Grayson Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Grayson Lake WMA is 8,025 acres of public hunting land in Carter and Elliott counties, in KDFWR's Northeast region. Hunters telechecked 23 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 10 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.
Grayson Lake WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 8,025 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Carter County, Elliott County |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1, Zone 2 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 23 (10 antlered bucks, 12 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 643 feet, maximum 1168 feet |
| Contact | 606-776-2620 |
| Nearest towns | Grayson (5 mi), Sandy Hook (7 mi) and Olive Hill (8 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Grayson 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
- Camp Webb is closed to all hunting.
- Closed to modern gun deer season.
- Crossbows are legal during the entire archery season, except closed during the November open youth hunt.
- Youth gun seasons are open. An open youth hunt is held on the first Saturday in November for two consecutive days and is limited to youths ages 15 and under. Check-ins and check-outs are required, but any deer harvest must also be telechecked. Limit of two deer, only one of which may be antlered. Closed to all other hunting during the two-day event.
- Closed for October muzzleloader deer season. Open for December muzzleloader deer season.
Source: KDFWR's page for Grayson Lake WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Grayson Lake WMA?
Hunters telechecked 23 deer on Grayson Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 10 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 12 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 33 deer a season, from 23 in 2025-26 to 48 in 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 23 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 31 | 19 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 43 | 25 | 18 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | 34 | 23 | 10 | 9 | 18 | 7 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 32 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 2 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 36 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 5 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 16 | 3 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 27 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 6 |
| 2017-18 | 25 | 7 | 16 | 6 | 11 | 1 | 7 |
| 2016-17 | 48 | 20 | 26 | 7 | 27 | 2 | 12 |
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: 17 in 2025, 13 in 2024, 25 in 2023 and 20 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Grayson Lake WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 95.38% forest, 4.17% open land and 0.47% open water. Elevation runs from 643 feet to 1168 feet.
Which county is Grayson Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | 6,296 | 1 | 1,240 | 50th |
| Elliott County | 1,730 | 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 Grayson Lake WMA?
WMA surrounds most of the shoreline of Grayson Lake. From Grayson, travel seven miles south on KY 7, watch for area signs. There are a few primitive interior roads. Mainly hilly and steep, with some gently sloping upland areas and fairly flat creek bottoms. Mostly forested, primarily in hardwoods, with openings in most bottoms and upland flats. Hiking on 20-miles marked trail. Hunting, fishing, boating, birding on lake. Horseback trails, campground with water and electrical hookup at adjacent Grayson Lake State 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 1496, KY 7 and KY 986. Nearest towns: Grayson (5 miles), Sandy Hook (7 miles), Olive Hill (8 miles) and Blaine (13 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Ed Mabry - Laurel Gorge WMA (8.1 miles), Yatesville Lake WMA (9.8 miles), Tygarts State Forest (10.8 miles) and Paintsville Lake WMA (14.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Grayson Lake WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Grayson Lake WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Grayson Lake WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 23 deer on Grayson Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 10 antlered bucks and 12 does. The most taken with archery (11).
What county is Grayson Lake WMA in?
Carter County (6,296 acres) and Elliott County (1,730 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Grayson Lake WMA in?
Carter County is in Zone 1 and Elliott County is in Zone 2. 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, Grayson 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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