Lake Cumberland WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Lake Cumberland WMA is 38,788 acres of public hunting land in Russell, Wayne, Pulaski, Clinton and McCreary counties, in KDFWR's Southeast region. Hunters telechecked 155 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 93 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 Cumberland WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 38,788 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Russell County, Wayne County, Pulaski County, Clinton County, McCreary County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 3, Zone 4 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 155 (93 antlered bucks, 53 does) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, unit 1 is closed to elk hunting |
| Elevation | Minimum 630 feet, maximum 1218 feet |
| Contact | (270) 283-0244; COE office (606) 679-6337 |
| Nearest towns | Burnside (next to it), Ferguson (next to it), Jamestown (next to it) and Monticello (2 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Lake Cumberland 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
- Rabbit and quail seasons open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except during the opening weekend of modern gun deer season.
- Grouse season open Oct. 1-Dec. 31.
- The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Lake Cumberland WMA in areas located within Russell, Pulaski and Wayne counties only. Areas of the WMA located in Clinton and McCreary counties are not open for the special antlerless season.
ADA Acreage
- 1,500 Acres.
Source: KDFWR's page for Lake Cumberland WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Lake Cumberland WMA?
Hunters telechecked 155 deer on Lake Cumberland WMA in the 2025-26 season: 93 antlered bucks, 9 button bucks and 53 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 134 deer a season, from 97 in 2017-18 to 171 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 155 | 93 | 53 | 97 | 22 | 25 | 11 |
| 2024-25 | 171 | 95 | 66 | 118 | 21 | 15 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | 144 | 66 | 70 | 104 | 16 | 15 | 9 |
| 2022-23 | 137 | 61 | 68 | 95 | 10 | 18 | 14 |
| 2021-22 | 119 | 67 | 47 | 83 | 15 | 11 | 10 |
| 2020-21 | 116 | 67 | 47 | 72 | 17 | 14 | 13 |
| 2019-20 | 134 | 76 | 54 | 101 | 12 | 3 | 18 |
| 2018-19 | 131 | 75 | 51 | 96 | 18 | 2 | 15 |
| 2017-18 | 97 | 70 | 26 | 64 | 17 | 2 | 14 |
| 2016-17 | 140 | 101 | 34 | 90 | 27 | 7 | 16 |
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: 32 in 2025, 53 in 2024, 33 in 2023 and 32 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Lake Cumberland WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 89.3% forest, 6.29% open land, 4.2% open water and 0.19% wetland. Elevation runs from 630 feet to 1218 feet.
Which county is Lake Cumberland WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County | 12,670 | 3 | 597 | 96th |
| Wayne County | 12,391 | 3 | 1,057 | 57th |
| Pulaski County | 8,508 | 3 | 2,359 | 12th |
| Clinton County | 4,745 | 3 | 483 | 105th |
| McCreary County | 470 | 4 | 441 | 109th |
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 Cumberland WMA?
WMA consists of shoreline surrounding Lake Cumberland. Fishing in Poynter, Clifty, and Coldwater creeks, 10 miles west of Somerset on KY 80, then 7 miles on Piney Grove RD. Caney Fork Creek, 8 miles northeast of Jamestown on KY 619. Many other access points, roads and trails around lake. Gently sloping creek bottoms to steep ridges, hardwood forests, old farmlands, wildlife plantings. Fishing and hiking. Opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, and birding on the lake. Mobility impaired access to permit holders in designated area. For camping, check with owner. Camping facilities and horseback riding trails available at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park and General Burnside State Park are nearby. Owned by U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 558, KY 90, US 127 and US 27. Nearest towns: Burnside (next to it), Ferguson (next to it), Jamestown (next to it), Monticello (2 miles) and Somerset (3 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Daniel Boone National Forest (next to it), Beaver Creek WMA (1.7 miles), Meadow Creek WMA (1.9 miles) and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (2 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Lake Cumberland WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Lake Cumberland WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Lake Cumberland WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 155 deer on Lake Cumberland WMA in the 2025-26 season: 93 antlered bucks and 53 does. The most taken with firearms (97).
What county is Lake Cumberland WMA in?
Russell County (12,670 acres), Wayne County (12,391 acres), Pulaski County (8,508 acres), Clinton County (4,745 acres) and McCreary County (470 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Lake Cumberland WMA in?
Russell County is in Zone 3, Wayne County is in Zone 3, Pulaski County is in Zone 3, Clinton County is in Zone 3 and McCreary County is in Zone 4. 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 Cumberland 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 Russell County deer harvest Wayne County deer harvest Pulaski County deer harvest