Johnson County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 737 deer in Johnson County in the 2025-26 season: 432 antlered bucks and 279 does (KDFWR). That is 2.8 deer per square mile of land, 82nd of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 7% above 2024-25 (686). 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.
Johnson CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 737 (432 antlered bucks, 279 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.8, 75th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 634 deer a season |
| Highest season | 902 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 2 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 537 by firearms, 96 by archery, 67 by crossbow and 37 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 262 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 6,583 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 1 in 2025-26 |
| Towns | Paintsville |
How many deer are killed in Johnson County each season?
KDFWR has reported Johnson County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 634 a season; the most was 902 in 2016-17 and the fewest 302 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 18% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 737 | 432 | 279 | 2.8 | 574 | 163 |
| 2024-25 | 686 | 411 | 249 | 2.6 | 558 | 128 |
| 2023-24 | 713 | 454 | 230 | 2.7 | 601 | 112 |
| 2022-23 | 600 | 343 | 224 | 2.3 | 512 | 88 |
| 2021-22 | 587 | 361 | 199 | 2.2 | 489 | 98 |
| 2020-21 | 647 | 366 | 255 | 2.5 | 549 | 98 |
| 2019-20 | 535 | 327 | 191 | 2 | 464 | 71 |
| 2018-19 | 626 | 375 | 225 | 2.4 | 525 | 101 |
| 2017-18 | 302 | 155 | 132 | 1.2 | 256 | 46 |
| 2016-17 | 902 | 460 | 401 | 3.4 | 756 | 146 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 262 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Johnson County for 2026-27?
Johnson 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 Johnson County?
| Area | Acres in Johnson County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Paintsville Lake WMA | 6,067 | 35 |
| Pocahontas WMA | 516 | 38 |
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 Johnson County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Johnson County in 10 of the last 10 seasons, 1 in 2025-26. The county lies in elk hunting unit 6.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 2023-24 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022-23 | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| 2021-22 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2020-21 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2018-19 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| 2017-18 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2016-17 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Johnson County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County | 2 | 737 | 2.8 | -18% |
| Floyd County | 4 | 881 | 2.2 | -1% |
| Lawrence County | 1 | 978 | 2.4 | -37% |
| Magoffin County | 4 | 450 | 1.5 | 7% |
| Martin County | 3 | 392 | 1.7 | 20% |
| Morgan County | 2 | 715 | 1.9 | -34% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Johnson County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 737 deer in Johnson County in the 2025-26 season: 432 antlered bucks, 26 button bucks and 279 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Johnson County in?
Johnson 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 Johnson County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Paintsville Lake WMA (6,067 acres in the county) and Pocahontas WMA (516 acres in the county) in Johnson County.
Has the deer harvest in Johnson County gone up or down?
From 902 in 2016-17 to 737 in 2025-26, 18% lower. The high in that span was 902 (2016-17) and the low 302 (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 Floyd County Lawrence County Magoffin County Martin County