Shelby County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 2,692 deer in Shelby County in the 2025-26 season: 1,127 antlered bucks and 1,401 does (KDFWR). That is 7.1 deer per square mile of land, 6th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 1% below 2024-25 (2,728). 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.
Shelby CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 2,692 (1,127 antlered bucks, 1,401 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 7.1, 9th of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 2,781 deer a season |
| Highest season | 2,952 in 2020-21 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 1 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 1,965 by firearms, 274 by archery, 266 by crossbow and 187 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 379.8 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | No KDFWR public hunting area |
| Towns | Shelbyville and Simpsonville |
How many deer are killed in Shelby County each season?
KDFWR has reported Shelby County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 2,781 a season; the most was 2,952 in 2020-21 and the fewest 2,609 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 3% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 2,692 | 1,127 | 1,401 | 7.1 | 2,152 | 540 |
| 2024-25 | 2,728 | 1,259 | 1,310 | 7.2 | 2,218 | 510 |
| 2023-24 | 2,697 | 1,288 | 1,271 | 7.1 | 2,177 | 520 |
| 2022-23 | 2,930 | 1,260 | 1,510 | 7.7 | 2,366 | 564 |
| 2021-22 | 2,778 | 1,223 | 1,370 | 7.3 | 2,198 | 580 |
| 2020-21 | 2,952 | 1,251 | 1,513 | 7.8 | 2,287 | 665 |
| 2019-20 | 2,915 | 1,203 | 1,479 | 7.7 | 2,384 | 531 |
| 2018-19 | 2,865 | 1,186 | 1,453 | 7.5 | 2,383 | 482 |
| 2017-18 | 2,642 | 1,128 | 1,295 | 7 | 2,223 | 419 |
| 2016-17 | 2,609 | 1,153 | 1,265 | 6.9 | 2,194 | 415 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 379.8 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Shelby County for 2026-27?
Shelby 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 Shelby County?
No KDFWR public hunting area boundary falls in Shelby County. The closest with a page here: Taylorsville Lake State Park (about 13 miles), Taylorsville Lake WMA (about 14 miles) and Kentucky River WMA (about 21 miles).
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 Shelby County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County | 1 | 2,692 | 7.1 | 3% |
| Anderson County | 1 | 2,040 | 10.1 | 14% |
| Franklin County | 1 | 1,379 | 6.6 | -7% |
| Henry County | 1 | 1,799 | 6.3 | -6% |
| Jefferson County | 1 | 1,169 | 3.1 | 10% |
| Oldham County | 1 | 819 | 4.4 | -18% |
| Spencer County | 1 | 1,986 | 10.6 | 37% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Shelby County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 2,692 deer in Shelby County in the 2025-26 season: 1,127 antlered bucks, 164 button bucks and 1,401 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Shelby County in?
Shelby 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 Shelby County?
No KDFWR public hunting area boundary falls in Shelby County. The closest with a page here: Taylorsville Lake State Park (about 13 miles), Taylorsville Lake WMA (about 14 miles) and Kentucky River WMA (about 21 miles).
Has the deer harvest in Shelby County gone up or down?
From 2,609 in 2016-17 to 2,692 in 2025-26, 3% higher. The high in that span was 2,952 (2020-21) and the low 2,609 (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.
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