Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Ohio County, Kentucky · 40,744 acres
Peabody Wildlife Management Area Hunting 2026: Species & Access
Peabody Wildlife Management Area covers 40,744 acres near Central City in Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Ohio County. Reclaimed strip-mine land across three counties in western Kentucky's Green River Region — Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's relationship with the property started in the 1980s managing Canada geese on what was then Peabody Coal land, and grew into the state's largest WMA outside the Sandhills. Habitat runs 60% forest, 23% open land and 13% wetland.
01 — What you can hunt here
| Species | Notes |
|---|---|
| Quail | One of the better quail spots in the state — the only species with a quota hunt here, capped at 8 birds per season. |
| White-tailed deer | Modern-gun hunting runs under its own quota, capped at 7 deer per season — a notably tight number for a WMA this size. |
| Wild turkey | Good hunting under statewide season structure, no separate quota. |
| Waterfowl | Solid hunting on the wetland third of the property. |
| Small game | Upland bird and rabbit hunters must check in and out at kiosks using a hang tag — a requirement specific to this WMA. |
02 — Access rules specific to this WMA
- Anyone 16 or older entering the area for any purpose must carry a $15 Peabody WMA user permit — this is on top of a standard Kentucky hunting license, not a substitute for it.
- Upland bird and rabbit hunters must check in/out at kiosks using a hang tag system.
- Quail (8/season) and modern-gun deer (7/season) are the only quota-controlled hunts here; other species and weapon types run under general statewide rules.
04 — Facilities
Camping: No campsites on the WMA itself, though camping is available nearby.
A single-projectile-only shooting range (no shotshells, no pistols) runs Tuesday–Saturday 9 a.m.–sunset and Sundays noon–sunset. Four boat launch sites serve the property, plus 6,500 ADA-accessible acres on the Sinclair Tract.
05 — Where to go next
Peabody's history is what sets it apart — Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's involvement started with a 1980s Canada goose management partnership on active Peabody Coal land, and grew into the largest reclaimed-strip-mine WMA of its kind in the state. The tight quotas on quail (8/season) and modern-gun deer (7/season) stand out against the property's size — most of the 40,744 acres runs under general statewide rules, with those two quota hunts as the exception rather than the norm.
Kentucky hunting license costs and permits →
Verified · Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources · Last verified 2026-08-09
Publisher's note. Read from KDFWR, retrieved 2026-08-09. Review due 2027-08-01. WMA-specific rules and closures can change between seasons — confirm before you hunt.