Deer hunting season in Kentucky opens this weekend, and hunters should familiarize themselves with state regulations including measures to protect the deer population from disease.
Archery deer hunting season opens on September 7, with crossbow hunting opening on September 21. Both the archery and crossbow seasons then run through January 20.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife says they expect the deer harvest for the 2024-2025 season to be around 140,000 deer, which is in line with numbers seen over the last ten years. The 2023-2024 deer harvest was about 141,000, the seventh highest total on record.
Hunters should consult the 2024-2025 Fall Hunting and Trapping Guide, available at fw.ky.gov, for a summary of regulations and license requirements. Kentucky’s statewide deer permit allows for hunters to take up to four deer. Hunters must immediately report their deer harvest to the KFW.
Hunters in Western Kentucky should also familiarize themselves with specific requirements within the Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance Zone, which was established after the disease was detected in Ballard County in 2023. Hunters should report sick or dead deer to the KFW, which they can do online or by calling 1-800-858-1549.
