John A. Kleber WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
John A. Kleber WMA is 4,463 acres of public hunting land in Owen and Franklin counties, in KDFWR's Bluegrass region. Hunters telechecked 61 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 13 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.
John A. Kleber WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 4,463 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Owen County, Franklin County |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 61 (13 antlered bucks, 30 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 620 feet, maximum 920 feet |
| Contact | (502) 535-6335 |
| Nearest towns | Monterey (3 mi), Stamping Ground (6 mi) and Gratz (8 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on John A. Kleber 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 season.
- Check-ins and check-outs are required during the quota hunt at the Kleber WMA office.
- Rabbit and quail seasons open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except during deer quota hunts, and during the opening weekend of modern gun deer season.
- Shooting Range Information
- A person shall not target practice, sight in a firearm, or discharge a firearm in any area except the shooting range. Shooting multiple projectile shells is not permitted on Tube Ranges. Club Ranges are off-limits unless authorized by an approved event with a club range safety officer. A person shall not discharge a firearm within 100 yards of a residence or occupied building, whether or not the building is on the WMA.
Shooting Range Permit Required
- An annual or one-day shooting range permit is now required to use firearms and archery equipment on any department managed, leased or affiliated shooting range. The permit system will help the agency better gauge how many people use the ranges, promote safe practices, and support maintenance and improvements.
- The permit is free to annual hunting or fishing license holders, but you must obtain it through
- My Profile
Prohibited Activities
- Damage a tree or shrub (No installation of targets on trees or shrubs)
- Dump trash or litter (Clean up targets and spent shells)
- Deface or destroy a signs
- Pose a risk to persons or property (Shooters responsible for ensuring adequate backstop)
- Engage in an activity which could unreasonably interfere with other uses or users of the area
Source: KDFWR's page for John A. Kleber WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on John A. Kleber WMA?
Hunters telechecked 61 deer on John A. Kleber WMA in the 2025-26 season: 13 antlered bucks, 18 button bucks and 30 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 36 deer a season, from 6 in 2016-17 to 68 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 61 | 13 | 30 | 44 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| 2024-25 | 68 | 25 | 33 | 55 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 61 | 24 | 30 | 47 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| 2022-23 | 17 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 21 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| 2020-21 | 54 | 23 | 25 | 29 | 14 | 6 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 23 | 7 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 5 |
| 2018-19 | 24 | 9 | 15 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 |
| 2017-18 | 26 | 5 | 19 | 1 | 16 | 2 | 7 |
| 2016-17 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 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: 19 in 2025, 23 in 2024, 22 in 2023 and 21 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is John A. Kleber WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 89.76% forest, 10.19% open land and 0.02% open water. Elevation runs from 620 feet to 920 feet.
Which county is John A. Kleber WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen County | 3,550 | 1 | 2,214 | 14th |
| Franklin County | 913 | 1 | 1,379 | 42nd |
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 John A. Kleber WMA?
On KY 368 (Cedar Creek RD) between US 127 and KY 227. Steep hillsides, narrow ridge tops and floodplains with a combination of woods, brush and grasslands. Fishing in small pond. Site of annual Christmas Bird Count by Frankfort Audubon Society. Tube shooting range (for single projectile firearms only; no shotshells or pistols allowed) and Pistol Pit open Tuesday-Saturday 9:00 AM-sunset & Sundays noon-sunset. Closed Mondays. Check online calendar or call Area office for closures or events. House Tract - Mostly forested area consisting of mixed hardwoods and interspersed cedar stands with some open early successional ridge fields and creek bottoms along Gills Branch. Terrain is rolling to steep wooded hillsides. Excellent deer and turkey hunting opportunities and plenty of oak/hickory for plenty of enjoyable squirrel hunting. The House tract has two parking areas off Highway 127 north of Frankfort just past the Franklin-Owen line Owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 368. Nearest towns: Monterey (3 miles), Stamping Ground (6 miles), Gratz (8 miles) and Frankfort (9 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Dr. James R. Rich WMA (next to it), Kentucky River WMA (2.5 miles), T. N. Sullivan WMA (2.9 miles) and Veterans Memorial WMA (9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt John A. Kleber WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for John A. Kleber WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on John A. Kleber WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 61 deer on John A. Kleber WMA in the 2025-26 season: 13 antlered bucks and 30 does. The most taken with firearms (44).
What county is John A. Kleber WMA in?
Owen County (3,550 acres) and Franklin County (913 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is John A. Kleber WMA in?
Owen County is in Zone 1 and Franklin 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, John A. Kleber 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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