Rockcastle River WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Rockcastle River WMA is 2,922 acres of public hunting land in Pulaski County, in KDFWR's Southeast region. Hunters telechecked 14 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 3 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.
Rockcastle River WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,922 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Pulaski County |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 3 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 14 (3 antlered bucks, 10 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 780 feet, maximum 1360 feet |
| Contact | (270)283-0244 |
| Nearest towns | London (12 mi), Livingston (13 mi) and Somerset (13 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Rockcastle River 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 only.
- Rabbit season is open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except during the opening weekend of modern gun deer season.
- Quail and grouse seasons are open until 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays from Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except when closed during the modern gun deer season. Daily bag limit is four quail and two grouse.
- Rabbit, quail and grouse hunters must check in and check out at a self-service kiosk, and a department-provided vehicle hang-tag must be clearly displayed in a vehicle. Hangtags are available in advance through the department's website.
- The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Rockcastle River WMA.
Source: KDFWR's page for Rockcastle River WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Rockcastle River WMA?
Hunters telechecked 14 deer on Rockcastle River WMA in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks, 1 button buck and 10 does. Over the 9 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 12 deer a season, from 5 in 2017-18 to 16 in 2021-22.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022-23 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 16 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.
Spring turkey telechecked on the area: 3 in 2025, 4 in 2024, 3 in 2023 and 1 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Rockcastle River WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 82.31% forest, 17.21% open land and 0.48% open water. Elevation runs from 780 feet to 1360 feet.
Which county is Rockcastle River WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 2,922 | 3 | 2,359 | 12th |
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 Rockcastle River WMA?
From Somerset, take KY 80 east. After traveling approximately 10 miles, turn right onto KY 1675 at the community of Stab. Go a little more than 5 miles and turn left onto Acorn-Ano Rd. to the area. Drive approximately 1 2/3 miles to the boundary. No ATV’s, camping, horseback riding, or rock climbing is allowed on the WMA. The area is open under statewide regulations for all game species. Upland Bird and Rabbit Hunters MUST check in/out at Kiosks using HangTag (last page of map document)
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 80, KY 1003, KY 1675 and KY 1956. Nearest towns: London (12 miles), Livingston (13 miles), Somerset (13 miles) and Ferguson (13 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Daniel Boone National Forest (next to it), Buck Creek WMA (2.1 miles), Cane Creek WMA (2.2 miles) and Ping-Sinking Valley WMA (3.7 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Rockcastle River WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Rockcastle River WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Rockcastle River WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 14 deer on Rockcastle River WMA in the 2025-26 season: 3 antlered bucks and 10 does. The most taken with archery (7).
What county is Rockcastle River WMA in?
All of it is in Pulaski County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Rockcastle River WMA in?
Pulaski 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, Rockcastle River 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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