CHRISTIAN COUNTY, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Modern gun deer hunting season opens Saturday, Nov. 14, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 29 in Kentucky. Although deer hunters have been afield since September with the opening of archery and crossbow seasons, these 16 days are the state’s biggest hunting season annually, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources.
Kentucky hunters reported harvesting more than 145,000 deer last year, down slightly from nearly 150,000 in 2024-2025, with modern gun season accounting for the most deer harvested annually. Ben Robinson, director of the Wildlife Division for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources said they still anticipate a strong harvest despite the later opening to the season.
1. Where to get a hunting license in Christian County
Hunting licenses and permits may be purchased online at Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website and at authorized license agents throughout the state. This includes the following locations in Christian County:
- Fairview Farm Center LLC, 100 Ladybug Lane in Pembroke
- The Shell Shop, 101 Hammond Drive in Hopkinsville
- Rural King in Hopkinsville
- Wal-Mart in Hopkinsville and Oak Grove
A list of all license agent locations by county is available on the department’s website. Licenses are available for residents and non-residents, youth and senior/disabled. A statewide or youth deer permit is also required for all license types.
2. Harvest limits in Christian County
Kentucky is divided into four deer zones, based predominantly on the deer density of the counties in each region. Each zone has different method of take restrictions and harvest limits for antlerless deer, however a hunter may take only one buck a year in the state, regardless of zone.
Christian County is in Zone 1, which means a hunter may harvest an unlimited number of antlerless deer in using the statewide deer permit and additional deer permits.
Fish & Wildlife says hunters are encouraged to harvest more does this season to help improve overall herd health. Adequate doe harvests are critical for maintaining balanced, healthy deer populations. A balanced buck-to-doe ratio means a more intense rut chasing bucks that are more likely to reach their potential. Fawns are born in a more concentrated window improving recruitment. A balanced deer population helps reduce over-browsing, agricultural issues, and keeps roadways safer.
3. How to report your harvest
Immediately upon recovery of a harvested deer, a hunter must fill out a harvest log consisting of game species, sex, county and date on the back of the hunting license or elsewhere and kept in their possession.
Before midnight, each harvest must be reported to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, even if the hunter is license exempt. Hunters can report their harvest by calling the department’s telecheck number at 1-800-245-4263, or by using the onlineMy Profile portal at fw.ky.gov.
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