Knott County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 714 deer in Knott County in the 2025-26 season: 550 antlered bucks and 156 does (KDFWR). That is 2 deer per square mile of land, 86th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 5% below 2024-25 (749). 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.
Knott CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 714 (550 antlered bucks, 156 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2, 101st of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 628 deer a season |
| Highest season | 823 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 4 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 543 by firearms, 87 by crossbow, 48 by archery and 36 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 351.5 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 4 public hunting areas, 9,258 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 24 in 2025-26 |
| Towns | Hindman and Pippa Passes |
How many deer are killed in Knott County each season?
KDFWR has reported Knott County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 628 a season; the most was 823 in 2016-17 and the fewest 346 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 13% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 714 | 550 | 156 | 2 | 579 | 135 |
| 2024-25 | 749 | 582 | 156 | 2.1 | 610 | 139 |
| 2023-24 | 626 | 492 | 119 | 1.8 | 526 | 100 |
| 2022-23 | 632 | 474 | 147 | 1.8 | 536 | 96 |
| 2021-22 | 607 | 466 | 130 | 1.7 | 509 | 98 |
| 2020-21 | 605 | 460 | 128 | 1.7 | 507 | 98 |
| 2019-20 | 540 | 436 | 93 | 1.5 | 472 | 68 |
| 2018-19 | 633 | 500 | 123 | 1.8 | 566 | 67 |
| 2017-18 | 346 | 268 | 68 | 1 | 306 | 40 |
| 2016-17 | 823 | 563 | 228 | 2.3 | 693 | 130 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 351.5 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Knott County for 2026-27?
Knott 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 Knott County?
| Area | Acres in Knott County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Betterment Wildlife Hunting Access Area | 3,043 | 5 |
| Carr Creek Lake WMA | 2,880 | 21 |
| Elk Horn Coal Hunting Access Area | 2,418 | 58 |
| Wells Hunting Access Area | 917 | 67 |
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 Knott County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Knott County in 10 of the last 10 seasons, 24 in 2025-26. The county lies in elk hunting units 4, 5 and 7.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 24 | 19 | 5 |
| 2024-25 | 30 | 19 | 11 |
| 2023-24 | 24 | 13 | 11 |
| 2022-23 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| 2021-22 | 32 | 16 | 16 |
| 2020-21 | 53 | 37 | 16 |
| 2019-20 | 38 | 26 | 12 |
| 2018-19 | 70 | 37 | 33 |
| 2017-18 | 65 | 35 | 30 |
| 2016-17 | 117 | 59 | 58 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Knott County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knott County | 4 | 714 | 2 | -13% |
| Breathitt County | 4 | 633 | 1.3 | -2% |
| Floyd County | 4 | 881 | 2.2 | -1% |
| Letcher County | 4 | 549 | 1.6 | -22% |
| Magoffin County | 4 | 450 | 1.5 | 7% |
| Perry County | 4 | 818 | 2.4 | 27% |
| Pike County | 3 | 1,632 | 2.1 | 8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Knott County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 714 deer in Knott County in the 2025-26 season: 550 antlered bucks, 8 button bucks and 156 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Knott County in?
Knott 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 Knott County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Betterment Wildlife Hunting Access Area (3,043 acres in the county), Carr Creek Lake WMA (2,880 acres in the county), Elk Horn Coal Hunting Access Area (2,418 acres in the county) and Wells Hunting Access Area (917 acres in the county) in Knott County.
Has the deer harvest in Knott County gone up or down?
From 823 in 2016-17 to 714 in 2025-26, 13% lower. The high in that span was 823 (2016-17) and the low 346 (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 Breathitt County Floyd County Letcher County Magoffin County