Modern gun deer season opens Saturday

November 07, 2024

Modern gun deer season opens in Clay County on Saturday, November 9th, through November 24th.

Clay is once again listed as a Zone 4 county which means no anterless deer can be taken with a gun.

Through Sunday, November 3, 165 total deer had been harvest in Clay County. 79 archery, 24 firearm (youth), seven muzzleloader, and 55 crossbow.

Gun season always brings in the largest total of deer harvest in the state, but in Clay, hunters are turning to crossbows as much as the traditional archery bow.

Over the last three years, more deer have been harvested in Clay by a crossbow than traditional archery.

The gun season brings in tourists from other states and surrounding counties with large acreage of public land opportunities to hunt.

The Daniel Boone National Forest, Burchell-Beech Creek Wildlife Management Area and the Red Bird Wildlife Management Area are open for hunting. The Red Bird WMA is only open November 9-10 for modern gun season.

DEER HARVEST RESULTS:

2023-

741 deer harvest. 609 antlered deer. 535 firearm, 80 archery, 44 muzzleloader, 82 crossbow.

2022-

725 deer harvest. 590 antlered deer. 504 firearm, 79 archery, 47 muzzleloader, 95 crossbow.

2021-

661 deer harvest. 536 antlered deer. 461 firearm, 70 archery, 32 muzzleloader, 98 crossbow.

2020-

722 deer harvest. 564 antlered deer. 476 firearm, 102 archery, 62 muzzleloader, 82 crossbow.

2019-

603-deer harvest. 496 antlered deer. 432 firearm, 76 archery, 51 muzzleloader, 44 crossbow.

2018-

657 deer harvest. 545 antlered deer. 470 firearm, 98 archery, 65 muzzleloader, 24 crossbow.

2017-

514 deer harvest. 395 antlered deer. 331 firearm, 103 archery, 49 muzzleloader, 31 crossbow.

2016-

845 deer harvest. 625 antlered deer. 538 firearm, 167 archery, 93 muzzleloader, 47 crossbow.

2015-

1,141 deer harvest. 763 antlered deer. 641 firearm, 250 archery, 180 muzzleloader, 70 crossbow.

2014-

671 deer harvest. 520 antlered deer. 449 firearm, 119 archer, 80 muzzleloader, 23 crossbow.