Kentucky's elk lottery is a pure random drawing with no points of any kind: a $10 nonrefundable application per permit type (bull firearms, cow firearms, either-sex archery/crossbow, plus a youth-only pool), open August 1 through April 30, with winners drawn each May. Residents and nonresidents compete in the same pools, but no more than 10% of each pool's winners can be nonresidents — recent nonresident odds ran about 1-in-750 to 1-in-1,500 versus roughly 1-in-80 to 1-in-160 for residents. Nothing beyond the $10 fee is paid up front; the 500 annual permits ($550 nonresident bull or archery, $400 cow, plus a $160 nonresident annual hunting license) are bought only if drawn, by June 15. Hunt units are assigned after the draw in a separate random unit drawing, winners sit out the next three drawings, and unpurchased permits go to a resident-only Loyalty Redraw.
Every figure below cites the agency document it came from. Last verified September 1, 2026.
Worked example. Every applicant has the same chance: tags ÷ applicants. Points don't exist or don't matter here.
301 KAR 2:132 Sections 3, 4 and 8; Elk Hunt Drawing FAQ pp.2-3, 11-12 · verified Sep 1, 2026
Worked example. Every applicant has the same chance: tags ÷ applicants. Points don't exist or don't matter here.
301 KAR 2:132 Sections 3 and 4 · verified Sep 1, 2026
Showing nonresident fees. Switch to resident
| Fee | Amount | Paid at application | Refundable | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elk quota hunt application (per permit type; nonrefundable) (Elk) | $10 | Yes | No | 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees |
| Statewide hunting license (nonresident) — required to hunt, not to apply | $160 | If drawn | No | 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees |
| Quota bull elk permit (nonresident) (Elk) | $550 | If drawn | No | 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees |
| Quota cow elk permit (nonresident) (Elk) | $400 | If drawn | No | 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees |
| Quota either-sex archery/crossbow elk permit (nonresident) (Elk) | $550 | If drawn | No | 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees |
| Quota youth elk permit (nonresident) (Elk) | $200 | If drawn | No | 301 KAR 5:022. License, tag, registration, and permit fees |
Drew a tag? Check which cartridges are legal for your species and weapon on the Kentucky hunting laws page.
Every percentage on this page is a prior-draw probability: the chance an applicant with that many points would have drawn in the draw year shown, computed from the agency's published results. It is not a forecast — quotas, applicant numbers, and point creep change every year. Every figure links to the agency document it came from. Where a state does not publish a number, we show a dash, never a zero. Hunts with fewer than five tags show counts instead of percentages. Fees show the fee year used. Read the methodology for the engine details.
This page is informational only. Draw rules, quotas, fees, and deadlines are set by the state agency and change by commission action — confirm everything on the agency's own site before you apply, and apply through the agency, not here. We disclaim all liability for reliance on this page.
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