Mill Creek WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Mill Creek WMA is 13,009 acres of public hunting land in Jackson County, in KDFWR's Southeast 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.
Mill Creek WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 13,009 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 3 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 10 (6 antlered bucks, 4 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 940 feet, maximum 1495 feet |
| Contact | (270)283-0244 |
| Nearest towns | McKee (next to it), Livingston (9 mi) and Mount Vernon (13 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Mill Creek 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
- Closed for muzzleloader deer seasons.
- Modern gun deer season is open under statewide regulations for two consecutive days starting the second Saturday in November.
- Rabbit and quail seasons open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except during the opening weekend of modern gun deer season.
ADA Acreage
- ATVs not allowed off designated trails; contact Daniel Boone National Forest for trails map (606)-864-4163.
Source: KDFWR's page for Mill Creek WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Mill Creek WMA?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Mill Creek WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 4 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 8 deer a season, from 5 in 2021-22 to 14 in 2024-25.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 14 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 2021-22 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
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: 11 in 2025, 4 in 2024, 10 in 2023 and 6 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Mill Creek WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 97.18% forest and 2.87% open land. Elevation runs from 940 feet to 1495 feet.
Which county is Mill Creek WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 13,011 | 3 | 930 | 67th |
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 Mill Creek WMA?
Two miles south of McKee, off of KY 89. Primarily hilly with steep slopes and long, narrow ridge tops, with flats only in bottoms and on tops of ridges. Mostly forested with approximately 30 acres of openings. No developed facilities. Mobility impaired access to permit holders in designated area. The mobility impaired access area consists of the U.S. Forest Service trails that are open to ATVs which includes the Sheltowee Trace trail and Renfro Loop Trail on the Southwest end of the WMA. For camping check with owner. Owned by U.S. Forest Service.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 89. Nearest towns: McKee (next to it), Livingston (9 miles), Mount Vernon (13 miles) and Booneville (15 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Daniel Boone National Forest (next to it), Ross Creek WMA (13.2 miles), Miller Welch-Central Kentucky WMA (13.9 miles) and Blue Grass Army Depot (17.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Mill Creek WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Mill Creek WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Mill Creek WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 10 deer on Mill Creek WMA in the 2025-26 season: 6 antlered bucks and 4 does. The most taken with firearms (6).
What county is Mill Creek WMA in?
All of it is in Jackson County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Mill Creek WMA in?
Jackson County is in Zone 3. Up to four deer. Only one antlerless deer with a firearm or air gun. 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, Mill Creek 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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