Kentucky hunters bring in near record-breaking deer harvest
Video note: Despite this article's time stamp, the above video is the latest forecast from The Weather Authority.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Hunters pulled in a near-record harvest for the 2024–25 season.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife said hunters took in 149,868 deer—the state's second-highest harvest ever recorded and the highest percentage of antlered deer taken on record.
'We're very pleased with harvest results,' Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Deer Program Coordinator Joe McDermott said. 'We had a great season, even with subpar weather at times.'
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Hunters harvested more deer from public land than any previous year, according to a news release.
The season closed on Jan. 20, with the season's total being 6,000, higher than the 10-year average of 143,442.
The department said Kentucky saw the highest buck harvest on record with 86,071 deer (57.4%), including buck fawns.
76% of deer were harvested on a statewide or youth deer permit
16% were landowner permits
7% were with senior or disabled permits
The remaining deer were harvested during public land quota hunts or through deer control damage permits.
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Kentucky residents accounted for 80% of the deer harvested.
107,392 (71.6%) deer were taken by firearm
16,662 (11.1%) were taken by bow
14,020 (9.4%) were taken with crossbows
11,794 (7.9%) were taken using muzzle-loading firearms
The department said poor weather during the opening weekend of the modern gun season wasn't ideal, but it didn't prevent hunters from getting outside.
'The opening weekend of modern gun is traditionally responsible for our largest percentage of Kentucky's overall deer harvest each year, so we're very glad that hunters stuck with it despite the weird weather,' McDermott said. 'We had a great turnout for modern gun season.'
'We can see evidence of hunters doing a good job of being selective and avoiding taking young deer,' McDermott said, noting that 71% of harvested bucks were at least 2½ years old.
Latest central Kentucky weather forecast
The harvest of female deer was a 10-year average for a second straight year, with 63,797 does reported.
Biologists said they hope to see the harvest rate between adult male and female deer level out in the future.
Green River Region (29%)
Bluegrass (27%)
Southeast (18%)
Purchase (14%)
Northeast (12%)
Hardin County (3,228)
Christian County (3,092)
Breckinridge County (2,916)
Grayson County (2,834)
Hart County (2,816)
For more information about Kentucky's 2024–25 season, visit the Kentucky Harvest Result website.
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New hunting licenses can be purchased starting on March 1.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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