Gun season opens Saturday

Modern gun deer season opens in Clay County on Saturday, November 8^th, through November 23rd.

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

Through Sunday, November 2, 205 total deer had been harvested in Clay County.  76 archery, 53 firearm (youth), five muzzleloader, and 71 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.

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, Little Sexton Wildlife Management Area and the Red Bird Wildlife Management Area are open for hunting.  The Red Bird WMA is only open November 8-9 for modern gun season.

If you harvest a deer, call 1-800-245-4263.  The county code is 026.

2024-

846 deer harvest. 693 antlered deer. 574 firearm, 112 archery, 52 muzzleloader, 108 crossbow.

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.