According to Fish and Wildlife Resources, overall, the statewide deer population estimate shows a stable to slightly increasing trend. In Kentucky, the 2020 statewide estimate is 933,089 deer at the start of the 2020-21 hunting season, which is <1% increase from 2019-20 (930,613). However, the 2020 population estimate was 13.6% above the 10-year average (821,608). This population estimate is generated from harvest and age structure data, which is collected through tele- check reports and by KDFWR staff.

With an increasing trend in harvesting deer, the Family and Consumer Sciences Agent partnered with Fish and Wildlife Resources to host a deer to fork program focusing on the following topics: 

Participants also got to sample a Cook Wild Kentucky Venison Chili recipe, which received a 5 star rating. Participants took home several other Cook Wild recipes as well per request. 

All participants (100%) said they learned something new during this program and felt like they had plenty of recipes to make with the deer that they harvest in the future. Harvesting your own meat and being able to cook it properly will help futuristically with grocery costs.