BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — The official start of deer hunting season is here but many hunters are struggling due to an ammunition shortage. 

Mammoth Outdoors store owner Mark Belcher says the issue is frustrating for the consumers and the merchant. As a hunter himself he knows the ins and outs of the landscape and says people anticipated the shortage and tried to get what they needed early. 

“The shortage of ammo has not gotten any better," said Belcher "It’s been two years last year people were blindsided this year people tried to prepare for it pretty early and there is still not any to get.”

Belcher's shelves used to be completely full of all different kinds of ammunition  but many customers have bought ammo in bulk. Suppliers that do provide the common hunting ammo simply can't keep up with the demand.

"We had several sales reps ask what ammo we needed," said Belcher "Even the request we put in for the ammo we had minimal shipments actually show up with the kind of ammo we needed.”

The state of Kentucky allows for four deer to be shot per season and harvested according to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. Hunters who are able to grab some ammo have been paying a premium to do so. 

"Those who do have it are charging it at three times the price of what it should be," said Belcher "So it makes it harder on consumers and smaller shops to get ammo for people."

The end of the shortage doesn't seem to be coming to an end soon. Sherwood Davis owner of Sherwood Gun's says it could go on for another year.

"We’re going to see it into 2023 it’s a supply and demand and the supply is not meeting the demand," said Davis "I've been told that we aren't going to see rounds in quantity until 2023."

Both owners say that they have had to limit customers to one box to spread the wealth as best they can.