Robinson Forest WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Robinson Forest WMA is 2,003 acres of public hunting land in Breathitt and Perry counties, in KDFWR's Southeast region. Hunters telechecked 7 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 7 antlered bucks among them. KDFWR's 2026-27 rule for the area: The main block of this area is closed to all hunting. The remainder of this WMA is open under statewide 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.
Robinson Forest WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,003 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Breathitt County, Perry County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 4 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 7 (7 antlered bucks, 0 does) |
| Elk | In the Elk Management Zone, hunting unit 4 |
| Elevation | Minimum 760 feet, maximum 1640 feet |
| Contact | (606)-654-2533 |
| Nearest towns | Jackson (3 mi), Salyersville (10 mi) and Hazard (11 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Robinson Forest 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
- The main block of this area is closed to all hunting. The remainder of this WMA is open under statewide regulations in effect for the county.
- Portions of the area are open during elk quota hunts to persons who possess the appropriate elk hunting permit.
Source: KDFWR's page for Robinson Forest WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Robinson Forest WMA?
Hunters telechecked 7 deer on Robinson Forest WMA in the 2025-26 season: 7 antlered bucks, 0 button bucks and 0 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 7 deer a season, from 3 in 2019-20 to 9 in 2021-22.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 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: 3 in 2025, 1 in 2023, 6 in 2021 and 6 in 2020 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
Elk telechecked on the area: 2 in 2024-25 (2 bulls, 0 cows), 1 in 2023-24 (0 bulls, 1 cow), 3 in 2021-22 (3 bulls, 0 cows), 3 in 2020-21 (3 bulls, 0 cows) and 1 in 2019-20 (0 bulls, 1 cow). See Kentucky elk hunting.
What kind of ground is Robinson Forest WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 92.86% forest and 7.14% open land. Elevation runs from 760 feet to 1640 feet.
Which county is Robinson Forest WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breathitt County | 1,547 | 4 | 633 | 92nd |
| Perry County | 456 | 4 | 818 | 77th |
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 Robinson Forest WMA?
Robinson Forest is located east of Jackson and Clayhole. Head east of Clayhole on HWY 476 about 8 miles, and turn on Little Buckhorn RD and the county line. See map for open outlying areas in Breathitt and Perry county (Rose Branch, Little Caney Creek north, Bear branch, Fishtrap Branch, and Beaver Dam). See the Fall Hunting and Trapping Guide for additional information concerning hunting seasons. Owned by University of Kentucky. This property is located within Elk Hunting Unit 4. Please refer to the elk hunting portion of our website.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 15, KY 476, KY 30 and KY 1110. Nearest towns: Jackson (3 miles), Salyersville (10 miles), Hazard (11 miles) and Buckhorn (14 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Paul Van Booven WMA (next to it), Wells Hunting Access Area (2.5 miles), RH Group WMA (9.9 miles) and Daniel Boone National Forest (11.3 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Robinson Forest WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Robinson Forest WMA: The main block of this area is closed to all hunting. The remainder of this WMA is open under statewide regulations in effect for the county. Portions of the area are open during elk quota hunts to persons who possess the appropriate elk hunting permit.
How many deer were killed on Robinson Forest WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 7 deer on Robinson Forest WMA in the 2025-26 season: 7 antlered bucks and 0 does. The most taken with firearms (7).
What county is Robinson Forest WMA in?
Breathitt County (1,547 acres) and Perry County (456 acres), measured on KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Robinson Forest WMA in?
Breathitt County is in Zone 4 and Perry County is in Zone 4. Up to two deer, only one of which can be antlerless. Antlerless deer cannot be taken during the modern gun season, the early muzzleloader season or the first six days of the late muzzleloader season. Area rules can be stricter than the zone's, as listed above.
Are elk taken on Robinson Forest WMA?
Yes. KDFWR's Telecheck reports show 2 elk in 2024-25, 1 elk in 2023-24 and 3 elk in 2021-22 on the area. Elk hunting is by quota permit; see Kentucky elk hunting.
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Where these numbers come from
- Area rules, size, habitat, contact and directions: KDFWR, Robinson Forest 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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