Yellowbank WMA: deer harvest, 2026-27 rules and access
Yellowbank WMA is 7,555 acres of public hunting land in Breckinridge County, in KDFWR's Green River region. Hunters telechecked 94 deer on the area in the 2025-26 season, 34 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.
Yellowbank WMAOther KDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Size | 7,555 acres (KDFWR) |
|---|---|
| County | Breckinridge County |
| KDFWR region | Green River region |
| Deer zone of the county | Zone 1 |
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 94 (34 antlered bucks, 51 does) |
| Elevation | Minimum 382 feet, maximum 872 feet |
| Contact | Office (270) 547-6856 |
| Nearest towns | Cloverport (4 mi), Hawesville (9 mi) and Hardinsburg (9 mi) |
What are the 2026-27 hunting rules on Yellowbank 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 modern gun deer season.
- Rabbit and quail hunting seasons open Nov. 1-Dec. 31, except during the opening weekend of modern gun deer season.
- No small game hunting is allowed on designated pheasant quota hunt units during the pheasant quota hunt period.
- The CWD Antlerless Season (Sept. 25-28) is open on Yellowbank WMA.
ADA Acreage
- 1,000 Acres.
Source: KDFWR's page for Yellowbank WMA, read October 2026. Statewide seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10.
How many deer are taken on Yellowbank WMA?
Hunters telechecked 94 deer on Yellowbank WMA in the 2025-26 season: 34 antlered bucks, 9 button bucks and 51 does. Over the 10 seasons KDFWR reports, the area averaged 81 deer a season, from 56 in 2022-23 to 110 in 2017-18.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Firearms | Archery | Crossbow | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 94 | 34 | 51 | 13 | 62 | 13 | 6 |
| 2024-25 | 79 | 35 | 37 | 4 | 56 | 1 | 18 |
| 2023-24 | 93 | 40 | 47 | 3 | 59 | 14 | 17 |
| 2022-23 | 56 | 24 | 26 | 3 | 34 | 14 | 5 |
| 2021-22 | 70 | 32 | 31 | 3 | 41 | 10 | 16 |
| 2020-21 | 68 | 29 | 34 | 3 | 41 | 14 | 10 |
| 2019-20 | 74 | 13 | 51 | 2 | 50 | 18 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 80 | 30 | 45 | 4 | 59 | 8 | 9 |
| 2017-18 | 110 | 43 | 59 | 8 | 71 | 14 | 17 |
| 2016-17 | 90 | 28 | 56 | 2 | 78 | 10 | 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: 26 in 2025, 33 in 2024, 43 in 2023 and 33 in 2022 (KDFWR Harvest Data, spring season).
What kind of ground is Yellowbank WMA?
KDFWR describes the area's habitat as 80.2% forest, 16.74% open land, 1.97% wetland and 1.1% open water. Elevation runs from 382 feet to 872 feet.
Which county is Yellowbank WMA in?
| County | Acres of the area in it | Deer zone | County deer, 2025-26 | Rank of 120 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breckinridge County | 7,556 | 1 | 3,091 | 2nd |
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 Yellowbank WMA?
Consists of 2 separate tracts, the Main Area and Town Creek Tract both in Breckinridge County. Main Area: Near Ohio River and Meade County line; 20 miles north of Hardinsburg on KY 259; 20 miles west of Brandenburg off KY 144 to KY 259. Horseback riding allowed only on roads and trails (25 miles) indicated by signs. No off-road/field/woods horse use. Horseback parking area located next to information station. Hiking trails (0.6 miles, 2.5 miles loops) across from information station on KY 259 and a 1.2-mile loop trail accessed from center of WMA. Self-guided demonstration area features habitat types, prairie grasses, wetlands. A 20-stop archery trail (¾ mile loop) located at the end of campground is open to public. No broad head use allowed while target shooting, field tips only; all targets are off to the right of the trail for safe walking. Fishing in area ponds and on Yellowbank Creek, ramp at creek, providing access to Ohio River. Area north of KY 259 is a designated Mobility Impaired Area and signed portions are closed Oct. 15-March 15 as a Waterfowl refuge. Primitive camping on designated site only - primitive rest rooms in camp ground. Town Creek Tract , Near Addison and Ohio River; 14 miles NW of Hardinsburg on KY 60 to KY 144; 2 miles west of Addison on KY 144 to Holt RD. Access/ Parking area on KY 144 near Town Creek Bridge and Holt RD. Foot Travel Only. Fishing and Hunting allowed in Town Creek Embayment except for Private Property surrounding the eastern portion of the bay. Visitors must observe posted signs at access/ parking areas. Owned by Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and Breckinridge County Fiscal Court. Portions purchased with funds from the Heritage Lands Conservation Fund Board.
From KDFWR's page for the area.
Highways within 5 miles: KY 144, US 60, KY 886 and KY 105. Nearest towns: Cloverport (4 miles), Hawesville (9 miles), Hardinsburg (9 miles) and Irvington (11 miles).
The closest other public hunting areas with a page here: Rough River Lake WMA (14.3 miles), Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area (21.3 miles), Fort Knox Military Reservation (22 miles) and L. B. Davison WMA (23.4 miles).
Questions hunters ask
When can you hunt Yellowbank WMA in 2026-27?
KDFWR's 2026-27 rules for Yellowbank WMA: Open under statewide rules and regulations in effect for the county.
How many deer were killed on Yellowbank WMA last season?
Hunters telechecked 94 deer on Yellowbank WMA in the 2025-26 season: 34 antlered bucks and 51 does. The most taken with archery (62).
What county is Yellowbank WMA in?
All of it is in Breckinridge County, by KDFWR's boundary.
What deer zone is Yellowbank WMA in?
Breckinridge 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, Yellowbank 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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