Paintsville Lake WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Paintsville Lake WMA is 11,220 acres of public hunting land in Johnson and Morgan counties, in KDFWR's Northeast region. Hunters telechecked 35 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 15 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.
Paintsville Lake WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 11,220 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Johnson County, Morgan County |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 2 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 35 (15 antlered bucks, 18 does) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, hunting unit 6 |
| Elevation | Minimum 715 feet, maximum 1265 feet |
| Contact | 606-776-2620 |
| Nearest towns | Paintsville (4 mi), Salyersville (10 mi) and Blaine (10 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Paintsville Lake 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 October muzzleloader deer season. Open for December muzzleloader deer season.
- Closed for modern gun deer season, except for the quota hunt.
- Deer, bear, and elk hunting is archery/crossbow only (firearms prohibited) in three areas near the dam: 1) the area extending eastward from the drainage of Glade Branch along the lake to the state park boundary line at Rocky Knob, 2) the two islands visible from the state park boat ramp at the end of KY 2275, and 3) the entire hollow surrounding the Shoal Branch cove of the lake west of the dam beginning where Paintsville Utilities Water Treatment Plant is visible on the lake edge.
Source: KDFWR's page for Paintsville Lake WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Paintsville Lake WMA?
Hunters telechecked 35 deer on Paintsville Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 15 antlered bucks, 2 button bucks and 18 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 21 deer a season, from 7 in 2017-18 to 42 in 2023-24.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 35 | 15 | 18 | 26 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 27 | 9 | 16 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 42 | 18 | 20 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| 2022-23 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2020-21 | 25 | 11 | 13 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 2019-20 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| 2017-18 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 23 | 6 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 1 | 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: 6 in 2025, 16 in 2024, 18 in 2023 and 5 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Paintsville Lake WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 95.7% forest, 3.52% open land, 0.73% open water and 0.02% wetland. Elevation runs from 715 feet to 1265 feet.
Which county is Paintsville Lake WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 6,067 | 2 | 737 | 82nd |
| Morgan County | 5,155 | 2 | 715 | 85th |
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 Paintsville Lake WMA?
The WMA surrounds most of the shoreline of Paintsville Lake. Approximately 3 miles northwest of Paintsville on HWY 40, then take HWY 2275 to Marina and Dam. To access west side of WMA from West Liberty, take HWY 172 to HWY 3214. Rolling hills, two-thirds in hardwood forest, some old fields and crop fields. Opportunities for hunting, fishing, boating, birding on lake. Trout are stocked in Paintsville Lake, refer to the fishing guide for regulations. Managed by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Owned by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways through the area: KY 172 and KY 689. Nearest towns: Paintsville (4 miles), Salyersville (10 miles), Blaine (10 miles) and Sandy Hook (11 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: RH Group WMA (9.1 miles), Yatesville Lake WMA (9.9 miles) and Dewey Lake WMA (10.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Paintsville Lake WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Paintsville Lake WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Paintsville Lake WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 35 deer on Paintsville Lake WMA in the 2025-26 season: 15 antlered bucks and 18 does. The most taken with firearms (26).
What county is Paintsville Lake WMA in?
Johnson County (6,067 acres) and Morgan County (5,155 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Paintsville Lake WMA in?
Johnson County is in Zone 2 and Morgan County is in Zone 2. Up to four deer. 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, Paintsville Lake 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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