Kaler Bottoms WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Kaler Bottoms WMA is 1,904 acres of public hunting land in Graves County, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 9 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 6 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.
Kaler Bottoms WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,904 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Graves County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 9 (6 antlered bucks, 3 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 341 feet, maximum 470 feet |
| Contact | (270) 753-6913 |
| Nearest towns | Benton (9 mi), Mayfield (9 mi) and Hardin (13 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Kaler Bottoms 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 CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Kaler Bottoms WMA.
Source: KDFWR's page for Kaler Bottoms WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Kaler Bottoms WMA?
Hunters telechecked 9 deer on Kaler Bottoms WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 3 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 17 deer a season, from 6 in 2024-25 to 29 in 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2021-22 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 23 | 9 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019-20 | 17 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 22 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 26 | 4 | 19 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 29 | 9 | 18 | 25 | 3 | 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: 9 in 2025, 5 in 2024, 4 in 2023 and 3 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Kaler Bottoms WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 90.65% wetland, 5.04% forest, 4.2% open land and 0.21% open water. Elevation runs from 341 feet to 470 feet.
Which county is Kaler Bottoms WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graves County | 1,904 | 1 | 2,698 | 5th |
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 Kaler Bottoms WMA?
Eight miles northeast of Mayfield between the JULIAN M CARROLL PKWY to the south, US-45 to the west, and I-24 to the north. Access from KY 131, KY 408 and Tim Owen RD. Cypress swamps, hardwoods, low terrain throughout. Limited access, especially when bottoms are wet. Swamp rabbit, great blue heron rookery, black vulture roost. No developed facilities. Owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: I-69, KY 131, KY 348 and KY 1949. Nearest towns: Benton (9 miles), Mayfield (9 miles), Hardin (13 miles) and Calvert City (14 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (3.8 miles), Kentucky Lake WMA (16.3 miles), Obion Creek WMA (18.1 miles) and Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (18.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Kaler Bottoms WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Kaler Bottoms WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county. The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Kaler Bottoms WMA.
How many deer were killed on Kaler Bottoms WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 9 deer on Kaler Bottoms WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks and 3 does. The most taken with firearms (5).
What county is Kaler Bottoms WMA in?
All of it is in Graves County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Kaler Bottoms WMA in?
Graves 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, Kaler Bottoms 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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