Kentucky Hunting

[wtilenw]

My 20 year old Daughter is moving to Kentucky. I was wondering what hunting opportunity's might entice dear old Dad for a visit. How's the Deer hunting there. I am not sure yet what part of Kentucky She is moving to, since this topic just came up but I will ask Her, as I'm sure this will affect Your ability to answer in much detail.
Thanks,
Idaho PRB :v

 

[hobbles]

Mornin Idaho PRB
I'm not sure bout all of Kentucky, but I live in the central southern part, And commin from California I gotta say there is a lot of freedom here, The news paper here said there are 16 deer per acre, and I believe em, You get your huntin and fishin license for $80. And that covers all game for the year, If you own the land, you don't need no stinkin license, You can take 4 deer a year, one can be a buck, The deer are so used to people and cars and farmers and tractors that you can get real close to em, The last one I dropped was a good 15 to 20 FEET from me, My horses have to keep runnin back to their pasture to chase the deer away from eatin their hay, And that's only bout 50 yards from our habitat, We walk out side and they just look at us and keep eatin, I'm NOT sayin you gonna get a deer every time you walk out side, They do know when it's huntin season, I'm just sayin there are a lot of em back here, The people in the lil town I live in are the most friendly people I have ever met,, And I have been here goin on 3 years now, I lived in a miners tent the first winter here, and AFTER they got to know me, they would stop by and drop off water and deer meat, one guy dropped off a roll of hay, nother wanted to lend me a propane heater when it got to -9 degrees, Nother wanted me to come over to stay at his house for the cold nights, but I couldn't leave my animals so I didn't go,, He was the mayor of this town, The cops would stop by and tell me stories bout the area, Most of the kids call ya "sir", First thing I had to learn was to slow down and lighten up bein from Ca, If you are drivin down a street and come up to 2 cars just sittin in the road talkin to each other, You just pull up behind em and wait, they will move in a bit, And when I am one of em sittin there talkin with a car behind me, and I get done talkin and move on, the other car that had to wait,, when they pass ya,, they wave and smile at you, it's the thing to do back here,, 0k, that is more info then you wanted, I am just really impressed with these Kentucky folks.. It ain't like California, And you got to take in account that 80% of the people in California ain't from California,, go figure,,,,[url] http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hobbles/tent.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hobbles/deer3.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hobbles/uggi-deer.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hobbles/deer1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v323/hobbles/deer.jpg[/url]

 

[AgesofDays]

be carful how you discribe your place you just might get an influx of pilgrims that will change it forever......what are the property prices down there?

 

[hobbles]

be carful how you discribe your place you just might get an influx of pilgrims that will change it forever......what are the property prices down there?

Mornin AgesofDays
The property prices are high,, very high,, (I'm just doin what you said :blah: ) :rotf:

 

[jdixon]

I'll throw in a few items to entice ya'.

Kentucky has about 1M whitetail population right now. Our harvest so far this year is only 100,000 - this is down from previous years at this time. I suspect this is largely due to a huge acorn drop this year (them huntin' over the corn pile boys don't know what to do this year :rotf: ) and bad weather (wind, t-storms, tornados!) since the season started. They (the State Fish and Wildlife people) have actually been running radio spots this fall encouraging people to get out and hunt deer because the harvest is not what they want it to be.

Archery season for deer begins September 1 and runs through the middle of January. Two muzzleloader only seasons, an early one consisting of a weekend in October, and the late one ”“ my favorite, which starts next Saturday and runs for 8 days. Modern gun season is 8 ”“ 14 days depending on which area of the state you are in, last two weeks of November.

Several counties in the north central part of the state have deer populations greater than the people population. One county that I hunt some, Owen, the deer are said to be 50 per square mile! Only draw back, this area of the state has minimal public land opportunities, mostly private.

Kentucky ranks 4th in the nation in Boone and Crocket whitetail recordbook entries.

Another nice little deal, we now have 6,000 Elk in the state, by far the largest population in the east. The heard is largely in the far eastern mountains. Next year, 200 tags will be handed out, 90% to residents. In certain areas, while deer hunting, an Elk wanders into your path, you can take it, without a tag and doesn't count against your deer harvest.

