Kentucky Elk COW-FA

Cow (antlerless) firearms elk quota hunt (one of two 5-day weeks randomly assigned) in Units 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, rifle only, Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026, Jan 2–6, 2027.

No points in this draw. Every applicant has the same chance each year.

Your odds · 2025 draw · 2026 draw pending — showing 2025 odds

<1% Same for everyone

about 1 in 747, every year you apply

Every applicant has the same chance each year: in 2025, 164 tags (all residencies) went to the applicants.

Points: none, same chance every year

Tags: 164
Nonresident Applicants: —
Success: —

First-choice nonresidents; the tags are shared by every residency; nonresidents capped at 10%.

Odds by Year

Not enough years with tags and applicants to chart.

Wait 3 years after drawing before applying again.

What It Costs · 2026 NR Fees

Closes Apr 30 · 194 days

Cost to Apply

$10

If You Miss

$10

If You Draw

$570

The $10 Elk quota hunt application (per permit type; nonrefundable) is not refunded. Drawing adds the $160 Statewide hunting license (nonresident) — required to hunt, not to apply. Drawing adds the $400 Quota cow elk permit (nonresident).

Opens: Aug 1, 2026
Closes: Apr 30, 2027

Next application window: Open Aug 1, 2026 – Apr 30, 2027.

▸ Every Fee, With Sources

Elk quota hunt application (per permit type; nonrefundable) · paid at application $10 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission 2026 301 KAR 5:022. License
Statewide hunting license (nonresident) — required to hunt, not to apply · paid if drawn $160 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission 2026 301 KAR 5:022. License
Quota cow elk permit (nonresident) · paid if drawn $400 or $550 Kentucky Legislative Research Commission 2026 301 KAR 5:022. License

Details

Odds in This Draw · 2025 Draw

Who	Chance	Applied	Drew
Everyone ← you	<1% (small sample)	—	—

The agency's own published drawing odds for this pool. As a lower choice, COW-FA drew no one in 2025, so lower-choice odds are left out.

Draw results: KDFWR 2025 Elk Report, p. 5, retrieved Sep 1, 2026.

Seasons, 2026

Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026 hunter is randomly assigned one of the two 5-day weeks at the drawing KDFWR 2027 Elk Hunting Regulations
Jan 2–6, 2027 hunter is randomly assigned one of the two 5-day weeks at the drawing KDFWR 2027 Elk Hunting Regulations

▸ Year-by-Year Numbers 6 draws

The standard draw for nonresidents, one row per year.

Year	Tags (All Res.)	Nonresident Applicants	Per Tag	Published Odds	Source
2026	164	—	—	—	KDFWR 2026 Apply for the Elk Hunt Drawing by…
2025	164	—	—	<1%	KDFWR 2025 Elk Report, p. 5
2024	164	—	—	<1%	KDFWR 2024 Elk Report, p. 5
2023	244	—	—	<1%	KDFWR 2023 Elk Report, p. 5
2022	244	—	—	<1%	KDFWR 2022 Elk Report, p. 4
2021	244	—	—	<1%	KDFWR 2021 Elk Report, p. 5

▸ Legal Cartridges 23 on file for Kentucky elk

23 cartridges on file are legal for elk with a rifle in Kentucky. Rules and sources: Kentucky hunting laws.

.22-250 Remington from $0.98/rd .223 Remington from $0.43/rd .243 Winchester from $1.11/rd .25-06 Remington from $1.82/rd 6.5 Creedmoor from $1.01/rd 6.5 Grendel from $0.72/rd .270 Winchester from $0.15/rd 7mm-08 Remington from $1.84/rd 7mm Remington Magnum from $2.05/rd .30-06 Springfield from $1.11/rd .300 AAC Blackout from $0.60/rd .300 Winchester Magnum from $1.25/rd .30-30 Winchester from $1.08/rd .308 Winchester from $0.82/rd .338 Winchester Magnum from $2.61/rd .350 Legend from $1.10/rd .35 Whelen .360 Buckhammer .400 Legend .444 Marlin .450 Bushmaster from $2.02/rd .45-70 Government from $1.97/rd .50 Beowulf

▸ Sources 8

KDFWR 2025 Elk Report, p. 5 · draw results, earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
KDFWR 2024 Elk Report, p. 5 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
KDFWR 2023 Elk Report, p. 5 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
KDFWR 2022 Elk Report, p. 4 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
KDFWR 2021 Elk Report, p. 5 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission 2026 301 KAR 2:132. Elk hunting seasons draw rules, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
Kentucky Legislative Research Commission 2026 301 KAR 5:022. License fees, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
KDFWR 2027 Elk Hunting Regulations seasons, retrieved Sep 1, 2026

About These Numbers

Odds are from the 2025 draw, the latest on file, computed from Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources' published results (the agency's own published drawing odds for this pool). They are what happened in that draw, not a forecast. Under five tags a percentage carries a *, because one applicant either way swings it. A dash means the agency did not publish the number, and a date marked expected is last cycle's schedule rolled forward.

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We don't take applications: check Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources's site and apply there.

Prior-draw odds from Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources' results, not a forecast · All Kentucky elk hunts