Marion County WMA and State Forest: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Marion County WMA and State Forest is 1,341 acres of public hunting land in Marion County, in KDFWR's Bluegrass region. Hunters telechecked 14 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.
Marion County WMA and State ForestOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,341 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Marion County |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 14 (6 antlered bucks, 7 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 780 feet, maximum 1200 feet |
| Contact | (502) 477-9024 |
| Nearest towns | Bradfordsville (2 mi), Lebanon (6 mi) and St. Mary (11 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Marion County WMA and State Forest?
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.
Source: KDFWR's page for Marion County WMA and State Forest, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Marion County WMA and State Forest?
Hunters telechecked 14 deer on Marion County WMA and State Forest in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 7 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 13 deer a season, from 10 in 2020-21 to 17 in 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 2024-25 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 2022-23 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020-21 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2018-19 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 2017-18 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 2016-17 | 17 | 9 | 8 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
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, 1 in 2024, 2 in 2023 and 2 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Marion County WMA and State Forest?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 98.96% forest and 1.19% open land. Elevation runs from 780 feet to 1200 feet.
Which county is Marion County WMA and State Forest in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County | 1,341 | 1 | 1,673 | 29th |
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 Marion County WMA and State Forest?
Located 9 miles southeast of Lebanon and 5.5 miles north of Bradfordsville. It is on the west side of Siloam RD. From US 68 travel 5.5 miles east of Lebanon, take Penick-Tatum Loop southward, go south on Tatum Lane 2 miles, then south on Siloam RD about a half mile; the WMA will be on your right. From KY337, take Siloam RD north about 1 and ¾ mile; the WMA will be on your left. Boundaries are marked with WMA and State Forest markers as well as yellow blazing on trees. There is currently 1 parking area, on the west side of Siloam RD. An information kiosk (board) with map is at the parking area. The property consists of steep to rolling ridges and hollows. The best hunting opportunities are for deer, turkey, and squirrel due to the extensive oak-hickory woodlands in various stages of growth. The fields surrounding the parking area will offer limited rabbit hunting opportunity. The area is currently open under statewide regulations applicable to Marion County. Trapping is by permit only (call 502-477-9024 to apply). No check in station for hunting, call in to report hunt results. Do not park in the road or on roadsides; park in the designated parking lot only. There are no ponds or lakes on the Marion Co. WMA & State Forest. Fishing is not recommended. Owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kentucky Division of Forestry and Marion County Fiscal Court. Purchased with funds from the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund (nature license plate fund) and Wildlife Restoration (grant program from federal excise tax on guns and ammunition).
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 49, KY 52, US 68 and KY 337. Nearest towns: Bradfordsville (2 miles), Lebanon (6 miles), St. Mary (11 miles) and Springfield (11 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Green River Lake WMA (11.6 miles), Dennis-Gray WMA (17.6 miles), Rolling Fork WMA (19.9 miles) and R. F. Tarter WMA (24.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Marion County WMA and State Forest in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Marion County WMA and State Forest: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Marion County WMA and State Forest last season?
Hunters telechecked 14 deer on Marion County WMA and State Forest in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks and 7 does. The most taken with firearms (8).
What county is Marion County WMA and State Forest in?
All of it is in Marion County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Marion County WMA and State Forest in?
Marion 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, Marion County WMA and State Forest.
- 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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