Art Lander’s Outdoors: Kentucky’s archery season for white-tailed deer opens Sept. 7, runs 136 Days

The most anticipated day of the year for bow hunters is just two weeks away.

Kentucky’s 136-day archery deer season opens Saturday, September 7. Hunting continues through January 20.

Here’s a checklist of to-do’s in preparation for the upcoming season:

• Decide where you are going to set up on the property you have permission to hunt.

Our archery season begins in late summer, this year 16 days before the first day of fall, which is Sunday, September 22.

When the season opens deer will still be in their summer pattern, and highly visible while feeding early and late in the day in fields, foraging for clover and grasses.

A ground blind placed in a fencerow, overlooking a mowed field where deer have been observed feeding, is a good option for early season hunting. Place the blind now, and enhance with cut brush or tree branches for added camouflage.

It’s also a good time to finish mowing or trimming access trails to blinds or tree stands, for fast, easy and quiet entry and exit.

• Tune in your practice sessions.

Archers that don’t shoot year-round typically start practicing in summer to build muscles back up and get into the rhythm of archery.

Now is the time to shoot fewer arrows per session, but concentrating on each shot as if you were shooting at a deer. When the season opens your mind and body will be on auto-pilot. Archery is part mental, part muscle memory. Be ready.

• Decide which arrows and broadheads you are going to use.

Inspect your arrows carefully. Make sure they are straight and free of defects. If you are hunting with fixed blade broadheads replace inserts if necessary.

Set aside one broadhead for practice. As opening day approaches, sight in your bow with your practice broadhead.

• Clean and organize your gear.

Wash your camouflage hunting clothes and boots, including bib overalls, pants, jackets, face mask, gloves and hat in scent-free detergent and store in a plastic tote. Sharpen the blade of your hunting knife, and clean the lenses of optics (range finder and/or binoculars).

Last season archers checked in a total of 15,069 deer for the entire season.

Some of the counties in north central Kentucky with the highest deer harvest by archers last season were: Shelby, 306; Owen, 196; Jefferson, 189; Boone, 186; Henry, 182; Pendleton 171; Scott, 153; Bracken, 146; Grant, 144; Campbell, 140, and Kenton, 135.

Last season the September archery harvest statewide was 6,686.

In September 2022, archers bagged 7,119 deer. The all-time record for September deer harvest is 7,980 in 2020.

Since there are no firearms seasons in September all of the deer taken during the month are by archers or crossbow hunters.

Early season is a a good time to bow hunt. Deer are relaxed and actively feeding mornings and afternoons.

Archers have a good chance of arrowing an antlerless deer, which improves the buck-to-doe ratio, and the opportunity of taking a true trophy, a buck with velvet antlers.

Don’t miss out on this early season opportunity.

For more information on the 2024-25 deer season in Kentucky, visit fw.ky.gov .

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