Marrowbone State Forest and WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Marrowbone State Forest and WMA is 1,955 acres of public hunting land in Metcalfe and Cumberland counties, in KDFWR's Green River region. Hunters telechecked 10 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.
Marrowbone State Forest and WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,955 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Metcalfe County, Cumberland County |
| KDFWR region | Green River region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1, Zone 2 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 10 (6 antlered bucks, 4 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 655 feet, maximum 1120 feet |
| Contact | Office (270) 646-5167 |
| Nearest towns | Edmonton (7 mi), Tompkinsville (11 mi) and Burkesville (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Marrowbone State Forest and 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.
Source: KDFWR's page for Marrowbone State Forest and WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Marrowbone State Forest and WMA?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Marrowbone State Forest and WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 4 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 12 deer a season, from 5 in 2019-20 to 17 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 13 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 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: 7 in 2025, 9 in 2024, 3 in 2023 and 2 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Marrowbone State Forest and WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 94.88% forest and 5.27% open land. Elevation runs from 655 feet to 1120 feet.
Which county is Marrowbone State Forest and WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metcalfe County | 1,447 | 1 | 1,545 | 37th |
| Cumberland County | 508 | 2 | 998 | 60th |
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 Marrowbone State Forest and WMA?
Marrowbone State Forest and WMA is located west of Burkesville, off KY 90. From Glasgow, Cumberland PKWY (Louie B Nunn PKWY) exit 14, take KY 90 (southeast) 20 miles to near the Metcalfe/Cumberland county line. The main entrance is on the left (north) side of the road. There is additional access parking along Gordon Branch RD, Ed Turner RD, Lone Star RD, and Muse RD. Terrain is steep to very steep with narrow ridge tops and bottoms. The area is mostly in upland timber with some pine scattered throughout, and 50 acres of open bottomland. The shallow soils are somewhat excessively drained, shaly, and highly dissected. Populations of deer, turkey, squirrel, and furbearers exist on the area. Open to statewide hunting regulations. ATVs and horseback riding are prohibited. Co-owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Kentucky Division of Forestry.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 163, KY 90, KY 496 and KY 1520. Nearest towns: Edmonton (7 miles), Tompkinsville (11 miles), Burkesville (12 miles) and Gamaliel (18 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Mud Camp Creek WMA (5.8 miles), Dale Hollow Lake WMA (16.7 miles), Barren River Lake WMA (17.5 miles) and Lake Cumberland WMA (21.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Marrowbone State Forest and WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Marrowbone State Forest and WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Marrowbone State Forest and WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Marrowbone State Forest and WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks and 4 does. The most taken with firearms (9).
What county is Marrowbone State Forest and WMA in?
Metcalfe County (1,447 acres) and Cumberland County (508 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Marrowbone State Forest and WMA in?
Metcalfe County is in Zone 1 and Cumberland County is in Zone 2. 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, Marrowbone State Forest and 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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