Turkey population is getting up there too, running around 400,000 of them in the state last I heard. Sure seems like more, see them all of the time - when you aren't hunting for 'em. that is.

Like Coyote hunting ?”“ bring lots of ammo!!!

For deer, I hunt the eastern mountains mostly. Deer population there is not what it is in other areas. It is the area I know best and I really like the thin hunting pressure there. One area of interest in the Daniel Boone National Forest - is a state run wildlife management area (there are a bunch of these all over the state) called the Pioneer Weapons Hunting Area. This is an 8,000 acre reserve within the national forest (west side of Cave Run Lake) where hunting is restricted to bow or sidelock muzzleloader w/ no optic sights. In other words, no in-lines. When they went to this rule a few years ago, hunting pressure in this area dropped to almost nothing. A few other things contribute to the minimal hunting pressure in that area; the terrain is very rugged, maybe not Idaho rugged but, by estern U.S. standards, it is heavily forested (no field hunting!) no motorized vehicles off of the established roads, and 'oh yeah, the occasional Copperhead and Timber Rattler just to make life interesting. You do your homework out there and spend the time hunting, there are some real nice animals to be taken. They have really gone out of their way to set this area up for the person who wants a primitive style hunting experience.

Hunting pressure statewide is minimal in my estimation. There are fewer people in the state than live within sight of the San Francisco Bay. Still a lot of open space, especially in the east.

More information ”“ see - http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/

 

[mglampson]

I got a daughter living not far from Fort Campbell, that anywhere near you? Her husband is an avid hunter and had trouble finding a place to hunt except on post. We went to visit them last spring and must say that is some of the prettiest countryside I've seen. Wouldn't mind retiring there.

 

[jdixon]

That area around Ft. Campbell is loaded with nice deer - lots of record book entries from Trigg Co. in the past year. There are several public land spots down that way. Don't ever get over there to hunt but, I can list them here;
Land between the Lakes - huge public land area between Kentucky and Barkley lakes, Pennyrile State Forest, Tradewater WMA (wildlife management area) in Hopkins Co., Jones-Keeney WMA in Caldwell Co., Kaler Bottoms WMA in Graves Co. Have your son in-law check the list of quota hunts (next year, too late this year I suspect) in state parks and WMA's that only allow limited gun hunting, there are several done in that part of the state. Put in for as many different ones that he can, he'll get drawn for one. Other than that, go talk to some farmers and get some private land permission, usually not very hard to do.

 

[leadball]

Seems like moving from Ca always changes people. I knew a black family about 14 years ago that moved up to Northern minnesota from Ca. He said his young kids were starting to use some of that gang lingo. Afew years in the lakes and woods of N. Minn. cured that

 

[hobbles]

Mornin Britches
That boy jr knows lot more then I do bout this state, Sounds like he's been round here for a while, He's up from me, He's right what he says,, And yep,, just ask the farmers, Most will let you if you any way to get to know em, I have had them stop by and tell me I can hunt on their land if I want ,, I'm not sure where Fort Campbell is yet,, I'll have to look it up, I've never been to far from Allen county yet, The long letter he wrote,, That's kentucky people for ya,, I like it here,,,

 

[hobbles]

btw,, That 2nd picture posted in my first post was taken from my bedroom window upstairs,,

 

[roundball]

Great photos of you and the Fawn, Hobbles...thanks

 

[hobbles]

Great photos of you and the Fawn, Hobbles...thanks

Mr roundball
Good mornin sir,,

 

[pmwest]

Couple of other public areas of interest. Peabody in Ohio, Muhlenberg and Hopkins counties has 60000 acres with plenty of small game, deer and turkey. Requires a $12.50 users fee but well worth it. Plenty of good fishing holes too. If you like to chase waterfowl there is also Sloughs WMA in Henderson County. Private land is easily accessible if you ask and maybe offer to help out on the place. I mostly hunt family owned land but generally share with others when asked. The biggest reason around here for not getting permission is because the farm is already full of hunters.

