Hoskins WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Hoskins WMA is 5,292 acres of public hunting land in Leslie and Harlan counties, in KDFWR's Southeast region. Hunters telechecked 5 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 4 antlered bucks among them.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: KDFWR's page for the area. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports, 2016-17 to 2025-26.
Hoskins WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 5,292 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Leslie County, Harlan County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 4 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 5 (4 antlered bucks, 1 doe) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, hunting unit 3 |
| Elevation | Minimum 880 feet, maximum 2520 feet |
| Contact | (606)-654-2533 |
| Nearest towns | Hyden (2 mi), Loyall (4 mi) and Harlan (5 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Hoskins 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. The use of motorized vehicles shall be confined to existing paved roads and parking areas. Off road operation of motorized vehicles or ATVs is prohibited. Horseback riding is prohibited.
- Commercial hunting guides and outfitters are prohibited unless they have written permission from CW Hoskins Heirs.
Source: KDFWR's page for Hoskins WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Hoskins WMA?
Hunters telechecked 5 deer on Hoskins WMA in the 2025-26 season: 4 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 1 doe. Over the 4 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 4 deer a season, from 2 in 2023-24 to 6 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 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: 2 in 2024 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
Elk telechecked on the area: 1 in 2025-26 (1 bull, 0 cows) and 1 in 2022-23 (0 bulls, 1 cow). See Kentucky elk hunting.
What kind of ground is Hoskins WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 96.28% forest and 3.74% open land. Elevation runs from 880 feet to 2520 feet.
Which county is Hoskins WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leslie County | 5,038 | 4 | 565 | 98th |
| Harlan County | 255 | 4 | 509 | 104th |
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 Hoskins WMA?
The Hoskins HAA is divided into numerous tracts within Clay, Harlan, and Leslie Counties. Habitat types vary on the WMA, but a majority of the property is a mixture of closed canopy forest and reclaimed mine lands in varying stages of regeneration. Hunters should expect to traverse relatively rough terrain on most all of the tracts. Open under statewide regulations for all game. Remember that mining equipment and large machinery always have the right-of-way when present.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: US 421, KY 221, KY 699 and KY 2009. Nearest towns: Hyden (2 miles), Loyall (4 miles), Harlan (5 miles) and Evarts (9 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Boone Forestlands WMA (next to it), Cumberland Forest WMA (next to it), Daniel Boone National Forest (next to it) and Redbird WMA (next to it).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Hoskins WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Hoskins WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county. The use of motorized vehicles shall be confined to existing paved roads and parking areas. Off road operation of motorized vehicles or ATVs is prohibited. Horseback riding is prohibited. Commercial hunting guides and outfitters are prohibited unless they have written permission from CW Hoskins Heirs.
How many deer were killed on Hoskins WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 5 deer on Hoskins WMA in the 2025-26 season: 4 antlered bucks and 1 doe. The most taken with firearms (4).
What county is Hoskins WMA in?
Leslie County (5,038 acres) and Harlan County (255 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Hoskins WMA in?
Leslie County is in Zone 4 and Harlan 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 Hoskins WMA?
Yes. KDFWR's Telecheck reports show 1 elk in 2025-26 and 1 elk in 2022-23 on the area. Elk hunting is by quota permit; see Kentucky elk hunting.
Get a Kentucky hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Kentucky are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Kentucky included.
Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, size, habitat, contact and directions: KDFWR, Hoskins 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.
Kentucky hunting All Kentucky WMAs Leslie County deer harvest Harlan County deer harvest