Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA is 1,486 acres of public hunting land in Elliott County, in KDFWR's Northeast region. Hunters telechecked 6 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.
Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,486 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Elliott County |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 2 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 6 (3 antlered bucks, 3 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 720 feet, maximum 1160 feet |
| Contact | 859-473-0061 |
| Nearest towns | Sandy Hook (3 mi), Olive Hill (10 mi) and Morehead (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge 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.
Source: KDFWR's page for Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA?
Hunters telechecked 6 deer on Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 3 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 4 deer a season, from 1 in 2018-19 to 6 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 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 2025, 1 in 2024, 1 in 2023 and 3 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 97.38% forest and 2.69% open land. Elevation runs from 720 feet to 1160 feet.
Which county is Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elliott County | 1,486 | 2 | 429 | 110th |
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 Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA?
From Morehead, take KY 32 east toward Sandy Hook. After crossing the Elliott county line, the WMA be accessed by Sand Gap RD, directly off KY 32 at the head of Clifty Creek, or from Stegall-Cold Spring RD (the only location to provide direct access to Laurel Creek). The area is part of Laurel Creek Gorge and has rockhouses, waterfalls and moss-covered boulders shrouded by rhododendron and hemlock. The WMA stretches from cliff line to cliff line, making it a long, narrow piece of rugged property. Laurel Creek, which flows through the gorge, averages 15 to 20 feet wide. Although mostly shallow, it does offer some deeper holes. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources stocks 3,000 rainbow trout annually in April, May and June, along with 250 brown trout in early spring. The Ed Mabry-Laurel Gorge WMA is open under statewide regulations for all hunting and trapping seasons. Owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 32, KY 7, KY 173 and KY 504. Nearest towns: Sandy Hook (3 miles), Olive Hill (10 miles), Morehead (12 miles) and West Liberty (14 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Daniel Boone National Forest (3.4 miles) and Grayson Lake WMA (8.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 6 deer on Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks and 3 does. The most taken with firearms (4).
What county is Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA in?
All of it is in Elliott County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA in?
Elliott 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, Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge 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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