Hunters harvested 145,433 deer in Kentucky during the 2025–26 deer season, the fifth-highest total on record and roughly 3,000 deer above the 10-year average, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The 136-day season, which opened September 6, 2025, and closed January 19, 2026, was marked by strong hunter participation, expanded youth opportunities, and continued success on public lands. However, wildlife officials say female harvest goals fell short, a key factor in managing long-term herd health.
“In many ways, it was a great deer season,” said Joe McDermott, deer program coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “Nearly 105,000 hunters were successful, walking away with meat in the freezer, some with a rack for the wall, and all with stories to tell. But we need to substantially increase the female harvest over time.”
Harvest Overview and Methods
This season’s total fell just below last year’s 149,868 deer, which was second only to the record 155,730 harvested in 2015, but remained well above the decade average of 142,412.
The majority of deer—72 percent—were taken during the 16-day modern gun season held Nov. 8–23. Bows accounted for 11 percent of the harvest, followed by 10 percent crossbows and 6 percent muzzleloaders.
Who Was Hunting — and Where
Kentucky residents made up 80 percent of successful hunters, while non-residents accounted for 15 percent, a breakdown consistent with recent seasons.
Public lands again played a significant role, with nearly 7,400 deer harvested on Wildlife Management Areas, the second-highest total on record. Leading WMAs included Peabody, Taylorsville Lake, Green River Lake, Clay, and Barren River Lake.
Buck Quality and Regional Breakdown
Of all bucks harvested, nearly 70 percent were estimated to be 2½ years old or older, an indicator of strong age structure statewide.
Regionally, the Bluegrass Region led with 28 percent of the total harvest, followed closely by the Green River Region at 27 percent. The Southeast, Purchase, and Northeast regions rounded out the totals.
Top Harvest Counties
For the fifth time in seven seasons, Hardin County topped the list with 3,543 deer harvested, followed by Breckinridge, Christian, Hart, Graves, Shelby, Washington, Pendleton, Nelson, and Hopkins counties.
Youth Season and Special Hunts
The expanded October youth-only firearms season, extended from two days to nine days, resulted in 5,645 deer harvested by youth, an increase of about 2,000 deer. Officials note some of that increase was offset by reduced adult harvest during overlapping seasons.
Hunters also harvested 576 antlerless deer during a special CWD surveillance season in late September.
Doe Harvest and Herd Management
Only 43.5 percent of harvested deer were female, well below management goals in many counties. Of the counties with established doe targets, only Simpson County met its goal, though 11 others reached 80–90 percent.
Fish and Wildlife officials are now considering zone changes in more than 20 counties for the 2026–27 season to encourage higher doe harvests.
“When there are fewer deer on the landscape, the remaining animals are better able to reach their full potential,” McDermott said.
Officials also remind hunters that excess harvest can be donated through Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry or Boone Brothers, helping fight food insecurity across the Commonwealth.
