Carter County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 1,240 deer in Carter County in the 2025-26 season: 630 antlered bucks and 529 does (KDFWR). That is 3 deer per square mile of land, 50th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 6% below 2024-25 (1,324). The county is in deer Zone 1.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports to the 2025-26 season. Zones and seasons: KDFWR's 2026-27 guide.
Carter CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 1,240 (630 antlered bucks, 529 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 3, 69th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,303 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,681 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 1 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 965 by firearms, 119 by archery, 93 by crossbow and 63 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 409.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 7,472 acres |
| Towns | Grayson and Olive Hill |
How many deer are killed in Carter County each season?
KDFWR has reported Carter County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 1,303 a season; the most was 1,681 in 2016-17 and the fewest 1,117 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 26% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,240 | 630 | 529 | 3 | 1,028 | 212 |
| 2024-25 | 1,324 | 731 | 530 | 3.2 | 1,119 | 205 |
| 2023-24 | 1,446 | 818 | 569 | 3.5 | 1,206 | 240 |
| 2022-23 | 1,245 | 682 | 495 | 3 | 1,032 | 213 |
| 2021-22 | 1,193 | 647 | 481 | 2.9 | 989 | 204 |
| 2020-21 | 1,266 | 622 | 573 | 3.1 | 1,046 | 220 |
| 2019-20 | 1,226 | 614 | 549 | 3 | 1,058 | 168 |
| 2018-19 | 1,291 | 655 | 573 | 3.2 | 1,137 | 154 |
| 2017-18 | 1,117 | 534 | 506 | 2.7 | 960 | 157 |
| 2016-17 | 1,681 | 841 | 750 | 4.1 | 1,477 | 204 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 409.5 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Carter County for 2026-27?
Carter County is in Zone 1: Unlimited number of antlerless deer using the statewide deer permit plus additional deer permits. 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 Carter County?
| Area | Acres in Carter County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Grayson Lake WMA | 6,296 | 23 |
| Tygarts State Forest | 1,176 | 21 |
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 Carter County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | 1 | 1,240 | 3 | -26% |
| Boyd County | 1 | 646 | 4 | -36% |
| Elliott County | 2 | 429 | 1.8 | -28% |
| Greenup County | 1 | 1,007 | 2.9 | -15% |
| Lawrence County | 1 | 978 | 2.4 | -37% |
| Lewis County | 1 | 1,289 | 2.7 | -12% |
| Rowan County | 2 | 543 | 1.9 | -2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Carter County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 1,240 deer in Carter County in the 2025-26 season: 630 antlered bucks, 81 button bucks and 529 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Carter County in?
Carter County is in Zone 1 for 2026-27. Unlimited number of antlerless deer using the statewide deer permit plus additional deer permits. Only one antlered deer may be taken statewide (KDFWR 2026-27 guide, page 10).
Is there public hunting land in Carter County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Grayson Lake WMA (6,296 acres in the county) and Tygarts State Forest (1,176 acres in the county) in Carter County.
Has the deer harvest in Carter County gone up or down?
From 1,681 in 2016-17 to 1,240 in 2025-26, 26% lower. The high in that span was 1,681 (2016-17) and the low 1,117 (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 Boyd County Elliott County Greenup County Lawrence County