Kentucky deer hunters achieve near record-breaking harvest
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Hunters collectively recorded a near record harvest of deer during Kentucky’s just concluded 2024-25 season.
According to a release by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, hunters took 149,868 deer, the state’s second-highest harvest ever recorded.
Additionally, the release says hunters harvested more deer from public land than any previous year. The percentage of antlered deer taken this past season also set a 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.”
The 2024-25 deer hunting season closed on Jan. 20.
The season’s harvest is second only to 2015, when hunters took 155,730 deer.
According to the release, a breakdown of harvest by permit type shows 76% of deer were harvested on a statewide or youth deer permit; 16% were landowner permits; and 7% were with senior or disabled permits. The remaining deer were harvested during public land quota hunts or through deer control damage permits.
Kentucky residents accounted for 80% of the deer harvested, officials say.
The release also notes Hardin and Breckinridge counties reported high harvests despite a baiting ban issued as a response to a positive Chronic Wasting Disease detection in a captive deer facility in Breckinridge County.
Officials say Chronic Wasting Disease is not known to affect people but is a highly transmissible and fatal “neurological disease affecting white-tailed deer, elk and other members of the deer family.”
At this time, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says it has not detected further occurrences of CWD.
The department encourages hunters to follow its website here for updates on CWD. Hunters can also learn how they can make a difference through Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry by clicking here.
Hunters can view the online harvest results page for in-depth statistics based on county, hunting method, year and more.
