More than 41,000 acres of deer hunting are open only to bowhunters on 27 of Georgia's WMAs. For more on record-class bow bucks from Kentucky and across North America, visit Pope and Young Club. Sprawling across Ohio, Muhlenberg and Hopkins counties, this rolling, brushy upland habitat with many wooded creek bottoms has no antler restrictions, and hunters can take up to four deer. Mostly wooded but has some ag fields on the wma. But, I also do not think I was nearly aggressive enough in pursuing a mature buck on the property. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. That's where i'd hide if I was a deer! Still, it's worth asking: Does the biologist feel the top areas for bowhunting trophy bucks are likely to change any time soon? All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Find one with a soybean field and go glass late evenings in August. Good wma not much pressure and a lot of places for a big buck to hide. "You can take a boy out of ol' dixieland but you'll never take ol' dixie from a boy" -Lynyrd Skynyrd. CARRY PROOF Hunters who buy their license or permit by phone or internet must carry while hunting: picture ID and proof of purchase (an authorization number, a paper license or a computer printout). I'll try & drive out there after work today & see if theres any new info at the hunter check station. While some hunting is allowed, some animals are protected, including turtles, crawfish and bullfrogs. There is alot of deer down there. Areas designated as no hunting (pink areas on the maps) are open to year-round visitation. Lots of deer, nice bucks. That has been several years ago on the youth mentor hunt. Hunting there in early September can be tough until it is mowed before the youth hunting weekend. NOTE: Some of the below hunts may be by pre-application lottery. JavaScript is disabled. Additionally, hunt data for most Redlands WMA hunts . Kentucky is one of the premier deer hunting states in the country, with many regions experiencing a year-by-year increase in deer population and harvest. Be safe hunting!! Our deer and turkey hunting are both the best in the nation, far as I'm concerned. Change to senior hunt/fish licenses. Published Oct 24, 2007 6:19 PM EDT, Ballard Wildlife Management Area Under strict harvest restrictions since 1993 that allowed only 10 percent of hunters to harvest a buck, Ballard this year is one of two Kentucky public lands to newly adopt an outside spread minimum of 15 inches. As a side note, as a wma only hunter, I never give up my best spots to hunt,ever. lol did not realize i didn't put the name of the wma but yes the one I was talking about is west kentucky wma. Tract 1, Tract 4 and Tract 4A, Tract 5, Other. The refuge manages native grasslands to benefit white-tailed deer, turkey, quail, migratory songbirds and small mammals. It may not display this or other websites correctly. But while there are approximately 1.8 hunters for each antlered buck, only around 35 percent of our hunters take a deer each year and nearly 50 percent of those are antlerless. You may be able to find areas in which multiple hollers converge into one open bottom, as well. Like another said just head to nearest wma and scout. And get this: Nearly all of the hunters heading afield then are carrying scoped centerfire rifles. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. Hunters in Crittenden took 3,033 bucks during the 2013 season. If you want public land, hunt the Shawnee N.F. Steep hills of the Appalachian Mountains make for limited access and will push even the most physically fit. Sept. 30. We will be hunting the quota hunt as well but where will depend a lot on where other people are hunting. Breckinridge and Grayson Counties are also known as two of the best counties in the state. "Catoosa is one of the more popular public hunting areas in the state for big deer," according to Ratajczak. Hunters may only These 2 areas combined offer more than 46,000 acres giving archery hunters lots of space to roam. U are right and it looks good from what I have seen. http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/1112huntingguideentire.pdf, Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Rich WMA made this list because it is filled with deer, but it comes in at No. Four other counties had an impressive season, each with a harvest of more than 1,500 deer. