Skip to main content
Kentucky

Hunting

Hunting

Licenses & Fees

WHICH LICENSE OR PERMIT DO I NEED?

The tables below provide a quick overview of current licensing requirements. See the rest of this section for exemptions and complete residency, licensing and hunter education requirements. Licenses and permits for the species below are not required for children younger than 12.

KENTUCKY RESIDENTS

Ages 12-15

Ages 16-64

Ages 65 and older OR Disabled

Deer

Youth Hunting License*

+ Youth Deer Permit*

Annual Hunting License†

+ Statewide Deer Permit†

Senior/Disabled or Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License

Fall Turkey

Youth Hunting License*

+ Youth Turkey Permit*

Annual Hunting License†

+ Fall Turkey Permit†

Senior/Disabled or Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License

Spring Turkey

Youth Hunting License*

+ Youth Turkey Permit*

Annual Hunting License†

+ Spring Turkey Permit†

Senior/Disabled or Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License

Small Game & Furbearer

Youth Hunting License*

Annual† or 1-Day Hunting License

Senior/Disabled or Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License

Bobcat permit required for bobcat hunters

Trapping

Annual Youth

Trapping License

Annual or Landowner/Tenant

Trapping License

Annual or Landowner/Tenant

Trapping License

Migratory Birds (dove, snipe, woodcock, rails, gallinules, sandhill cranes)

Youth Hunting License*

Annual† or 1-Day Hunting License

+ Kentucky Migratory Bird/

Waterfowl Permit†

Senior/Disabled or Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License

Waterfowl

(ducks, geese, coots and mergansers)

Youth Hunting License*

Annual† or 1-Day Hunting License

+ Kentucky Migratory Bird/Water-

fowl Permit† + Federal Duck Stamp

Senior/Disabled or Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License

+ Federal Duck Stamp

*Included in Youth Sportsman’s License †Included in Resident Sportsman’s License

NONRESIDENTS

(must buy nonresident licenses/permits)

Ages 12-15

Ages 16 and older

Deer

Youth Hunting License

+ Youth Deer Permit

Annual Hunting License + Statewide Deer Permit

Fall Turkey

Youth Hunting License

+ Youth Turkey Permit

Annual Hunting License + Fall Turkey Permit

Spring Turkey

Youth Hunting License

+ Youth Turkey Permit

Annual Hunting License + Spring Turkey Permit

Small Game & Furbearer

Youth Hunting License

Annual, 1-Day or 7-Day Hunting License

Bobcat permit required for bobcat hunters

Trapping

Annual Trapping License

Annual Trapping License

Migratory Birds (dove, snipe, woodcock, rails, gallinules, sandhill cranes)

Youth Hunting License

Annual, 1-Day or 7-Day Hunting License + Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit

Waterfowl

(ducks, geese, coots and mergansers)

Youth Hunting License

Annual, 1-Day or 7-Day Hunting License + Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit + Federal Duck Stamp

LICENSE / PERMIT

Resident fee

Nonresident fee

LICENSES

Annual Fishing

$23

$55

Joint Married Couple Annual Fishing

$42

Not available

1-Day Fishing

$7

$15

3-Year Fishing (available online at fw.ky.gov only)

$55

Not available

Nonresident 7-Day Fishing

Not available

$35

Trout Permit

$10

Annual Hunting

$27

$150

1-Day Hunting (not valid for deer, elk, turkey or bear)

$7

$25

7-Day Hunting (not valid for deer, elk, turkey or bear)

Not available

$65

Annual Youth Hunting (ages 12-15 only)

$6

$10

Shooting Area License (available online at fw.ky.gov only)

$5

Annual Trapping

$20

$130

Annual Landowner/Tenant Trapping

$10

Not available

Annual Youth Trapping (ages 12-15)

$5

Not available

COMBOS

Annual Combination Hunting/Fishing

$42

Not available

Senior/Disabled Sportsman’s License* (Includes same license andpermits as Resident Sportsman’s License. For residents age 65 andolder.)

$12

Not available

Sportsman’s License* (Includes combination hunting/fishing license, statewide deer permit, spring and fall turkey permits, statemigratory game bird-waterfowl permit and trout permit.)

$95

Not available

Youth (ages 12-15) Sportsman’s License* (Includes youth hunting license, youth deer permit and 2 youth turkey permits.)

$30

Not available

Senior Lifetime Sportsman’s License* (Must maintain Kentuckyresidency; includes

all senior sportsman’s licenses and permits. For residents age 65 and older.)

$180

Not available

DEER

Statewide Deer Permit (four deer)

$35

$185

Youth (ages 12-15) Deer Permit (four deer)

$10

$15

Additional Deer Permit (two deer)

$15

BIRDS

Spring Turkey Permit (statewide) (two turkeys)

$30

$85

Youth (ages 12-15) Turkey Permit (one turkey, spring or fall)

$10

$15

Fall Turkey Permit (statewide)(two turkeys)

$30

$85

Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit

$15

Federal Duck Stamp (available at post offices and online atwww.duckstamp.com)

$25

Pheasant Quota Hunt Permit (if drawn)

$25

Sandhill Crane Permit (quota hunt, apply in Sept. at fw.ky.gov)

$3

$3

ELK

Elk Drawing Application (deadline April 30)

$10

Youth Elk Drawing Application (ages 15 and under)

$10

Quota Bull Elk Firearm Permit (if drawn)

$100

$550

Quota Cow Elk Firearm Permit (if drawn)

$60

$400

Quota (either sex) Archery/Crossbow Permit (if drawn)

$100

$550

Quota Youth (ages 12-15) Elk Permit (if drawn; youth drawn for otherpermits pay full cost)

$30

$200

Out-of-Zone Elk Permit

$30

$400

BEAR

Bear Permit

$30

$250

Youth Bear Permit (ages 12-15)

$10

$100

Bear Chase Permit

$30

$50

Youth Bear Chase Permit (ages 12-15)

$10

$15

Combination Bear Permit (includes Bear Permit and Bear Chase Permit)

$50

Not available

AREAS

Ballard WMA 1-Day Waterfowl Permit

$15

Peabody WMA User Permit

$15

Land Between The Lakes (LBL) Hunter Use Permit

(other LBL permits available online at www.landbetweenthelakes.us)

$25

Otter Creek ORA Admission Fees (per person) (available online at fw.ky.gov)

Daily: $3, annual: $30, children under 12: free.

Otter Creek ORA Special Activity Fees (per person, for use of horsetrails, mountain

bike trails and shooting range) (available online at fw.ky.gov)

Daily: $7, annual: $70

OTHER

Bobcat Permit (required for hunters)

Free

Temporary Hunter Education Exemption Permit (Hunter Apprentice Opportunity; available online at fw.ky.gov only)

Free

Habitat Improvement and Public Access Donation (voluntary; available at fw.ky.gov only)

Any amount

*Peabody, LBL and Otter Creek permits, elk drawing application, elk quota hunt permit, out-of-zone elk permit, bear permit, federal duckstamp and trapping license not included. An additional deer permit is not included with a Sportsman’s License.

Kentucky’s license year begins March 1 and continues through the last day of February. New licenses are required annually, except for the 3-year fishing license. A 1-day or 7-day hunting license is valid only for the period shown on license. Resident and nonresident youths under theage of 12 are not required to purchase licenses or permits (except the elk drawing application).