Knox County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 804 deer in Knox County in the 2025-26 season: 633 antlered bucks and 160 does (KDFWR). That is 2.1 deer per square mile of land, 78th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 17% below 2024-25 (969). 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.
Knox CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 804 (633 antlered bucks, 160 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.1, 96th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 677 deer a season |
| Highest season | 969 in 2024-25 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 4 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 509 by firearms, 118 by crossbow, 117 by archery and 60 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 386.3 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 3 public hunting areas, 12,005 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 1 in 2024-25 |
| Towns | Barbourville |
How many deer are killed in Knox County each season?
KDFWR has reported Knox County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 677 a season; the most was 969 in 2024-25 and the fewest 400 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 10% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 804 | 633 | 160 | 2.1 | 569 | 235 |
| 2024-25 | 969 | 731 | 216 | 2.5 | 635 | 334 |
| 2023-24 | 738 | 571 | 156 | 1.9 | 528 | 210 |
| 2022-23 | 712 | 526 | 164 | 1.8 | 499 | 213 |
| 2021-22 | 576 | 462 | 100 | 1.5 | 402 | 174 |
| 2020-21 | 607 | 463 | 125 | 1.6 | 422 | 185 |
| 2019-20 | 473 | 374 | 93 | 1.2 | 350 | 123 |
| 2018-19 | 589 | 482 | 94 | 1.5 | 444 | 145 |
| 2017-18 | 400 | 274 | 109 | 1 | 273 | 127 |
| 2016-17 | 897 | 569 | 289 | 2.3 | 591 | 306 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 386.3 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Knox County for 2026-27?
Knox 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 Knox County?
| Area | Acres in Knox County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland Forest WMA | 11,393 | 56 |
| Elk Forest WMA | 502 | 16 |
| Daniel Boone National Forest | 110 | 1,270 |
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 Knox County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Knox County in 6 of the last 10 seasons, 1 in 2024-25. The county lies in elk hunting unit 2.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019-20 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2018-19 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017-18 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016-17 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Knox County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County | 4 | 804 | 2.1 | -10% |
| Bell County | 4 | 661 | 1.8 | -7% |
| Clay County | 4 | 926 | 2 | 10% |
| Laurel County | 3 | 1,593 | 3.7 | 109% |
| Whitley County | 4 | 1,086 | 2.5 | 11% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Knox County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 804 deer in Knox County in the 2025-26 season: 633 antlered bucks, 11 button bucks and 160 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Knox County in?
Knox 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 Knox County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Cumberland Forest WMA (11,393 acres in the county), Elk Forest WMA (502 acres in the county) and Daniel Boone National Forest (110 acres in the county) in Knox County.
Has the deer harvest in Knox County gone up or down?
From 897 in 2016-17 to 804 in 2025-26, 10% lower. The high in that span was 969 (2024-25) and the low 400 (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 Bell County Clay County Laurel County Whitley County