Ohio River Islands WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Ohio River Islands WMA is 1,264 acres of public hunting land in Livingston County, in KDFWR's Purchase region. Hunters telechecked 6 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 2 antlered bucks among them. KDFWR's 2026-27 rule for the area: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county in Pryor, Rondeau and Sisters Islands.
Data updated October 2026. Rules: KDFWR's page for the area. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports, 2016-17 to 2025-26.
Ohio River Islands WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 1,264 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Livingston County |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 6 (2 antlered bucks, 4 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 302 feet, maximum 347 feet |
| Contact | (270) 753-6913 |
| Nearest towns | Carrsville (5 mi), Smithland (6 mi) and Calvert City (12 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Ohio River Islands 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 in Pryor, Rondeau and Sisters Islands.
Exceptions
- Stewart Island Unit
- Archery/crossbow deer and turkey seasons open through Oct. 14 only.
- Open for October muzzleloader deer season. Closed for December muzzleloader deer season.
- Closed for modern gun deer season.
- Open for youth-only gun deer season through Oct. 14 only; closed for free youth weekend.
- Squirrel season open Aug. 16-Oct. 14.
- Closed for rabbit and quail seasons.
Source: KDFWR's page for Ohio River Islands WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Ohio River Islands WMA?
Hunters telechecked 6 deer on Ohio River Islands WMA in the 2025-26 season: 2 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 4 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 9 deer a season, from 2 in 2016-17 to 16 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 2021-22 | 14 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020-21 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| 2019-20 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 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.
What kind of ground is Ohio River Islands WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 88.29% wetland, 8.62% open water, 2.37% open land and 0.87% forest. Elevation runs from 302 feet to 347 feet.
Which county is Ohio River Islands WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Livingston County | 1,265 | 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 Ohio River Islands WMA?
Ohio River upstream from Smithland Lock and Dam. Stewart (Birdsville) Island and surrounding river area is a waterfowl refuge closed Oct. 15-March 15. Accessed by numerous ramps along Ohio River, including Birdsville Ramp off KY137. Public hunting allowed prior to closure. Twin Sisters, Pryor, Rondeau islands and a large marsh area located between Pryor and Twin Sisters islands provide waterfowl hunting from temporary blinds. Access to the islands on Kentucky side north islands at Givens Creek Ramp off of Golconda Ferry RD, and south at Birdsville Ramp off of Birdsville RD at KY 137. Roads are accessible off of KY 137, north of Smithland, and on the Illinois side at Davidson Memorial Boat Ramp and Golconda Marina Ramp. Owned by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 137, KY 135, US 60 and KY 1436. Nearest towns: Carrsville (5 miles), Smithland (6 miles), Calvert City (12 miles) and Salem (12 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Livingston County WMA and State Natural Area (1.4 miles), Ferguson Creek WMA (6.3 miles), Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (16.3 miles) and West Kentucky WMA (17.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Ohio River Islands WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Ohio River Islands WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county in Pryor, Rondeau and Sisters Islands.
How many deer were killed on Ohio River Islands WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 6 deer on Ohio River Islands WMA in the 2025-26 season: 2 antlered bucks and 4 does. The most taken with firearms (5).
What county is Ohio River Islands WMA in?
All of it is in Livingston County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Ohio River Islands WMA 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, Ohio River Islands 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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