Dewey Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Dewey Lake WMA is 9,172 acres of public hunting land in Floyd County, in KDFWR's Northeast region. Hunters telechecked 30 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 22 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.
Dewey Lake WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 9,172 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Floyd County |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 4 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 30 (22 antlered bucks, 7 does) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, hunting unit 6 |
| Elevation | Minimum 612 feet, maximum 1420 feet |
| Contact | 606-207-3385 |
| Nearest towns | Prestonsburg (2 mi), Allen (5 mi) and Paintsville (7 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Dewey 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
- Deer, bear and elk hunting is archery/crossbow only (firearms prohibited) in two areas near the dam: 1) on the east side of the dam, the area extending southward from the dam to old Shoreline Campground No. 1, and 2) on the west side of the dam, the area extending westward from the dam along Ky 302 to Terry Boat Ramp.
- Closed for October deer muzzleloader season. Open for December deer muzzleloader season.
Source: KDFWR's page for Dewey Lake WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Dewey Lake WMA?
Hunters telechecked 30 deer on Dewey Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 22 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 7 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 16 deer a season, from 3 in 2022-23 to 36 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 30 | 22 | 7 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 27 | 14 | 9 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
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: 7 in 2025, 6 in 2024, 8 in 2023 and 8 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
Elk telechecked on the area: 1 in 2022-23 (1 bull, 0 cows), 1 in 2019-20 (1 bull, 0 cows), 3 in 2018-19 (2 bulls, 1 cow), 2 in 2017-18 (1 bull, 1 cow) and 7 in 2016-17 (2 bulls, 5 cows). See Kentucky elk hunting.
What kind of ground is Dewey Lake WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 95.31% forest, 4.02% open land, 0.59% open water and 0.05% wetland. Elevation runs from 612 feet to 1420 feet.
Which county is Dewey Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | 9,159 | 4 | 881 | 72nd |
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 Dewey Lake WMA?
The WMA surrounds most of the shoreline of Dewey Lake. 6 miles east of Prestonsburg on KY 194. Extremely steep and rugged; forested, primarily in hardwoods, with scattered openings. Opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, birding on lake. Camping allowed only in corps-maintained campgrounds. Lodging, recreational activities, camping at nearby Jenny Wiley State Resort Park. Managed by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Owned by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 194. Nearest towns: Prestonsburg (2 miles), Allen (5 miles), Paintsville (7 miles) and Martin (9 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: RH Group WMA (next to it), Legacy WMA (1.1 miles) and Elk Horn Coal Hunting Access Area (1.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Dewey Lake WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Dewey Lake WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Dewey Lake WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 30 deer on Dewey Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 22 antlered bucks and 7 does. The most taken with firearms (26).
What county is Dewey Lake WMA in?
All of it is in Floyd County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Dewey Lake WMA in?
Floyd County is in Zone 4. Up to two deer, only one of which can be antlerless. Antlerless deer cannot be taken during the modern gun season, the early muzzleloader season or the first six days of the late muzzleloader season. Area rules can be stricter than the zone's, as listed above.
Are elk taken on Dewey Lake WMA?
Yes. KDFWR's Telecheck reports show 1 elk in 2022-23, 1 elk in 2019-20 and 3 elk in 2018-19 on the area. Elk hunting is by quota permit; see Kentucky elk hunting.
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Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, size, habitat, contact and directions: KDFWR, Dewey 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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