Season Dates
Kentucky archery typically opens the first weekend in September and runs through mid-January. There are two muzzleloading seasons: a two-day season in mid-October, and a week-long season in early December. Modern gun season dates vary by zone, but typically open the second Saturday in November and run two to three weeks.

The Grade: A
With nearly 700 bucks in the Boone and Crockett record book, Kentucky earns high marks for trophy potential. Tags are available over the counter, and compared to the price of some neighboring states, they’re a bargain. There’s 1.5 million acres of public land in the Bluegrass state, which is a pretty fair amount for this region. Still, the best hunting is on private land, and leasing prices are going up as word spreads about Kentucky’s whitetail potential. Getting a good spot to hunt simply by knocking on doors is tough. There are numerous outfitters, so if you’re willing to pay to play, Kentucky remains a good bet.

Deer Nation Knowledge
Kentucky offers one of the best chances at a trophy-class buck in full velvet. It consistently ranks in the top 10 Boone and Crockett states in the nation, and has an archery opener that typically falls the first weekend in September, giving bowhunters a week-long window—sometimes more—to arrow a big buck in full velvet.