Floyd County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 881 deer in Floyd County in the 2025-26 season: 718 antlered bucks and 152 does (KDFWR). That is 2.2 deer per square mile of land, 72nd of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 14% above 2024-25 (775). 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.
Floyd CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 881 (718 antlered bucks, 152 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.2, 94th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 611 deer a season |
| Highest season | 891 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 4 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 671 by firearms, 99 by crossbow, 64 by archery and 47 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 393.3 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 7 public hunting areas, 23,719 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 5 in 2024-25 |
| Towns | Prestonsburg, Wayland, Wheelwright, Martin and Allen |
How many deer are killed in Floyd County each season?
KDFWR has reported Floyd County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 611 a season; the most was 891 in 2016-17 and the fewest 196 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 1% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 881 | 718 | 152 | 2.2 | 718 | 163 |
| 2024-25 | 775 | 617 | 150 | 2 | 636 | 139 |
| 2023-24 | 736 | 614 | 112 | 1.9 | 612 | 124 |
| 2022-23 | 516 | 422 | 78 | 1.3 | 434 | 82 |
| 2021-22 | 533 | 447 | 74 | 1.4 | 430 | 103 |
| 2020-21 | 587 | 478 | 100 | 1.5 | 485 | 102 |
| 2019-20 | 442 | 385 | 53 | 1.1 | 380 | 62 |
| 2018-19 | 552 | 471 | 78 | 1.4 | 502 | 50 |
| 2017-18 | 196 | 155 | 39 | 0.5 | 159 | 37 |
| 2016-17 | 891 | 584 | 287 | 2.3 | 704 | 187 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 393.3 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Floyd County for 2026-27?
Floyd 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 Floyd County?
| Area | Acres in Floyd County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Elk Horn Coal Hunting Access Area | 9,872 | 58 |
| Dewey Lake WMA | 9,159 | 30 |
| RH Group WMA | 2,830 | 20 |
| Jenny Wiley State Resort Park | 1,415 | 2 |
| Continental Hunting Access Area | 236 | 32 |
| Pocahontas WMA | 159 | 38 |
| Legacy WMA | 48 | 18 |
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 Floyd County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Floyd County in 9 of the last 10 seasons, 5 in 2024-25. The county lies in elk hunting units 4, 5, 6 and 7.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 2023-24 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 2017-18 | 10 | 7 | 3 |
| 2016-17 | 16 | 8 | 8 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Floyd County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | 4 | 881 | 2.2 | -1% |
| Johnson County | 2 | 737 | 2.8 | -18% |
| Knott County | 4 | 714 | 2 | -13% |
| Magoffin County | 4 | 450 | 1.5 | 7% |
| Martin County | 3 | 392 | 1.7 | 20% |
| Pike County | 3 | 1,632 | 2.1 | 8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Floyd County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 881 deer in Floyd County in the 2025-26 season: 718 antlered bucks, 11 button bucks and 152 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Floyd County in?
Floyd 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 Floyd County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Elk Horn Coal Hunting Access Area (9,872 acres in the county), Dewey Lake WMA (9,159 acres in the county), RH Group WMA (2,830 acres in the county) and Jenny Wiley State Resort Park (1,415 acres in the county) in Floyd County.
Has the deer harvest in Floyd County gone up or down?
From 891 in 2016-17 to 881 in 2025-26, 1% lower. The high in that span was 891 (2016-17) and the low 196 (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 Johnson County Knott County Magoffin County Martin County