PointsAfieldSeason2026–27
Kentucky · Upland

Ring-necked pheasant

Opens in 91 days
Season 2026-27
2 windows on one classification

Season windows

  1. Window 120 NOV – 22 NOV 20263d
  2. Window 204 DEC – 06 DEC 20263d

As publishedGreen River Lake WMA: ~Nov. 20-22, 2026 (3rd Fri of Nov, calculated); Clay WMA & Yellowbank WMA: ~Dec. 4-6, 2026 (1st Fri of Dec, calculated)

What you may take, and when

Take and hours

Bag limitDaily 2 (either sex) during the 3-day quota hunt; daily 3 (either sex) on the 4th clean-up day

Licence and outlook

HIP requiredNot required
Exceptions posted at the boundary

Kentucky has no general or wild pheasant season.Hunting is limited to stocked 'put-and-take' quota (drawn-permit) hunts at Green River Lake WMA, Yellowbank WMA, and Clay WMA. Green River Lake WMA hunt begins the 3rd Friday of November (calculated: Nov 20-22, 2026) for 3 days; Clay WMA and Yellowbank WMA hunts begin the 1st Friday of December (calculated: Dec 4-6, 2026) for 3 days; each followed by a 4th 'clean-up' hunt day and a 4-day closure of other small-game hunting on that WMA. Applications accepted Sept 1-30; a non-transferable pheasant quota hunt permit is required regardless of attendance. Exact literal 2026 calendar dates were not printed on the source page (only the recurring weekday formula was) — the ISO dates here are Claude's calculation from that formula, treat with slightly lower confidence than quail/grouse dates.

Population outlook

Kentucky 2026

Awaiting survey — Kentucky 2026

Confirmed absence: KDFWR's entire pheasant hunting supply is put-and-take (pen-reared birds released ahead of Quota Hunts at Green River WMA and other sites); KDFWR's own stated position is that "wild pheasants cannot sustain populations in Kentucky." No population survey of any kind exists to forecast.

Issuing agencyKentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resourcesfw.ky.govRecord year 2026