Russell County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 597 deer in Russell County in the 2025-26 season: 441 antlered bucks and 140 does (KDFWR). That is 2.4 deer per square mile of land, 96th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 2% above 2024-25 (585). The county is in deer Zone 3.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: KDFWR Telecheck reports to the 2025-26 season. Zones and seasons: KDFWR's 2026-27 guide.
Russell CountyKDFWR public hunting areasNational wildlife refugeLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 597 (441 antlered bucks, 140 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 2.4, 87th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 442 deer a season |
| Highest season | 597 in 2025-26 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 3 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Southeast region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 380 by firearms, 108 by crossbow, 68 by archery and 41 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 253.3 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 12,926 acres |
| Towns | Russell Springs and Jamestown |
How many deer are killed in Russell County each season?
KDFWR has reported Russell County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 442 a season; the most was 597 in 2025-26 and the fewest 314 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 90% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 597 | 441 | 140 | 2.4 | 421 | 176 |
| 2024-25 | 585 | 461 | 115 | 2.3 | 438 | 147 |
| 2023-24 | 431 | 348 | 79 | 1.7 | 329 | 102 |
| 2022-23 | 457 | 360 | 90 | 1.8 | 342 | 115 |
| 2021-22 | 367 | 309 | 54 | 1.4 | 284 | 83 |
| 2020-21 | 458 | 375 | 71 | 1.8 | 331 | 127 |
| 2019-20 | 463 | 377 | 79 | 1.8 | 370 | 93 |
| 2018-19 | 375 | 300 | 72 | 1.5 | 295 | 80 |
| 2017-18 | 369 | 280 | 81 | 1.5 | 281 | 88 |
| 2016-17 | 314 | 234 | 75 | 1.2 | 218 | 96 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 253.3 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Russell County for 2026-27?
Russell County is in Zone 3: Up to four deer. Only one antlerless deer with a firearm or air gun. 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 Russell County?
| Area | Acres in Russell County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Cumberland WMA | 12,670 | 155 |
| R. F. Tarter WMA | 256 | 3 |
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 Russell County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County | 3 | 597 | 2.4 | 90% |
| Adair County | 1 | 1,923 | 4.7 | 86% |
| Casey County | 2 | 1,428 | 3.2 | 55% |
| Clinton County | 3 | 483 | 2.5 | 29% |
| Cumberland County | 2 | 998 | 3.3 | 9% |
| Pulaski County | 3 | 2,359 | 3.6 | 61% |
| Wayne County | 3 | 1,057 | 2.3 | 24% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Russell County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 597 deer in Russell County in the 2025-26 season: 441 antlered bucks, 16 button bucks and 140 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Russell County in?
Russell County is in Zone 3 for 2026-27. Up to four deer. Only one antlerless deer with a firearm or air gun. Only one antlered deer may be taken statewide (KDFWR 2026-27 guide, page 10).
Is there public hunting land in Russell County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Lake Cumberland WMA (12,670 acres in the county) and R. F. Tarter WMA (256 acres in the county) in Russell County.
Has the deer harvest in Russell County gone up or down?
From 314 in 2016-17 to 597 in 2025-26, 90% higher. The high in that span was 597 (2025-26) and the low 314 (2016-17).
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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 Adair County Casey County Clinton County Cumberland County