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. West Kentucky WMA offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including horseback riding trails, a skeet range, a mobility impaired archery range and hiking trails. The other four counties in the top five were close behind, with hunters bagging between 2,222 and 2,470 bucks per county. At 195-inches there's good reason why. (Author image) Sportsmen and women have it pretty good in my home state of Kentucky. Ballard Wildlife Management Area Location: west Kentucky Size: 8,600 acres ZIP: 42056 "Ballard has the best buck-to-doe ratio of any public hunting area in the state at one buck for every. This is just another reason why Kentucky public land deer hunting is among the best. We provide our hunters with an exciting Whitetail deer hunting experience in a true wilderness setting. Anyone else know anything about this hunt? Will take first (300) hunters that show-up and sign in. Total Harvest 2020: 79 Bucks: 56 Does: 23, Terrain: Moderate to Hard; Most hunting areas consists of hills and ridges. According to Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher, 55-year-old. Selected hunters may bring a hunting party totaling no more than 10 members, including the administrator and designated co-administrator. There are deer in there, but the horse people screwing around with their dogs will likely increase the difficulty of a hunt. The deadline to register by phone is 3:30 p.m. (CST) on Jan. 5. Deer Hunting West Kentucky WMA gung Oct 20, 2004 Oct 20, 2004 #1 gung 8 pointer Jan 29, 2004 690 Graves County I got drawn for a quota here and have never been there.Does anybody know anything about this place any help is appreciated. This year, we visited the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention in Nashville, and we were able to get a close-up, hands-on look at [], Photo by Ron Foltz Kentuckys spring squirrel season will be open May 15 June 18. Good luck. Probably wont be able to get in to scout as im in college and i get out that friday before the start of the hunt. You are using an out of date browser. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Bring your knee boots to reach secluded areas: Fertile bottomlands dotted with the oak trees and row-crop agriculture that keep deer in top nutritional shape are broken up by many bald cypress sloughs. I live near Miller-Welch. Peabody Wildlife Management Area A hunter can register a party of up to five hunters but must provide the name, fish and wildlife customer ID number and phone number for each member in the party. I really can't see anyone coming in blind & having great success. And that public land is found throughout the state, in areas big and small. For one thing, the state doesn't limit buck tags in any way. "We have a lot of veteran hunters who aren't necessarily eager to shoot the first buck they see anyway," Yancy points out. The archery areas on Campbell were like hunting in a park. Therefore, this is perfect for hunters who like taking their kids hunting with them. Never hunted there, curious to see if anyone had any information on the place (what tract to hunt, what to setup on, etc.) As a reminder, results are missing for several 2017/2018 & 2018/2019 seasons hunts. Thanks! To hear many serious trophy bowhunters tell it, Kentucky must be a figment of someone's fertile imagination. Do what i did, go through every wma on KDFW website, write down name, # or acres. Be sure to always check regulations before an adventure Kentucky public land deer hunting. He sold his first story to Field & Stream a few years later and has been contributing to the brand ever since. At most wma's you need to scout a lot & then travel deep to the perfect spot. Make sure your deer is 15in wide or it will cost you. Changing the big game license to individual licenses for deer and turkey. "First, by capturing images of older and/or larger-antlered bucks in an area, they encourage local hunters to pass up younger/lesser animals. Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? The cards must be visible from the windshield of each hunters vehicle while hunting and returned to a drop box at a designated location on the WMA. If you really want to be different, you can access more remote parts of Pennyrile if you access it through Lake Beshear. Gordon Whittington talks with 13-year-old Troy Metzger about the 2016 hunt that landed the young man a monster non-typical buck on this edition of Big Buck Profile. $61,810. Every year hunters from around the state enter their names into a draw to waterfowl hunt at Doug Travis, but based on conversations Ive had, I believe its an underrated spot for some early season deer hunting. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. It's a question a lot of wildlife biologists and trophy hunters in other states probably have asked themselves. But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. when you hunted was the wma divided into tracts? For a long time it's been a consistent producer of quality bucks on both public and private land. