Henderson County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 1,274 deer in Henderson County in the 2025-26 season: 609 antlered bucks and 605 does (KDFWR). That is 2.9 deer per square mile of land, 46th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 16% below 2024-25 (1,512). 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.
Henderson CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 1,274 (609 antlered bucks, 605 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.9, 74th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,432 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,579 in 2018-19 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 1 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Green River region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 948 by firearms, 173 by archery, 102 by crossbow and 51 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 436.4 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 8,216 acres; 2,197 acres of national wildlife refuge |
| Towns | Henderson, Robards and Corydon |
How many deer are killed in Henderson County each season?
KDFWR has reported Henderson County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 1,432 a season; the most was 1,579 in 2018-19 and the fewest 1,264 in 2021-22. 2025-26 was 11% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,274 | 609 | 605 | 2.9 | 999 | 275 |
| 2024-25 | 1,512 | 674 | 758 | 3.5 | 1,161 | 351 |
| 2023-24 | 1,494 | 668 | 738 | 3.4 | 1,189 | 305 |
| 2022-23 | 1,453 | 633 | 747 | 3.3 | 1,145 | 308 |
| 2021-22 | 1,264 | 550 | 616 | 2.9 | 985 | 279 |
| 2020-21 | 1,316 | 576 | 666 | 3 | 1,009 | 307 |
| 2019-20 | 1,532 | 600 | 834 | 3.5 | 1,248 | 284 |
| 2018-19 | 1,579 | 599 | 890 | 3.6 | 1,310 | 269 |
| 2017-18 | 1,467 | 599 | 781 | 3.4 | 1,173 | 294 |
| 2016-17 | 1,425 | 619 | 726 | 3.3 | 1,155 | 270 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 436.4 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Henderson County for 2026-27?
Henderson 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 Henderson County?
| Area | Acres in Henderson County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Sloughs WMA | 7,124 | 156 |
| Green River State Forest | 1,092 | 37 |
2,197 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 Henderson County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henderson County | 1 | 1,274 | 2.9 | -11% |
| Daviess County | 1 | 1,060 | 2.3 | 3% |
| McLean County | 1 | 883 | 3.5 | -11% |
| Union County | 1 | 915 | 2.7 | -15% |
| Webster County | 1 | 1,629 | 4.9 | -30% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Henderson County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 1,274 deer in Henderson County in the 2025-26 season: 609 antlered bucks, 60 button bucks and 605 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Henderson County in?
Henderson 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 Henderson County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Sloughs WMA (7,124 acres in the county) and Green River State Forest (1,092 acres in the county) in Henderson County.
Has the deer harvest in Henderson County gone up or down?
From 1,425 in 2016-17 to 1,274 in 2025-26, 11% lower. The high in that span was 1,579 (2018-19) and the low 1,264 (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 Daviess County McLean County Union County Webster County