public hunting land in Pulaski County, in KDFWR's Southeast region. Hunters telechecked 10 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 6 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.
Buck Creek WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 850 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Pulaski County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 3 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 10 (6 antlered bucks, 4 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 760 feet, maximum 1240 feet |
| Contact | (270)283-0244 |
| Nearest towns | Somerset (10 mi), Ferguson (10 mi) and Science Hill (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Buck Creek 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.
- The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Buck Creek WMA.
Source: KDFWR's page for Buck Creek WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Buck Creek WMA?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Buck Creek WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 4 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 8 deer a season, from 1 in 2017-18 to 11 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2017-18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 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: 1 in 2024, 3 in 2022, 2 in 2021 and 1 in 2019 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Buck Creek WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 96.94% forest and 3.18% open land. Elevation runs from 760 feet to 1240 feet.
Which county is Buck Creek WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 850 | 3 | 2,359 | 12th |
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 Buck Creek WMA?
This WMA, located in eastern Pulaski County, consists of mostly forested habitat with moderately steep terrain. It offers opportunity for deer, turkey and squirrel hunting. Anglers will enjoy access to one mile of some of the highest stream quality in the state. Long, deep pools punctuated by riffles define Buck Creek. Fishing access is primarily by canoe, kayak, cata-raft or small johnboat. Those willing to hike may access Buck Creek by foot for wade fishing. To access the area, travel approximately 10 miles east from Somerset on HWY 80 to KY 1003. Turn south on KY 1003 and travel approximately 7 miles, then left on Pea Ridge RD approximately 0.6 miles to the parking area on the left. There are no internal public roads and travel within the area is by foot traffic only. No camping, horseback riding, or ATVs are permitted on the area. Buck Creek WMA is the property of the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 1003, KY 1675, KY 80 and KY 192. Nearest towns: Somerset (10 miles), Ferguson (10 miles), Science Hill (12 miles) and Burnside (14 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Daniel Boone National Forest (1.6 miles), Rockcastle River WMA (2.1 miles), Lake Cumberland WMA (2.8 miles) and Ping-Sinking Valley WMA (4.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Buck Creek WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Buck Creek WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county. The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Buck Creek WMA.
How many deer were killed on Buck Creek WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Buck Creek WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks and 4 does. The most taken with firearms (8).
What county is Buck Creek WMA in?
All of it is in Pulaski County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Buck Creek WMA in?
Pulaski County is in Zone 3. Up to four deer. Only one antlerless deer with a firearm or air gun. 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, Buck Creek 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.
Kentucky hunting All Kentucky WMAs Pulaski County deer harvest