Fortner-Davis WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Fortner-Davis WMA is 1,358 acres of public hunting land in Bell County, in KDFWR's Southeast region. Hunters telechecked 12 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 11 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.
Fortner-Davis WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,358 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Bell County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 4 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 12 (11 antlered bucks, 1 doe) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, hunting unit 2 |
| Elevation | Minimum 1280 feet, maximum 2400 feet |
| Contact | (606)-654-2533 |
| Nearest towns | Pineville (3 mi), Middlesborough (5 mi) and Barbourville (14 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Fortner-Davis 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 Fortner-Davis WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Fortner-Davis WMA?
Hunters telechecked 12 deer on Fortner-Davis WMA in the 2025-26 season: 11 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 1 doe. Over the 9 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 5 deer a season, from 1 in 2016-17 to 12 in 2025-26.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 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: 1 in 2025, 2 in 2024, 3 in 2020 and 1 in 2016 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Fortner-Davis WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 98.31% forest, 1.62% open land and 0.15% open water. Elevation runs from 1280 feet to 2400 feet.
Which county is Fortner-Davis WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell County | 1,358 | 4 | 661 | 89th |
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 Fortner-Davis WMA?
From Pineville, KY in Bell County take US 25E south approximately 4.5 miles to CR-1149 (Ferndale Acres RD) and turn right (west). WMA entrance approximately ½ mile from US 25E. From Middlesboro, take 25E north to CR-1149 (Ferndale Acres RD) and turn left toward WMA entrance. To access Cannon Creek Lake boat ramp (carry down), US 25E S of Pineville (7 miles); right on Hwy 3486, right on Cannon Creek Lake Road. Area consists of forestland and reclaimed mined land with steep to rugged topography. Good to moderate populations of squirrel, rabbits, grouse, deer, turkey and songbirds exist on the area. Fortner-Davis WMA is privately owned.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 190, US 119, KY 92 and KY 217. Nearest towns: Pineville (3 miles), Middlesborough (5 miles), Barbourville (14 miles) and Loyall (22 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Cumberland Forest WMA (next to it), Kentucky Ridge State Forest (next to it), Kentucky Ridge Forest WMA (2.8 miles) and Shillalah Creek WMA (6.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Fortner-Davis WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Fortner-Davis WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Fortner-Davis WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 12 deer on Fortner-Davis WMA in the 2025-26 season: 11 antlered bucks and 1 doe. The most taken with firearms (9).
What county is Fortner-Davis WMA in?
All of it is in Bell County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Fortner-Davis WMA in?
Bell 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.
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Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, size, habitat, contact and directions: KDFWR, Fortner-Davis 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.