Dr. James R. Rich WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Dr. James R. Rich WMA is 2,264 acres of public hunting land in Owen County, in KDFWR's Bluegrass region. Hunters telechecked 10 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 3 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.
Dr. James R. Rich WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,264 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Owen County |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 10 (3 antlered bucks, 6 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 714 feet, maximum 940 feet |
| Contact | (502) 535-6335 |
| Nearest towns | Monterey (5 mi), Corinth (7 mi) and Sadieville (8 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Dr. James R. Rich 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
- Closed to modern gun deer hunting except for the quota hunt. Check-ins and check-outs required at the John A. Kleber WMA office during the quota hunt.
Source: KDFWR's page for Dr. James R. Rich WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Dr. James R. Rich WMA?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Dr. James R. Rich WMA in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 6 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 8 deer a season, from 2 in 2017-18 to 25 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 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: 10 in 2025, 11 in 2024, 17 in 2023 and 11 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Dr. James R. Rich WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 93.07% forest and 7.02% open land. Elevation runs from 714 feet to 940 feet.
Which county is Dr. James R. Rich WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen County | 2,265 | 1 | 2,214 | 14th |
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 Dr. James R. Rich WMA?
Accessed from KY 227, KY 1474 and Red Oak RD. Steep hillsides, ridge tops and floodplains with a combination of woods, brush and grasslands. For Quota Hunts, check in station is at John A. Kleber WMA. See map for Kleber WMA. Owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 1474 and KY 227. Nearest towns: Monterey (5 miles), Corinth (7 miles), Sadieville (8 miles) and Stamping Ground (9 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: John A. Kleber WMA (next to it), Kentucky River WMA (5.1 miles), T. N. Sullivan WMA (8.3 miles) and Veterans Memorial WMA (8.5 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Dr. James R. Rich WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Dr. James R. Rich WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Dr. James R. Rich WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Dr. James R. Rich WMA in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks and 6 does. The most taken with archery (7).
What county is Dr. James R. Rich WMA in?
All of it is in Owen County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Dr. James R. Rich WMA in?
Owen 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, Dr. James R. Rich 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.