Veterans Memorial WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Veterans Memorial WMA is 2,998 acres of public hunting land in Scott County, in KDFWR's Bluegrass region. Hunters telechecked 47 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 16 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.
Veterans Memorial WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 2,998 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Scott County |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 47 (16 antlered bucks, 24 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 855 feet, maximum 1025 feet |
| Contact | (502) 545-3836 |
| Nearest towns | Sadieville (3 mi), Georgetown (3 mi) and Stamping Ground (7 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Veterans Memorial 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 to modern gun deer season.
- Closed to quail hunting.
- Closed for the October muzzleloader deer season; open for the December muzzleloader deer season.
- Shooting Range Information
- Veterans Memorial WMA Shooting Range - Hours of Operation
- The range is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and will be closed for a deer quota hunt on Nov. 7-8, 2026. The range will also be closed for some facility-wide events that will be announced in advance, and the following holidays: Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11, Thanksgiving, Nov. 26-27, Christmas, Dec. 24-25, New Year’s, Dec. 31-Jan. 1, and Good Friday, March 26, 2027. Closure notices will be posted at the facility as well as on this webpage and on the department’s social media.
- Summer Hours (April - September)
- Wednesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
- Sunday: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
- Fall/Winter/Spring Hours (October - March)
- Wednesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
- Sunday: 1 pm - 5 p.m.
Note
- Occasional range closures for R3 programs and other events.
- The lanes feature target stands and backers at fixed-yard intervals from five to 100 yards depending on lane length. A safety officer and a warning light system will indicate when the firing line is active or “hot," and an advanced overhead baffle system has been designed to keep errant shots contained within the range site. The shooting range is designed to be used with single-projectile firearms. Fully automatic firearms will not be allowed.
- A person shall not target practice, sight in a firearm, or discharge a firearm in any area except the shooting range. A person shall not discharge a firearm within 100 yards of a residence or occupied building, whether or not the building is on the WMA.
Shooting Range Permit Required
- An annual or one-day shooting range permit is now required to use firearms and archery equipment on any department managed, leased or affiliated shooting range. The permit system will help the agency better gauge how many people use the ranges, promote safe practices, and support maintenance and improvements.
- The permit is free to annual hunting or fishing license holders, but you must obtain it through
- My Profile
Prohibited Activities
- Damage a tree or shrub (No installation of targets on trees or shrubs)
- Dump trash or litter (Clean up targets and spent shells)
- Deface or destroy a signs
- Pose a risk to persons or property (Shooters responsible for ensuring adequate backstop)
- Engage in an activity which could unreasonably interfere with other uses or users of the area
Source: KDFWR's page for Veterans Memorial WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Veterans Memorial WMA?
Hunters telechecked 47 deer on Veterans Memorial WMA in the 2025-26 season: 16 antlered bucks, 7 button bucks and 24 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 45 deer a season, from 25 in 2022-23 to 74 in 2017-18.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 47 | 16 | 24 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | 30 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 17 | 7 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | 37 | 21 | 15 | 7 | 21 | 6 | 3 |
| 2022-23 | 25 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 5 |
| 2021-22 | 36 | 15 | 17 | 1 | 23 | 8 | 4 |
| 2020-21 | 55 | 25 | 29 | 26 | 15 | 9 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | 44 | 14 | 21 | 2 | 21 | 12 | 9 |
| 2018-19 | 43 | 17 | 25 | 1 | 16 | 11 | 15 |
| 2017-18 | 74 | 30 | 42 | 2 | 29 | 15 | 28 |
| 2016-17 | 60 | 24 | 30 | 4 | 44 | 12 | 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, 9 in 2024, 16 in 2023 and 15 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Veterans Memorial WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 88.89% forest, 11.14% open land and 0.07% open water. Elevation runs from 855 feet to 1025 feet.
Which county is Veterans Memorial WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County | 2,998 | 1 | 972 | 65th |
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 Veterans Memorial WMA?
The entrance to the property is located on the north side of Rogers Gap RD, along the east side of I-75 in Scott County. Directions to the area are as follows: I-75 North of Georgetown, take exit 129 (Cherry Blossom Way), turn left and continue on, turn right on US 25 continuing about 2 miles. Then turn right on Rogers Gap RD (HWY 620), cross under I-75 and the entrance to the property is on your left. Veterans Memorial WMA is owned by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. The property has a variety of important habitat types for game species and declining migratory birds, reptiles and amphibians, including hardwood forests, shrublands, grasslands, and pond. KDFWR used 3.25 million from KY’s Wetlands and Streams Mitigation fund that is managed by the USCOE, USFWS, and US EPA, and KY Division of Water. The dept added $3 million in federal grant money specifically designated for fish and wildlife land acquisition. No state tax revenues or Fish and Game Fund dollars were used.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: I-75, KY 32, KY 620 and US 25. Nearest towns: Sadieville (3 miles), Georgetown (3 miles), Stamping Ground (7 miles) and Corinth (11 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Dr. James R. Rich WMA (8.5 miles), Griffith Woods WMA (8.6 miles), John A. Kleber WMA (9 miles) and T. N. Sullivan WMA (14.1 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Veterans Memorial WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Veterans Memorial WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Veterans Memorial WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 47 deer on Veterans Memorial WMA in the 2025-26 season: 16 antlered bucks and 24 does. The most taken with firearms (14).
What county is Veterans Memorial WMA in?
All of it is in Scott County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Veterans Memorial WMA in?
Scott 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, Veterans Memorial 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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