Morgan County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 715 deer in Morgan County in the 2025-26 season: 467 antlered bucks and 223 does (KDFWR). That is 1.9 deer per square mile of land, 85th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 1% below 2024-25 (720). 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.
Morgan CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 715 (467 antlered bucks, 223 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 1.9, 102nd of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 668 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,081 in 2016-17 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 2 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Northeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 560 by firearms, 62 by crossbow, 51 by archery and 42 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 381.1 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 3 public hunting areas, 18,913 acres |
| Towns | West Liberty |
How many deer are killed in Morgan County each season?
KDFWR has reported Morgan County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 668 a season; the most was 1,081 in 2016-17 and the fewest 330 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 34% below 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 715 | 467 | 223 | 1.9 | 602 | 113 |
| 2024-25 | 720 | 459 | 225 | 1.9 | 600 | 120 |
| 2023-24 | 797 | 480 | 283 | 2.1 | 669 | 128 |
| 2022-23 | 618 | 386 | 210 | 1.6 | 530 | 88 |
| 2021-22 | 683 | 435 | 223 | 1.8 | 580 | 103 |
| 2020-21 | 526 | 340 | 163 | 1.4 | 444 | 82 |
| 2019-20 | 580 | 373 | 190 | 1.5 | 521 | 59 |
| 2018-19 | 627 | 414 | 190 | 1.6 | 562 | 65 |
| 2017-18 | 330 | 172 | 130 | 0.9 | 292 | 38 |
| 2016-17 | 1,081 | 621 | 405 | 2.8 | 935 | 146 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 381.1 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Morgan County for 2026-27?
Morgan 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 Morgan County?
| Area | Acres in Morgan County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Boone National Forest | 13,118 | 1,270 |
| Paintsville Lake WMA | 5,155 | 35 |
| Horse Mill Branch WMA | 640 | 2 |
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 Morgan County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County | 2 | 715 | 1.9 | -34% |
| Elliott County | 2 | 429 | 1.8 | -28% |
| Johnson County | 2 | 737 | 2.8 | -18% |
| Lawrence County | 1 | 978 | 2.4 | -37% |
| Magoffin County | 4 | 450 | 1.5 | 7% |
| Menifee County | 3 | 218 | 1.1 | -25% |
| Rowan County | 2 | 543 | 1.9 | -2% |
| Wolfe County | 3 | 373 | 1.7 | -29% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Morgan County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 715 deer in Morgan County in the 2025-26 season: 467 antlered bucks, 25 button bucks and 223 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Morgan County in?
Morgan 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 Morgan County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Daniel Boone National Forest (13,118 acres in the county), Paintsville Lake WMA (5,155 acres in the county) and Horse Mill Branch WMA (640 acres in the county) in Morgan County.
Has the deer harvest in Morgan County gone up or down?
From 1,081 in 2016-17 to 715 in 2025-26, 34% lower. The high in that span was 1,081 (2016-17) and the low 330 (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 Elliott County Johnson County Lawrence County Magoffin County