Graves County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 2,698 deer in Graves County in the 2025-26 season: 1,173 antlered bucks and 1,380 does (KDFWR). That is 4.9 deer per square mile of land, 5th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 8% above 2024-25 (2,495). 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.
Graves CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 2,698 (1,173 antlered bucks, 1,380 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 4.9, 33rd of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 2,578 deer a season |
| Highest season | 2,857 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 1 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Purchase region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 2,166 by firearms, 227 by archery, 167 by muzzleloader and 138 by crossbow |
| Land area | 551.8 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 2,291 acres; 387 acres of national wildlife refuge |
| Towns | Mayfield and Wingo |
How many deer are killed in Graves County each season?
KDFWR has reported Graves County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 2,578 a season; the most was 2,857 in 2016-17 and the fewest 2,043 in 2021-22. 2025-26 was 6% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,698 | 1,173 | 1,380 | 4.9 | 2,333 | 365 |
| 2024-25 | 2,495 | 1,083 | 1,263 | 4.5 | 2,201 | 294 |
| 2023-24 | 2,469 | 1,132 | 1,215 | 4.5 | 2,161 | 308 |
| 2022-23 | 2,290 | 906 | 1,257 | 4.2 | 2,001 | 289 |
| 2021-22 | 2,043 | 890 | 1,022 | 3.7 | 1,789 | 254 |
| 2020-21 | 2,850 | 1,184 | 1,517 | 5.2 | 2,421 | 429 |
| 2019-20 | 2,605 | 999 | 1,505 | 4.7 | 2,216 | 389 |
| 2018-19 | 2,766 | 1,086 | 1,517 | 5 | 2,401 | 365 |
| 2017-18 | 2,703 | 1,134 | 1,432 | 4.9 | 2,380 | 323 |
| 2016-17 | 2,857 | 1,225 | 1,504 | 5.2 | 2,517 | 340 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 551.8 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Graves County for 2026-27?
Graves 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 Graves County?
| Area | Acres in Graves County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Kaler Bottoms WMA | 1,904 | 9 |
| Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge | 387 | 119 |
387 acres of national wildlife refuge lie in the county, measured on the federal maps.
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 Graves County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graves County | 1 | 2,698 | 4.9 | -6% |
| Calloway County | 1 | 1,811 | 4.7 | 9% |
| Carlisle County | 1 | 628 | 3.3 | -10% |
| Hickman County | 1 | 552 | 2.3 | -30% |
| Marshall County | 1 | 1,201 | 4 | -1% |
| McCracken County | 1 | 863 | 3.5 | 7% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Graves County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 2,698 deer in Graves County in the 2025-26 season: 1,173 antlered bucks, 145 button bucks and 1,380 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Graves County in?
Graves 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 Graves County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Kaler Bottoms WMA (1,904 acres in the county) and Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (387 acres in the county) in Graves County.
Has the deer harvest in Graves County gone up or down?
From 2,857 in 2016-17 to 2,698 in 2025-26, 6% lower. The high in that span was 2,857 (2016-17) and the low 2,043 (2021-22).
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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 Calloway County Carlisle County Hickman County Marshall County