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. The deadline to register by phone is 3:30 p.m. (CST) on Jan. 5. The 10-day firearms season in early November is popular with out-of-state hunters, but bowhunters will find pressure light. "There's a selective mindset among many hunters and landowners, which results in most small bucks getting a free pass.". What would you guys consider the best WMA for deer numbers and best chance to get one with a bow ? Kind of an eerie place with all the nuclear signs and fall out shelters. Of all the counties in this area, Hopkins, Hardin, Hart, Webster and Breckinridge offer the best chances for success at bagging a buck. Find entry trail and be there come opening weekend. Off Market. Cheatham WMA is a popular property that produces quite a bit of success, with a mixture of quota and non-quota hunts. Either way..we'll give it 110% effort and just maybe see a good deer come bythanks again and I wish all of you the best this year! You must log in or register to reply here. I think I have 2 priority points. How are they doing the gun hunt in West Ky this year? Hunters may register for the hunt starting at 8 a.m. (CST) on Jan. 4 by calling the West Kentucky WMA office at 270-488-3233 or sending an email to weston.mason@ky.gov. They are strict on their rules, so read up. This allows them to keep an eye out for any predator or hunter that may enter the bedding area. The Purchase Region was the only area besides Blue Grass where more than 3,000 bucks were bagged in a single county and it had the second largest harvest in the state. Refer to the pertinent Hunting Guides for specific rules regarding hunting and trapping. Subscriber Services. Haynes Shelton discusses what to look for when choosing the magnification range when it comes to the scope on your deer rifle. Stan Potts doubles down in Montana and Wyoming. By the time the rut rolls around in early November, the density of the woods will start to dwindle and youll have clearer paths through the ridges and hollers that will make for easier hunting. I did see a lot of deer when I hunted it though. Hopkins leads the way with a recorded harvest of 2,542 deer during the 2013 season. I did see an absolute monster on a quota hunt but did not get a shot at him. My advice would be to get as close to the river as you can, in some of the more remote areas. They are strict on their rules, so read up. They have tons of deer as well. . "I woke up this morning and I thanked God that I did" Rush Limbaugh RIP Tethered Life Feb 4, 2020 #4 Thunder Head Eastern Kentucky is not known as the best part of the state to deer hunt, but there are some giants in that part of the state. Rich WMA consists of ridge after ridge, with some low bottom areas where deer like to travel. Tim Young remembers, "Man, he looked big." A hunter may only hunt four grouse per day and eight per season using shotguns. No vehicles/ATV's. No permanent stands, etc. The deer are so abundant in the Blue Grass Region that hunters harvested more deer in this area than in the northeast and southeast regions combined. If you travel down the road between the A area and area 4 there will be a creek that you cross, right after you cross the creek there is a field that has a small strip of woods on the south side and big hardwoods on the north side. There is a lot of good places to hunt. October 22, 2021 6:19 PM Timothy Ring, a 55-year-old hunter in rural western Tennessee, told his family on Tuesday morning that he was going to work on his deer stand, according to the sheriff. The grouse season in Kentucky runs from November to February, varying based on zone, with the permission of hunting ruffed grouse. "While continued slow growth in deer numbers in Appalachian Kentucky should lead to even more trophy entries being taken from the poor deer habitat in the eastern third of the state, our west-central counties should continue to be tried-and-true producers of trophy bucks into the foreseeable future.". Antler restrictions at the Cumberland Plateau site have limited the harvest for the. Hunters will have their best chance of scoring a nice deer from the opening day of archery season (Sept. 4) through the closing of the restricted areas. Lake Beshear is part of Pennyrile and it has some of the best bass fishing in the area. Some hunts are mentored hunts for youth and accompanying adults. The Blue Grass Region is the best area in the state of Kentucky for deer hunting, with Owen county leading the pack. Dog-Deer Welcome to 2022-23 Louisiana Hunting What's New for 2022 Licensing changes ( Licenses & Fees ): Change to license fees; see fee tables for details. More than a quarter-century ago, Kentucky followed neighboring Ohio's lead and implemented a single-buck-per-year bag limit. If I had a choice of hunting Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri or IllinoisKentucky would be my last pick. Change to license validity period from June 1-30 to 365 days from the date of purchase. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. In all, I saw eight different bucks at Rich in 2020, with the biggest being a small 6-pointer. