Public land · Kentucky
Flooded bottomland hardwood forest. Photo: USFWSPeabody Wildlife Management Area
Wildlife management area · Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR)
- State
- Kentucky
- Type
- Wildlife management area
- Managed by
- Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR)
- Size
- 40,744 acres
- Official page
- Agency page
Reclaimed coal land in western Kentucky's coalfields with open waterfowl hunting on statewide seasons, a user permit and early closing hours.
Waterfowl rules
- Anyone entering the area for any purpose must have a Peabody WMA user permit (the guide text says $15; its license table lists $15.86).Source: KDFWR Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Guide 2026–27 (PDF) · Last checked Oct 22, 2026
- KDFWR's area listing says the user permit applies to anyone 16 and older, is sold by license vendors and can't be transferred.Source: KDFWR public lands: Peabody WMA · Last checked Oct 22, 2026
- Shooting hours run from a half hour before sunrise to 2 p.m., and hunters may not enter before 4 a.m. (on the portions open to hunting)Source: KDFWR Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Guide 2026–27 (PDF) · Last checked Oct 22, 2026
- Refuges closed Oct 15–Mar 15: the Sinclair Unit tract bounded by KY 176, S1 Road and Goose Lake Rd (Goose Lake included), and the Ken Unit tract bounded by Wysox Rd and the H1, H2 and H6 roads (Island and South lakes included).Source: KDFWR Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Guide 2026–27 (PDF) · Last checked Oct 22, 2026
- Designated goose refuge lakes in the western coalfields are closed to all waterfowl hunting.Source: KDFWR Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Hunting Guide 2026–27 (PDF) · Last checked Oct 22, 2026
Access and ramps
- Location: Ohio, Hopkins and Muhlenberg counties. Entrance GPS coordinates listed by KDFWR: 37.28, -86.9034. Area phone: (270) 476-1889.Source: KDFWR public lands: Peabody WMA · Last checked Oct 22, 2026
Not confirmed yet
- Peabody user permit price: $15 (guide text) or $15.86 (guide license table).
See something wrong or out of date? Report a correction.
Before you go
Check the rules and the water
Confirm this season’s rules on our state law pages or the agency’s own site, check draw and permit deadlines, and look at today’s river levels on the migration map. Areas can close or flood on short notice.