Perry County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 818 deer in Perry County in the 2025-26 season: 624 antlered bucks and 183 does (KDFWR). That is 2.4 deer per square mile of land, 77th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 3% below 2024-25 (842). 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.
Perry CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational forestLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 818 (624 antlered bucks, 183 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.4, 86th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 645 deer a season |
| Highest season | 842 in 2024-25 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 4 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 573 by firearms, 117 by crossbow, 81 by archery and 47 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 339.7 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 5 public hunting areas, 7,900 acres |
| Elk telechecked | 11 in 2025-26 |
| Towns | Hazard, Vicco and Buckhorn |
How many deer are killed in Perry County each season?
KDFWR has reported Perry County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 645 a season; the most was 842 in 2024-25 and the fewest 397 in 2017-18. 2025-26 was 27% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 818 | 624 | 183 | 2.4 | 620 | 198 |
| 2024-25 | 842 | 657 | 172 | 2.5 | 625 | 217 |
| 2023-24 | 739 | 565 | 162 | 2.2 | 571 | 168 |
| 2022-23 | 665 | 483 | 173 | 2 | 519 | 146 |
| 2021-22 | 592 | 459 | 128 | 1.7 | 455 | 137 |
| 2020-21 | 593 | 441 | 143 | 1.7 | 466 | 127 |
| 2019-20 | 543 | 423 | 112 | 1.6 | 447 | 96 |
| 2018-19 | 620 | 490 | 117 | 1.8 | 539 | 81 |
| 2017-18 | 397 | 263 | 122 | 1.2 | 305 | 92 |
| 2016-17 | 642 | 438 | 180 | 1.9 | 494 | 148 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 339.7 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Perry County for 2026-27?
Perry 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 Perry County?
| Area | Acres in Perry County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Wells Hunting Access Area | 2,952 | 67 |
| Daniel Boone National Forest | 2,180 | 1,270 |
| Betterment Wildlife Hunting Access Area | 1,884 | 5 |
| Robinson Forest WMA | 456 | 7 |
| Buckhorn Lake WMA | 428 | 10 |
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 Perry County?
KDFWR's Telecheck reports show elk taken in Perry County in 10 of the last 10 seasons, 11 in 2025-26. The county lies in elk hunting units 3, 4 and 5.
| Season | Elk telechecked | Bulls | Cows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| 2024-25 | 17 | 11 | 6 |
| 2023-24 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| 2022-23 | 19 | 10 | 9 |
| 2021-22 | 14 | 8 | 6 |
| 2020-21 | 18 | 15 | 3 |
| 2019-20 | 9 | 5 | 4 |
| 2018-19 | 35 | 15 | 20 |
| 2017-18 | 41 | 20 | 21 |
| 2016-17 | 69 | 30 | 39 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), elk. See Kentucky elk hunting.
How does Perry County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County | 4 | 818 | 2.4 | 27% |
| Breathitt County | 4 | 633 | 1.3 | -2% |
| Clay County | 4 | 926 | 2 | 10% |
| Harlan County | 4 | 509 | 1.1 | 0% |
| Knott County | 4 | 714 | 2 | -13% |
| Leslie County | 4 | 565 | 1.4 | 21% |
| Letcher County | 4 | 549 | 1.6 | -22% |
| Owsley County | 4 | 283 | 1.4 | -13% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Perry County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 818 deer in Perry County in the 2025-26 season: 624 antlered bucks, 11 button bucks and 183 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Perry County in?
Perry 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 Perry County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Wells Hunting Access Area (2,952 acres in the county), Daniel Boone National Forest (2,180 acres in the county), Betterment Wildlife Hunting Access Area (1,884 acres in the county) and Robinson Forest WMA (456 acres in the county) in Perry County.
Has the deer harvest in Perry County gone up or down?
From 642 in 2016-17 to 818 in 2025-26, 27% higher. The high in that span was 842 (2024-25) and the low 397 (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 Clay County Harlan County Knott County