Garrard County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 673 deer in Garrard County in the 2025-26 season: 413 antlered bucks and 228 does (KDFWR). That is 2.9 deer per square mile of land, 88th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 6% below 2024-25 (715). 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.
Garrard CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 673 (413 antlered bucks, 228 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.9, 72nd of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 562 deer a season |
| Highest season | 715 in 2024-25 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 2 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 506 by firearms, 78 by crossbow, 59 by archery and 30 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 229.9 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | No KDFWR public hunting area |
| Towns | Lancaster |
How many deer are killed in Garrard County each season?
KDFWR has reported Garrard County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 562 a season; the most was 715 in 2024-25 and the fewest 386 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 74% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 673 | 413 | 228 | 2.9 | 536 | 137 |
| 2024-25 | 715 | 453 | 241 | 3.1 | 559 | 156 |
| 2023-24 | 604 | 367 | 216 | 2.6 | 483 | 121 |
| 2022-23 | 600 | 347 | 220 | 2.6 | 475 | 125 |
| 2021-22 | 514 | 307 | 183 | 2.2 | 415 | 99 |
| 2020-21 | 581 | 339 | 218 | 2.5 | 453 | 128 |
| 2019-20 | 569 | 351 | 202 | 2.5 | 475 | 94 |
| 2018-19 | 561 | 332 | 208 | 2.4 | 483 | 78 |
| 2017-18 | 417 | 309 | 89 | 1.8 | 330 | 87 |
| 2016-17 | 386 | 282 | 90 | 1.7 | 319 | 67 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 229.9 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Garrard County for 2026-27?
Garrard 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 Garrard County?
No KDFWR public hunting area boundary falls in Garrard County. The closest with a page here: Dix River WMA (about 12 miles), Cedar Creek Lake WMA (about 13 miles) and Blue Grass Army Depot (about 19 miles).
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 Garrard County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garrard County | 2 | 673 | 2.9 | 74% |
| Boyle County | 2 | 521 | 2.9 | 49% |
| Jessamine County | 2 | 548 | 3.2 | 27% |
| Lincoln County | 2 | 1,491 | 4.5 | 58% |
| Madison County | 2 | 958 | 2.2 | 43% |
| Mercer County | 1 | 1,373 | 5.5 | 30% |
| Rockcastle County | 3 | 737 | 2.3 | 66% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Garrard County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 673 deer in Garrard County in the 2025-26 season: 413 antlered bucks, 32 button bucks and 228 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Garrard County in?
Garrard 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 Garrard County?
No KDFWR public hunting area boundary falls in Garrard County. The closest with a page here: Dix River WMA (about 12 miles), Cedar Creek Lake WMA (about 13 miles) and Blue Grass Army Depot (about 19 miles).
Has the deer harvest in Garrard County gone up or down?
From 386 in 2016-17 to 673 in 2025-26, 74% higher. The high in that span was 715 (2024-25) and the low 386 (2016-17).
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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 Boyle County Jessamine County Lincoln County Madison County