DeKalb County deer harvest: Alabama estimates, 2019-20 to 2024-25
Hunters took an estimated 3,608 deer in DeKalb County in the 2024-25 season, by ADCNR's hunter harvest survey: 1,764 bucks, 1,764 does and 80 fawns, over about 54,948 days of deer hunting. That is 4.6 deer per square mile of land. The county ranks 47th of Alabama's 67 counties by total and 54th by deer per square mile. Over 6 seasons the estimate has run from 2,283 (2019-20) to 3,966 (2023-24), 3,188 on average. The same survey puts the 2024-25 turkey harvest at 311.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: ADCNR's hunter harvest survey, 2019-20 to 2024-25. Seasons: ADCNR's 2026-27 deer and turkey pages.
DeKalb CountyADCNR WMAsNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer, 2024-25 (estimate) | 3,608: 1,764 bucks (739 to 2,789), 1,764 does (822 to 2,706) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.6, 54th of 67 |
| Deer hunting days, 2024-25 | 54,948 (31,127 to 78,769) |
| Turkeys, 2024-25 (estimate) | 311 (0 to 706) |
| Turkey zone | Zone 1 |
| Land area | 777.1 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 1 WMA with a page, 6,434 acres |
| Towns | Fort Payne, Henagar, Rainsville, Sylvania and Crossville |
How many deer are killed in DeKalb County each season?
| Season | Deer (estimate) | Bucks | Bucks, range | Does | Does, range | Fawns | Hunting days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 3,608 | 1,764 | 739 to 2,789 | 1,764 | 822 to 2,706 | 80 | 54,948 |
| 2023-24 | 3,966 | 1,929 | 831 to 3,027 | 1,981 | 169 to 3,793 | 56 | 58,500 |
| 2022-23 | 3,340 | 1,360 | 487 to 2,234 | 1,880 | 790 to 2,970 | 100 | 76,941 |
| 2021-22 | 3,167 | 1,582 | 718 to 2,445 | 1,585 | 687 to 2,484 | 0 | 90,108 |
| 2020-21 | 2,766 | 638 | 120 to 1,156 | 1,734 | 0 to 3,719 | 394 | 37,850 |
| 2019-20 | 2,283 | 985 | 303 to 1,667 | 1,298 | 372 to 2,225 | 0 | 53,792 |
Source: ADCNR Alabama Hunter Harvest 2024-2025 annual report and the reports for the five seasons before it (ADCNR hunter survey results). The range is the survey's own lower and upper bound; a lower bound below zero is shown as 0. Deer is bucks, does and fawns added together by FilledTag. Survey estimates for one county swing from year to year more than the harvest itself does, so read the six seasons together.
How many turkeys are killed in DeKalb County?
| Season | Turkeys (estimate) | Range | Turkey hunting days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 311 | 0 to 706 | 3,309 |
| 2023-24 | 112 | 0 to 383 | 5,043 |
| 2022-23 | 140 | 0 to 520 | 7,014 |
| 2021-22 | 86 | 0 to 261 | 3,259 |
| 2020-21 | 0 | 0 to 0 | 2,207 |
| 2019-20 | 662 | 0 to 1,405 | 9,323 |
DeKalb County is in turkey Zone 1: youth hunt March 13-14, disabled hunt March 19, spring season March 20 to May 3, 2027 (ADCNR turkey season 2026-2027).
What deer rules apply in DeKalb County?
DeKalb County is stalk hunting only for deer (no dogs), by ADCNR's rule. Zone dates are on the Alabama hunting page.
Source: ADCNR deer season 2026-2027.
Where is the public hunting land in DeKalb County?
| WMA | Acres in DeKalb County | First gun or primitive weapons deer hunt, 2026-27 |
|---|---|---|
| Little River WMA | 6,434 | Nov. 21-22 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on ADCNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, 2026-27, U.S. Forest Service land ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does DeKalb County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Deer, 2024-25 | Bucks | Per square mile | Turkeys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County | 3,608 | 1,764 | 4.6 | 311 |
| Cherokee County | 5,707 | 2,679 | 10.3 | 550 |
| Etowah County | 3,671 | 1,241 | 6.9 | 762 |
| Jackson County | 10,736 | 5,693 | 10 | 1,157 |
| Marshall County | 2,519 | 869 | 4.5 | 310 |
All survey estimates for 2024-25.
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in DeKalb County, Alabama last season?
About 3,608 in the 2024-25 season, by ADCNR's hunter harvest survey: 1,764 bucks (between 739 and 2,789), 1,764 does (between 822 and 2,706) and 80 fawns. It is an estimate from a survey of licensed hunters, not a count.
How many turkeys are killed in DeKalb County?
ADCNR's survey estimates 311 turkeys in 2024-25 (between 0 and 706), from about 3,309 days of turkey hunting. DeKalb County is in turkey Zone 1: youth hunt March 13-14, disabled hunt March 19, spring season March 20 to May 3, 2027.
Is there public hunting land in DeKalb County?
Yes. ADCNR's map puts Little River WMA (6,434 acres in the county) in DeKalb County.
Can you hunt deer with dogs in DeKalb County?
DeKalb County is stalk hunting only for deer (no dogs), by ADCNR's rule.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer and turkey harvest and hunting days: ADCNR Alabama Hunter Harvest 2024-2025 annual report and earlier reports (ADCNR hunter survey results).
- Seasons and rules: ADCNR deer season 2026-2027; ADCNR turkey season 2026-2027. Public land: ADCNR Wildlife Management Area boundaries, 2026-27. County land area: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer.
FilledTag is not part of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from ADCNR and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
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