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. Grant WMA Morgan, Putnam 3C Balls Ferry SP Wilkinson 3D Bartram Forest WMA Baldwin, Wilkinson 3E Camp Thunder VPA Upson 3F Cedar Creek WMA Jasper, Jones, Putnam 3G Clarks Hill WMA Lincoln, McDuffie, Warren, Wilkes 3H Clybel WMA Jasper, Newton 3I Collins Road VPA Burke 3J Di-Lane Plantation WMA At any time, you can drop off down a ridge and go looking for more deer sign. Being a Zone 4 county, does are not allowed to be taken during rifle season, which is one of the main reasons the doe count is so low. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Always saw several deer and tons of buck sign. The Deer Tour has begun! 1 buck killed in Kentucky in 2006 an incredible 19-pointer that measured 246 3/8. Salt River Outfitters in Kentucky is located on the " Bourbon Trail ." As an added bonus, as you stay with us, you can tour many of the bourbon distilleries on the "Bourbon Trail" that are located within 30 minutes of us. I'm looking to do a public land hunt traveling from New Jersey, so any help would be appreciated. Try Fort Campbell. I'd hunt Illinois. They monitor it closely. Hunters are willing to pass up younger deer because they know older ones are around.". I know they are there. Go get em. For details, see individual WMA schedules, contact any Field Office, or visit our website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov. Most of Kodiak Island is public (Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge) and accessible by plane or boat. There is a lot that can be said about the Rough River Lake WMA. My best advice would be to go to the area and scout it before you hunt..after reviewing the maps. I'd think I'd start there. Its one of the more difficult tracts of public land to trek in the western part of the state because of its large ridges and thick forests. I think I may get drawn this coming season. You are using an out of date browser. It gets hit pretty hard! Im hoping those bucks made it through the season and they come back bigger and better, but its not likely when hunting public land. The hunter tipped off his local game warden after tracking down the poached deer's gut pile deep in Idaho backcountry. Or you could shoot 216 does and no bucks. JavaScript is disabled. The place almost seems like an international airport for hunting during November. Application with up to five hunters allowed. While over the last 20 years we've seen our trophy whitetail production become more evenly distributed across the state, the west-central portion east of Land Between The Lakes and west of I-65 remains our most consistent yielder of trophy contenders. The Kentucky river wma in Henry co is really good. they are all hard to hunt blind. Spring squirrel hunting in Kentucky can be one of the most fun times of the year! Camp is setup in Kentucky! Lace your boots up and put some time in now. Peabody wma is 46k + acres in west central Ky, good deer and turkey population I carry a gun cause a cop is too heavy Feb 3, 2020 #3 bfriendly Senior Member That sounds like a great time! With over 14,000 acres, it would be impossible to pinpoint a few to share, but my advice in hunting Pennyrile is to be different. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. Top 5 Kentucky Public Hunting Area 21,688 views Oct 16, 2017 90 Dislike Share LandRater.com 574 subscribers Top 5 Kentucky Public Hunting Areas for Deer and Turkey Explore public land in your. ; KY archery and crossbow deer hunting for the 2022-2023 season has ended. Kentucky Ridge Forest WMA was one of the most successful Eastern Kentucky public land areas last year with 42 bucks harvested. And just remember to check the dates for the youth and Quota hunts at Kleber, followed by, thats right, a MG hunters a week later swarming the boundary. Good deer hunting can be found in many parts of West Virginia, but the best whitetail-producing counties share a common set of characteristics plenty of deer, enough size to make harvest . Archery/crossbow quota hunt from the third Monday in October through Nov. 30, except when closed during the quota hunt that starts the first Saturday in November. So how can Kentucky keep cranking out Pope & Young bucks? I didnt include Kleber WMA on this list because it is not underrated. No tags are required for does and only one of your bucks has an antler restriction. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Trained as a high school English teacher and coach, Scott Bestul left that lucrative field to pursue anotheras a full-time freelance writer in 1990. