Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area is 2,430 acres of public hunting land in Livingston County, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 50 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 17 antlered bucks among them. KDFWR's 2026-27 rule for the area: Open under statewide rule 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.
Livingston County WMA and State Natural AreaOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,430 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 50 (17 antlered bucks, 31 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 300 feet, maximum 667 feet |
| Contact | 270) 210-9774 |
| Nearest towns | Carrsville (4 mi), Smithland (5 mi) and Salem (6 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area?
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 rule and regulations in effect for the county.
Exceptions
- Any weapon other than a modern gun that is legal to take deer may be used during the modern gun season.
Source: KDFWR's page for Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area?
Hunters telechecked 50 deer on Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area in the 2025-26 season: 17 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 31 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 64 deer a season, from 49 in 2022-23 to 86 in 2020-21.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 50 | 17 | 31 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 25 |
| 2024-25 | 55 | 21 | 29 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 34 |
| 2023-24 | 79 | 39 | 34 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 52 |
| 2022-23 | 49 | 15 | 29 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 28 |
| 2021-22 | 55 | 24 | 30 | 3 | 18 | 7 | 27 |
| 2020-21 | 86 | 39 | 42 | 6 | 22 | 10 | 48 |
| 2019-20 | 63 | 27 | 34 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 36 |
| 2018-19 | 72 | 31 | 34 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 44 |
| 2017-18 | 69 | 31 | 36 | 11 | 13 | 0 | 45 |
| 2016-17 | 66 | 32 | 32 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 49 |
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 2025, 8 in 2023, 1 in 2022 and 1 in 2021 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 82.22% forest, 10.91% wetland and 6.91% open land. Elevation runs from 300 feet to 667 feet.
Which county is Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston County | 2,430 | 1 | 1,597 | 34th |
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 Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area?
Consists of three tracts, the Bissell Bluff SNA (562 acres), Newman’s Bluff SNA (461 acres), and Reynolds (873 acres). To reach the Bissell Bluff State Natural Area, from Smithland travel about 5 miles north on HWY 60 to Three Rivers Rock RD. Go south on Three Rivers Rock RD to the intersection with Bizzelll Bluff RD. Turn left on Bizzell Bluff Rd by the quarry entrance. After 2.3 miles turn right on Tomahawk RD and proceed just 0.2 miles to area entrance. The Bissell Bluff tract protects a mature forest and bottomland forest along the Cumberland River. This area floods annually when the Cumberland River overflows in the spring. Terrain could be considered very rugged. To reach Newman's Bluff, from Smithland, go east of US 60 about 3 miles and turn left on SR 137. Go about 11 miles and turn right into Mt. Pigsah Church RD (1436). Follow about 4.5 miles, and watch for an entrance sign. Turn right on Old Good Hope Cemetery RD and proceed down the steep hill around Old Good Hope Cemetery for about ¼ mile. The Newman’s Bluff tract protects habitat along the forested slope of Newman’s Bluff and creek. High limestone bluffs overlook a deep heavily forested valley. This tract has a stream-fed lake near the parking area. A small waterfall is below the lake. Access to Reynolds tract from Joiner RD, about ½ mile on Mt. Pigsah Church RD beyond Old Good Hope Cemetery RD. Access is also available from Hughes RD, off HWY 133. Good to moderate populations of squirrel, deer, turkey and songbirds exist on the area. The area is open under statewide regulations for small game. Additional restrictions apply to turkey and deer hunting. See the Fall Hunting and Trapping Guide for specific information concerning hunting seasons. Management of these tracts is shared between the Livingston County Fiscal Court, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Kentucky State Nature Preserves Commission, portions purchased with funds from the Heritage Lands Conservation Fund.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 137, US 60, KY 135 and KY 1433. Nearest towns: Carrsville (4 miles), Smithland (5 miles), Salem (6 miles) and Calvert City (11 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Ohio River Islands WMA (1.4 miles), Ferguson Creek WMA (3.2 miles), Lake Barkley WMA (15.2 miles) and Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area (16.2 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area: Open under statewide rule and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area last season?
Hunters telechecked 50 deer on Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area in the 2025-26 season: 17 antlered bucks and 31 does. The most taken with muzzleloader (25).
What county is Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area in?
All of it is in Livingston County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area in?
Livingston 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, Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area.
- 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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