Pioneer weapons wma (7,610 acres): Bath, Menifee cos. Over in the Eastern part of the state is pretty good too. This is bow and muzzleloaders only.

 

[oomcurt]

Afternoon, Hobbles,

Er...I hate to tell you this..you didn't move to Kentucky....you died and went to heaven! Seriously though...looks like you did find a chunk of it here on earth. Great pics!

 

[pmwest]

There's a reason the injuns hunted here.

 

[wtilenw]

I gotta say, Wow! You sold me. I had no idea Kentucky was like you describe. It seems you hear so little of that state in publications and the media. It does sound like a little bit of heaven. I definetly will be taking a trip down there after my Daughter gets settled.......say next deer season. That will give her a chance to meet a few people and establish a hunting network for dear ol' Dad. :hmm:
I appreciate all the information and feedback and I'll post on the trip when I get ready to go. Maybe we can hook up? Thanks again all,
Idaho PRB

 

[hobbles]

Afternoon, Hobbles,

Er...I hate to tell you this..you didn't move to Kentucky....you died and went to heaven! Seriously though...looks like you did find a chunk of it here on earth. Great pics!

Mornin oomcurt
Ya know, the biggest thing here is the friendly part, Now don't get me wrong, there is a lot of good folk in Ca, But most, when they move to the country where I was at, they would bring the city attitude with em, Well there goes the country , the first thing they did was put up no trespassing signs and keep out and no huntin signs, I was told here (in a nice way) That was not bein neighborly, I never thought of it that way before,
You just don't hunt on land that ain't yours with out askin, Now we all know that, but here 99% of the people are that way, In my travels back here I have found that freedom is east of california, Now a LOT of it has to do with the town I moved to, (LUCK there I'm sure) On my way here with my horse I would find any lil place that was in the big wides and just ask if I could spend the night, (I took 6 days to get here, I was not in a hurry and it was my last far roams) I was never told no, That was a nice trip, met some good people, I used to travel a lot before I started my business, that seemed to take over my whole world, I did good, had a lot of stuff, Then the accident happened and changed it all, When I lost amy sail boat and every thing I had, cept my horse and saddle, I felt like it was the end of everything for me, BUT, it was the start really, I don't make my $60.000+ any more, but I learned to slow down and lighten up, and this is the place to do it at, BIG CHANGE for me,,, I sea things different now, Hmmm, to much info, I got side tracked, sorry, I'll quit now,, What was this thread bout?? And the Mods let me ramble,,,,

 

[hobbles]

Mornin WildShot
Thanks for the info, I'll have to get over that way and check things out, I am in the middle of farm country and it's all big and wide open here and a lot of trees, some thing we had lil of out west, we had trees in the up highs, but nothin like here, When I first got here I e mailed a buddy back home and told him "there are so many deer here we don't have to shoot em, we could rope em" He still goes out in the dessert and ropes burro durin "burro ropin season" And he ain't young any more either,,

 

[hobbles]

Mornin Idaho PRB
If you get down this way and are close, Our habitat door is always open to friendly people,, :hatsoff:

 

[pmwest]

I’ve lived here all of my life and sometimes don’t realize how good it is. Several times I have considered career moves that would take me away from here and just cannot bear to leave. Work is only 40 hours per week, its what I get to do with the other hours that really matter. Anyway I get to travel around the state regularly so if you need any info on a particular area there is a good chance that I’ve been there or close by. I do most of my hunting on family owned land, my parents retired to a 72 acre farm about 2 miles from where my Dad was born. 50 of it is leased out for row crops (deer food) and he has a small garden and orchard. The hilltops are covered in groves of oaks. More deer, squirrels, rabbit and quail than you could imagine. Also coyote, bobcat, ground hogs, etc. The place I hunt most is 146 that I run with my Uncle. Sandwiched between farmland and 28000 acres of woods. Not a bad place for deer. We try to manage for wildlife because neither of use has the time to really farm it. We have about 60% woods and the rest we keep clear by strip mowing and planting wildlife plots. Come to think of it this is pretty close to what heaven should be. If you really want to gain access to a piece of private land around here, offer to shot ground hogs from a farmers bean field, or coyotes if they raise livestock.