Hunters collectively recorded a near-record harvest of deer during Kentucky’s 2024-25 season.

Deer hunters took 149,868 deer – the state’s second-highest harvest ever recorded.

Additionally, hunters harvested more deer from public land than any previous year.

The percentage of antlered deer taken this past season also set a record.

“We’re very pleased with harvest results,” Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Deer Program Coordinator Joe McDermott said. “We had a great season, even with subpar weather at times.”

Statewide deer hunting season kicks off annually with archery season in early September. Modern gun season for deer, which runs for three weeks in November, generally accounts for more than two-thirds of the annual overall harvest each year.

Poor weather during the opening weekend of modern gun season did not lend the most desirable hunting conditions in the field. However harvest data shows it did not prevent hunters from getting outside.

“The opening weekend of modern gun is traditionally responsible for our largest percentage of Kentucky’s overall deer harvest each year, so we’re very glad that hunters stuck with it despite the weird weather,” McDermott said. “We had a great turnout for modern gun season.”

More than a quarter-million people hunt deer in Kentucky each year. Venison is an important and healthy source of protein for these hunters and their families, as well as for many food banks and shelters through donations of venison or charitable contributions to Kentucky Hunters for the Hungry.

Deer hunting also contributes an estimated $800 million to Kentucky’s economy annually.

As a reminder, the new license year starts March 1.