Spencer County deer harvest: Kentucky Telecheck, 2016-17 to 2025-26
Hunters telechecked 1,986 deer in Spencer County in the 2025-26 season: 852 antlered bucks and 978 does (KDFWR). That is 10.6 deer per square mile of land, 18th of Kentucky's 120 counties by total. The count was 6% above 2024-25 (1,882). 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.
Spencer CountyKDFWR public hunting areasLake or riverHighwayCounty line
| Deer telechecked, 2025-26 | 1,986 (852 antlered bucks, 978 does) |
|---|---|
| Per square mile of land | 10.6, 1st of 120 |
| Average, 10 seasons | 1,720 deer a season |
| Highest season | 1,986 in 2025-26 |
| Deer zone, 2026-27 | Zone 1 (KDFWR) |
| KDFWR region | Bluegrass region |
| How the 2025-26 deer were taken | 1,386 by firearms, 238 by archery, 219 by crossbow and 143 by muzzleloader |
| Land area | 186.7 square miles (Census) |
| Public land mapped here | 2 public hunting areas, 8,686 acres |
| Towns | Taylorsville |
How many deer are killed in Spencer County each season?
KDFWR has reported Spencer County's deer for 10 seasons. The average was 1,720 a season; the most was 1,986 in 2025-26 and the fewest 1,445 in 2016-17. 2025-26 was 37% above 2016-17.
| Season | Deer telechecked | Antlered bucks | Does | Per square mile | Firearms | Archery and crossbow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 1,986 | 852 | 978 | 10.6 | 1,529 | 457 |
| 2024-25 | 1,882 | 870 | 884 | 10.1 | 1,463 | 419 |
| 2023-24 | 1,742 | 778 | 832 | 9.3 | 1,370 | 372 |
| 2022-23 | 1,786 | 802 | 833 | 9.6 | 1,326 | 460 |
| 2021-22 | 1,651 | 728 | 791 | 8.8 | 1,200 | 451 |
| 2020-21 | 1,773 | 727 | 905 | 9.5 | 1,343 | 430 |
| 2019-20 | 1,755 | 729 | 893 | 9.4 | 1,398 | 357 |
| 2018-19 | 1,500 | 580 | 771 | 8 | 1,235 | 265 |
| 2017-18 | 1,675 | 671 | 839 | 9 | 1,344 | 331 |
| 2016-17 | 1,445 | 589 | 718 | 7.7 | 1,158 | 287 |
Source: KDFWR Harvest Data (Telecheck), deer by county. Firearms adds modern gun and muzzleloader deer. Per square mile uses the county's 186.7 square miles of land (Census).
What are the deer rules in Spencer County for 2026-27?
Spencer 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 Spencer County?
| Area | Acres in Spencer County | Deer on the whole area, 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|
| Taylorsville Lake WMA | 7,223 | 239 |
| Taylorsville Lake State Park | 1,463 |
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 Spencer County compare with its neighbors?
| County | Zone | Deer, 2025-26 | Per square mile | Change since 2016-17 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer County | 1 | 1,986 | 10.6 | 37% |
| Anderson County | 1 | 2,040 | 10.1 | 14% |
| Bullitt County | 1 | 1,732 | 5.8 | 52% |
| Jefferson County | 1 | 1,169 | 3.1 | 10% |
| Nelson County | 1 | 2,591 | 6.2 | 33% |
| Shelby County | 1 | 2,692 | 7.1 | 3% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were killed in Spencer County, Kentucky last season?
Hunters telechecked 1,986 deer in Spencer County in the 2025-26 season: 852 antlered bucks, 156 button bucks and 978 does, by KDFWR's Harvest Data reports.
What deer zone is Spencer County in?
Spencer 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 Spencer County?
Yes. KDFWR's map puts Taylorsville Lake WMA (7,223 acres in the county) and Taylorsville Lake State Park (1,463 acres in the county) in Spencer County.
Has the deer harvest in Spencer County gone up or down?
From 1,445 in 2016-17 to 1,986 in 2025-26, 37% higher. The high in that span was 1,986 (2025-26) and the low 1,445 (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 Anderson County Bullitt County Jefferson County Nelson County