Lake Barkley WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Lake Barkley WMA is 907 acres of public hunting land in Trigg County, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 71 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 35 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.
Lake Barkley WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 907 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Trigg County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 71 (35 antlered bucks, 30 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 358 feet, maximum 383 feet |
| Contact | (270) 753-6913 |
| Nearest towns | Kuttawa (next to it), Grand Rivers (next to it) and Eddyville (3 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Lake Barkley 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
- All non-refuge tracts open under statewide regulations.
- North Island Refuge is closed Nov. 1-Feb. 15.
Duck Island Refuge
- Closed Oct. 15-March 15, with the exception of the October muzzleloader deer season.
- Closed for the December muzzle loader season.
- Closed for modern gun deer season.
- Deer and turkey archery/crossbow seasons open through Oct. 14 only.
- Open during the youth-only gun season through Oct. 14; closed for free youth weekend.
- Squirrel season open Aug. 16-Oct. 14.
Source: KDFWR's page for Lake Barkley WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Lake Barkley WMA?
Hunters telechecked 71 deer on Lake Barkley WMA in the 2025-26 season: 35 antlered bucks, 6 button bucks and 30 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 88 deer a season, from 71 in 2025-26 to 107 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 71 | 35 | 30 | 58 | 6 | 5 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | 93 | 44 | 45 | 76 | 7 | 7 | 3 |
| 2023-24 | 107 | 48 | 53 | 81 | 15 | 7 | 4 |
| 2022-23 | 107 | 51 | 48 | 85 | 13 | 8 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 83 | 44 | 35 | 70 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 74 | 39 | 30 | 56 | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| 2019-20 | 74 | 31 | 39 | 53 | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 84 | 44 | 36 | 67 | 7 | 3 | 7 |
| 2017-18 | 95 | 46 | 47 | 65 | 18 | 2 | 10 |
| 2016-17 | 92 | 38 | 47 | 65 | 8 | 2 | 17 |
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: 8 in 2025, 12 in 2024, 8 in 2023 and 6 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Lake Barkley WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 50.17% open water, 34.4% wetland, 12.46% open land and 3.2% forest. Elevation runs from 358 feet to 383 feet.
Which county is Lake Barkley WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trigg County | 893 | 1 | 1,804 | 24th |
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 Lake Barkley WMA?
WMA consist primarily of islands in Lake Barkley with Duck Island maintained as waterfowl refuge. Fishing, boating and other water-related sports. The North Refuge is closed Nov. 1 - March 15 and Duck Island Refuge is closed Oct. 15 - March 15. Lake Barkley WMA is owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: I-24, KY 453, I-69 and US 62. Nearest towns: Kuttawa (next to it), Grand Rivers (next to it), Eddyville (3 miles) and Cadiz (9 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (next to it) and Kentucky Lake WMA (6.9 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Lake Barkley WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Lake Barkley WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Lake Barkley WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 71 deer on Lake Barkley WMA in the 2025-26 season: 35 antlered bucks and 30 does. The most taken with firearms (58).
What county is Lake Barkley WMA in?
All of it is in Trigg County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Lake Barkley WMA in?
Trigg 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, Lake Barkley 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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