Breathitt County, Kentucky
Unit info
- Game species
- White-tailed Deer, Wild Turkey, Black Bear
- Group
- Eastern Mountains
- Area
- N/A
- Public land
- N/A
Elk — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 9
Draw odds for Elkaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Black Bear — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 4
Draw odds for Black Beararen't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
White-tailed Deer — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 633
Draw odds for White-tailed Deeraren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Eastern Wild Turkey — season & harvest
- Reported harvest
- 151
Draw odds for Eastern Wild Turkeyaren't on file for this unit yet. Check your state wildlife agency website for current draw statistics.
Season & harvest data is published for Elk, Black Bear, White-tailed Deer, Eastern Wild Turkey so far. Wild Turkey also occur here — that data can be added as the community contributes.
About this unit
AI-compiled · sourcedBreathitt County plunges into the heart of the Kentucky Appalachians where the North Fork of the Kentucky River drains a landscape of steep forested ridges and narrow hollows that rank among the most rugged and remote terrain in the state. Daniel Boone National Forest land and surrounding private timber tracts provide substantial public and semi-public hunting access, making this one of the premier destinations for backcountry deer and turkey hunters willing to earn their encounters on demanding ground. The expanding black bear population of eastern Kentucky holds a firm stronghold here, adding a rare and challenging big-game quarry that sets Breathitt apart from nearly every other county in the Commonwealth.
Extremely rugged Appalachian mountain terrain with steep ridge systems, narrow V-shaped hollows, cliff-line benches, and heavily forested slopes dominated by mixed hardwoods; elevation changes of several hundred feet occur within short horizontal distances
Low to moderate overall; demanding terrain limits pressure to roadside areas and easily accessible ridges while the interior forest receives comparatively little hunting effort through most of the season
OTC statewide deer license with one antlered tag; antlerless tags available OTC; no statewide antler restrictions; black bear requires a separate permit during the designated eastern Kentucky hunting season
Black bear population is established and growing with legal hunting available under special state permit; wild turkey numbers are excellent across the mature forest; ruffed grouse persist in early-successional areas along timber roads
One of the premier eastern Kentucky black bear hunting destinations as the population expands; backcountry archery deer hunting on old-growth hollow benches that receive minimal human pressure after the opening days of season
Questions, tips & discussion
Ask anything about Breathitt County— or drop a tip or trick: access points, where game holds, glassing spots, conditions, crowding, gear that worked. This is where the unit's species-specific intel gets built, hunter by hunter.
Nothing posted yet about Breathitt County.
Be the first — ask a question (“Best public access on the north end?”) or share a tip (“Glass the burn scars off the main ridge at first light”).
Boundaries: KDFWR county-based deer management units. Community info last updated 15d ago.