Bell County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 661 deer in Bell County in the 2025-26 season: 514 antlered bucks and 134 does (KDFWR). That is 1.8 deer per square mile of land, 89th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 4% above 2024-25 (634). The county is in deer Zone 4.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports to the 2025-26 season. Zones and seasons: KDFWR's 2026-27 guide.
Bell CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 661 (514 antlered bucks, 134 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.8, 104th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 537 deer a season |
| Highest season | 713 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 4 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 462 by firearms, 83 by crossbow, 63 by archery and 53 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 359 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 8 public hunting areas, 65,711 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 41 in 2025-26 |
| Towns | Middlesborough and Pineville |
How many deer are killed in Bell County each season?
KDFWR has reported Bell County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 537 a season; the most was 713 in 2016-17 and the fewest 330 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 7% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 661 | 514 | 134 | 1.8 | 515 | 146 |
| 2024-25 | 634 | 496 | 127 | 1.8 | 521 | 113 |
| 2023-24 | 554 | 437 | 111 | 1.5 | 441 | 113 |
| 2022-23 | 542 | 398 | 137 | 1.5 | 416 | 126 |
| 2021-22 | 501 | 395 | 92 | 1.4 | 407 | 94 |
| 2020-21 | 481 | 364 | 109 | 1.3 | 378 | 103 |
| 2019-20 | 417 | 339 | 72 | 1.2 | 354 | 63 |
| 2018-19 | 534 | 405 | 118 | 1.5 | 450 | 84 |
| 2017-18 | 330 | 232 | 92 | 0.9 | 253 | 77 |
| 2016-17 | 713 | 437 | 256 | 2 | 512 | 201 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 359 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Bell County for 2026-27?
Bell County is in Zone 4: Up to two deer, only one of which can be antlerless. Antlerless deer cannot be taken during the modern gun season, the early muzzleloader season or the first six days of the late muzzleloader season. 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 |
| 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 Bell County?
| Area | Acres in Bell County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland Forest WMA | 31,369 | 56 |
| Kentucky Ridge State Forest | 11,792 | 24 |
| Asher Hunting Access Area | 8,194 | 32 |
| Boone Forestlands WMA | 4,554 | 72 |
| Kentucky Ridge Forest WMA | 3,504 | 40 |
| Elk Forest WMA | 2,806 | 16 |
| Shillalah Creek WMA | 2,134 | 3 |
| Fortner-Davis WMA | 1,358 | 12 |
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.
Are elk taken in Bell County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Bell County in 10 of the last 10 seasons, 41 in 2025-26. The county lies in elk hunting units 2 and 3.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 41 | 28 | 13 |
| 2024-25 | 32 | 17 | 15 |
| 2023-24 | 29 | 16 | 13 |
| 2022-23 | 29 | 17 | 12 |
| 2021-22 | 30 | 18 | 12 |
| 2020-21 | 33 | 20 | 13 |
| 2019-20 | 38 | 20 | 18 |
| 2018-19 | 21 | 7 | 14 |
| 2017-18 | 24 | 14 | 10 |
| 2016-17 | 38 | 19 | 19 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Bell County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell County | 4 | 661 | 1.8 | -7% |
| Clay County | 4 | 926 | 2 | 10% |
| Harlan County | 4 | 509 | 1.1 | 0% |
| Knox County | 4 | 804 | 2.1 | -10% |
| Leslie County | 4 | 565 | 1.4 | 21% |
| Whitley County | 4 | 1,086 | 2.5 | 11% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Bell County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 661 deer in Bell County in the 2025-26 season: 514 antlered bucks, 13 button bucks and 134 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Bell County in?
Bell County is in Zone 4 for 2026-27. Up to two deer, only one of which can be antlerless. Antlerless deer cannot be taken during the modern gun season, the early muzzleloader season or the first six days of the late muzzleloader season. Only one antlered deer may be taken statewide (KDFWR 2026-27 guide, page 10).
Is there public hunting land in Bell County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Cumberland Forest WMA (31,369 acres in the county), Kentucky Ridge State Forest (11,792 acres in the county), Asher Hunting Access Area (8,194 acres in the county) and Boone Forestlands WMA (4,554 acres in the county) in Bell County.
Has the deer harvest in Bell County gone up or down?
From 713 in 2016-17 to 661 in 2025-26, 7% lower. The high in that span was 713 (2016-17) and the low 330 (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 Clay County Harlan County Knox County Leslie County