Breathitt County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 633 deer in Breathitt County in the 2025-26 season: 531 antlered bucks and 96 does (KDFWR). That is 1.3 deer per square mile of land, 92nd of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 7% above 2024-25 (592). 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.
Breathitt CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 633 (531 antlered bucks, 96 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.3, 115th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 474 deer a season |
| Highest season | 645 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 4 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 484 by firearms, 60 by crossbow, 47 by archery and 42 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 492.4 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 3 public hunting areas, 4,025 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 9 in 2025-26 |
| Towns | Jackson |
How many deer are killed in Breathitt County each season?
KDFWR has reported Breathitt County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 474 a season; the most was 645 in 2016-17 and the fewest 228 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 2% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 633 | 531 | 96 | 1.3 | 526 | 107 |
| 2024-25 | 592 | 492 | 97 | 1.2 | 484 | 108 |
| 2023-24 | 555 | 462 | 88 | 1.1 | 463 | 92 |
| 2022-23 | 367 | 298 | 63 | 0.7 | 315 | 52 |
| 2021-22 | 485 | 408 | 72 | 1 | 398 | 87 |
| 2020-21 | 410 | 327 | 76 | 0.8 | 337 | 73 |
| 2019-20 | 380 | 314 | 61 | 0.8 | 337 | 43 |
| 2018-19 | 440 | 363 | 68 | 0.9 | 391 | 49 |
| 2017-18 | 228 | 174 | 46 | 0.5 | 197 | 31 |
| 2016-17 | 645 | 453 | 177 | 1.3 | 515 | 130 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 492.4 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Breathitt County for 2026-27?
Breathitt 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 Breathitt County?
| Area | Acres in Breathitt County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Van Booven WMA | 2,281 | 9 |
| Robinson Forest WMA | 1,547 | 7 |
| Wells Hunting Access Area | 197 | 67 |
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 Breathitt County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Breathitt County in 10 of the last 10 seasons, 9 in 2025-26. The county lies in elk hunting unit 4.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 9 | 8 | 1 |
| 2024-25 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 2023-24 | 18 | 10 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | 15 | 11 | 4 |
| 2021-22 | 19 | 11 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | 20 | 16 | 4 |
| 2019-20 | 28 | 16 | 12 |
| 2018-19 | 30 | 22 | 8 |
| 2017-18 | 31 | 19 | 12 |
| 2016-17 | 62 | 25 | 37 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Breathitt County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breathitt County | 4 | 633 | 1.3 | -2% |
| Knott County | 4 | 714 | 2 | -13% |
| Lee County | 4 | 311 | 1.5 | -13% |
| Magoffin County | 4 | 450 | 1.5 | 7% |
| Owsley County | 4 | 283 | 1.4 | -13% |
| Perry County | 4 | 818 | 2.4 | 27% |
| Wolfe County | 3 | 373 | 1.7 | -29% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Breathitt County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 633 deer in Breathitt County in the 2025-26 season: 531 antlered bucks, 6 button bucks and 96 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Breathitt County in?
Breathitt 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 Breathitt County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Paul Van Booven WMA (2,281 acres in the county), Robinson Forest WMA (1,547 acres in the county) and Wells Hunting Access Area (197 acres in the county) in Breathitt County.
Has the deer harvest in Breathitt County gone up or down?
From 645 in 2016-17 to 633 in 2025-26, 2% lower. The high in that span was 645 (2016-17) and the low 228 (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 Knott County Lee County Magoffin County Owsley County