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. However, there's one rule that we've noticed is active in almost every country. FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 23, 2020) Hunters interested in the open firearms deer hunt at West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in McCracken County are advised that the sign-up process and some procedures will be different for the three-day opportunity in January. Whitley's articles have appeared in various print and online magazines, including "GQ," "Details," "Southern Living" and "Cooking Light. In rare cases, wild whitetails can live for Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. You are using an out of date browser. | Rough River Lake WMA was not a top producing county for Kentucky public land deer hunting in 2020, but it is still a place where a hunter can get away from pressure and find nice deer. Scott Bestul good luck, Thanks guys for all your info. i think you guys would have to best chance there. The Green River Region has long been regarded as a trophy buck host area, with the best counties being Ohio, Logan, Hopkins and Todd, according to Game and Fishing magazine. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Doug Travis WMA is not at the top of peoples lists when Kentucky public land deer hunting. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Likely, youll find them with their backs to the water and their vantage points set to access areas or popular walking routes. For another, gun season falls right in the heart of the November rut. "No, not really," he says. While I often e-scout a public land area on OnX before Kentucky public land deer hunting, Doug Travis is so diverse, I think a person needs to see it first-hand before walking in with their bow. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. "PRIVATE" lodging and family style meals included. Kleber in Franklin and Owen co. Is good! You must log in or register to reply here. Size: 8,600 acres Others do not. "In much of western and central Kentucky we have fertile land with a good balance of cover and crops," the biologist says. Oct 20, 2004 #2 G glenmorebuckman 6 pointer Dec 20, 2003 468 Glenmore, Ky, USA. While it's tempting to say the one-buck limit simply forced hunters to become more selective in buck harvest, that might not be the full answer. This will be some of the most difficult terrain to hunt in Kentucky. Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? Surrounded by private land, there are some pinch points along the fence lines where I have seen deer travel back and forth. During quota hunts, all deer hun ting seasons on this WMA are closed, except to drawn hunters. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Any resident or nonresident may apply for quota hunts. In addition, archery hunters will for the first time have the run of Ballard from September 1 to October 14; after that, all but 400 acres will close to provide refuge to migrating waterfowl. Jonathan A.,Oct 11, 2018 Jonathan A.,Oct 11, 2018 #1 Oct 12, 2018#2 bowhunter26912 pointer 3,973 You must log in or register to reply here. If you are strickly interested in a good quality buck, you'll need to hike a good ways or travel by boat into hard to reach areas. West Kentucky WMA deer hunt spots reduced because of flooding Dave Baker/Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife 800-858-1549 KY FRANKFORT, Ky. (Jan. 14, 2020) High water from the Ohio River continues to impact portions of West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in McCracken County. Hunters may register for the hunt starting at 8 a.m. (CST) on Jan. 4 by calling the West Kentucky WMA office at 270-488-3233 or sending an email to weston.mason@ky.gov. Early season is the key here. Only one antlered deer per hunter may be harvested statewide, regardless of zone, method or season. Written by Mike Collins Kentuckians Cody Likins and Jakob Begley won the 2020 Quest Hunt Company Deer Hunting Competition. 8Z on Kodiak Island was second with 4,797. The strip of woods conects the A area (no hunting) and private land. But More than likely the result would just be largest wma. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. Hiwassee and Yuchi wildlife refuges have growing deer herds the state would. One of the more attractive features at Rough River Lake WMA is the number of oxbows that can be hunted. Kind of an eerie place with all the nuclear signs and fall out shelters. Divide #acres by # of deer harvested. I also missed 1 of the 2 bucks I have shot at with a bow in that small strip of woods. Lots of thick cover. Look forward to hearing how y'all do! New this year, WK WMA will have both Quota Gun Hunt and a "Open" Gun Hunt. We take our hunter's comfort seriously and that's why we try to provide each of our guests with their own private, cabin style room. . David Yancy, a wildlife biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), refers back to the white-tailed deer restoration efforts between 1946 and 1999. Pendleton, Shelby, Grant and Boone round out the top five counties in this region, each with harvests of between 2,324 and 3,484 during the season. They only ones I know anything about is in the bluegrass region! It's that you have to be at least 14 years old in order to ride an eBike on the public road. And the first of those reasons is the number of hunters.
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