Bath County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 821 deer in Bath County in the 2025-26 season: 464 antlered bucks and 314 does (KDFWR). That is 3 deer per square mile of land, 75th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 6% below 2024-25 (876). The county is in deer Zone 2.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports to the 2025-26 season. Zones and seasons: KDFWR's 2026-27 guide.
Bath CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 821 (464 antlered bucks, 314 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3, 68th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 741 deer a season |
| Highest season | 876 in 2024-25 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 2 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 641 by firearms, 68 by archery, 63 by crossbow and 49 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 278 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 4 public hunting areas, 20,421 acres |
| Towns | Owingsville, Salt Lick and Sharpsburg |
How many deer are killed in Bath County each season?
KDFWR has reported Bath County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 741 a season; the most was 876 in 2024-25 and the fewest 655 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 19% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 821 | 464 | 314 | 3 | 690 | 131 |
| 2024-25 | 876 | 500 | 342 | 3.2 | 712 | 164 |
| 2023-24 | 709 | 377 | 301 | 2.6 | 621 | 88 |
| 2022-23 | 768 | 448 | 295 | 2.8 | 650 | 118 |
| 2021-22 | 670 | 377 | 263 | 2.4 | 561 | 109 |
| 2020-21 | 749 | 401 | 317 | 2.7 | 612 | 137 |
| 2019-20 | 733 | 423 | 279 | 2.6 | 654 | 79 |
| 2018-19 | 738 | 417 | 282 | 2.7 | 663 | 75 |
| 2017-18 | 655 | 397 | 221 | 2.4 | 577 | 78 |
| 2016-17 | 688 | 408 | 254 | 2.5 | 615 | 73 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 278 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Bath County for 2026-27?
Bath County is in Zone 2: Up to four deer. Only one antlered deer may be taken statewide.
| Season | Dates |
|---|---|
| Archery | September 5, 2026 to January 18, 2027 |
| Youth and senior crossbow | September 5, 2026 to January 18, 2027 |
| Crossbow | September 19, 2026 to January 18, 2027 |
| CWD antlerless season (Zone 1 to 3 counties in the CWD Surveillance Zone) | September 25 to 28, 2026 |
| Youth-only modern firearms | October 10 to 18, 2026 |
| Early muzzleloader | October 17 to 18, 2026 |
| Modern firearms | November 14 to 29, 2026 |
| Late muzzleloader | December 12 to 20, 2026 |
| Free youth weekend | December 26 to 27, 2026 |
Source: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10; county zones: KDFWR current deer zones. KDFWR's guide notes proposed regulations, still pending when it was printed, that would add antlerless firearm seasons in some counties and on some WMAs (page 11). Check fw.ky.gov for their status.
Where is the public hunting land in Bath County?
| Area | Acres in Bath County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Boone National Forest | 14,753 | 1,270 |
| Pioneer Weapons WMA | 4,737 | 5 |
| Clay WMA | 710 | 211 |
| Zilpo Campground | 221 |
Acres measured by FilledTag on KDFWR public hunting area boundaries, U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries.
How does Bath County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bath County | 2 | 821 | 3 | 19% |
| Bourbon County | 2 | 329 | 1.1 | 5% |
| Fleming County | 2 | 1,051 | 3 | 7% |
| Menifee County | 3 | 218 | 1.1 | -25% |
| Montgomery County | 2 | 450 | 2.3 | 22% |
| Nicholas County | 2 | 984 | 5 | 31% |
| Rowan County | 2 | 543 | 1.9 | -2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Bath County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 821 deer in Bath County in the 2025-26 season: 464 antlered bucks, 43 button bucks and 314 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Bath County in?
Bath County is in Zone 2 for 2026-27. Up to four deer. Only one antlered deer may be taken statewide (KDFWR 2026-27 guide, page 10).
Is there public hunting land in Bath County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Daniel Boone National Forest (14,753 acres in the county), Pioneer Weapons WMA (4,737 acres in the county), Clay WMA (710 acres in the county) and Zilpo Campground (221 acres in the county) in Bath County.
Has the deer harvest in Bath County gone up or down?
From 688 in 2016-17 to 821 in 2025-26, 19% higher. The high in that span was 876 (2024-25) and the low 655 (2017-18).
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer and elk harvest: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county; KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk.
- Deer zones and seasons: 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, page 10; KDFWR current deer zones.
- Public land: KDFWR public hunting area boundaries; U.S. Forest Service national forest ownership; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service refuge boundaries. 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 Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. Numbers are copied from KDFWR and the Census Bureau or measured from public maps; nothing here is estimated by FilledTag.
Kentucky hunting Kentucky deer harvest by county Bourbon County Fleming County Menifee County Montgomery County