Lawrence County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 978 deer in Lawrence County in the 2025-26 season: 567 antlered bucks and 364 does (KDFWR). That is 2.4 deer per square mile of land, 64th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 12% below 2024-25 (1,110). 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.
Lawrence CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 978 (567 antlered bucks, 364 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.4, 85th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,013 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,551 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 1 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 754 by firearms, 88 by muzzleloader, 80 by archery and 56 by crossbow |
| Land area | 415.6 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 15,200 acres |
| Towns | Louisa and Blaine |
How many deer are killed in Lawrence County each season?
KDFWR has reported Lawrence County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 1,013 a season; the most was 1,551 in 2016-17 and the fewest 579 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 37% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 978 | 567 | 364 | 2.4 | 842 | 136 |
| 2024-25 | 1,110 | 664 | 404 | 2.7 | 960 | 150 |
| 2023-24 | 1,145 | 658 | 439 | 2.8 | 978 | 167 |
| 2022-23 | 924 | 524 | 360 | 2.2 | 784 | 140 |
| 2021-22 | 978 | 559 | 372 | 2.4 | 855 | 123 |
| 2020-21 | 981 | 535 | 382 | 2.4 | 838 | 143 |
| 2019-20 | 892 | 478 | 381 | 2.1 | 809 | 83 |
| 2018-19 | 993 | 512 | 434 | 2.4 | 901 | 92 |
| 2017-18 | 579 | 280 | 252 | 1.4 | 536 | 43 |
| 2016-17 | 1,551 | 748 | 712 | 3.7 | 1,409 | 142 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 415.6 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Lawrence County for 2026-27?
Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?
| Area | Acres in Lawrence County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Yatesville Lake WMA | 13,193 | 60 |
| Yatesville Lake State Park and Lawrence County Recreation Area | 2,007 | 16 |
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 Lawrence County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County | 1 | 978 | 2.4 | -37% |
| Boyd County | 1 | 646 | 4 | -36% |
| Carter County | 1 | 1,240 | 3 | -26% |
| Elliott County | 2 | 429 | 1.8 | -28% |
| Johnson County | 2 | 737 | 2.8 | -18% |
| Martin County | 3 | 392 | 1.7 | 20% |
| Morgan County | 2 | 715 | 1.9 | -34% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Lawrence County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 978 deer in Lawrence County in the 2025-26 season: 567 antlered bucks, 47 button bucks and 364 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Lawrence County in?
Lawrence 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 Lawrence County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Yatesville Lake WMA (13,193 acres in the county) and Yatesville Lake State Park and Lawrence County Recreation Area (2,007 acres in the county) in Lawrence County.
Has the deer harvest in Lawrence County gone up or down?
From 1,551 in 2016-17 to 978 in 2025-26, 37% lower. The high in that span was 1,551 (2016-17) and the low 579 (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.
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