A hunter may only hunt four grouse per day and eight per season using shotguns. The Blue Grass Region is another hot spot, with Pendleton, Garrard, Boone and Henry counties offering the best chances for bagging a trophy buck. Sept. 30. 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! My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. In fact, it is a well known wetland in far west Kentucky in Carlisle and Hickman Counties. 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. (Author image) Sportsmen and women have it pretty good in my home state of Kentucky. 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. Stalk Em Spring squirrel hunting in Kentucky can be [], Squirrel Hunting in Kentucky Opens May 15, Deer Hunting On Public Land Kentucky Outdoors Media, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFP-jOHTsc0&t=8s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6ETHU_ypZY&t=5s, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYOoABQMAEI&t=4s. Georgia Hunting Leases Available NOW!100 acres prime deer Oct 16 South Texas Dove Hunting/Lease San Antonio $60 Oct 16 South Texas .Louisiana - On July 19, 2022, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) released its 2022-23 hunting regulations pamphlet online. West Kentucky WMA, McCracken County. View all 40 pictures. It gets hit pretty hard! One of the reasons Pennyrile sustains a nice deer herd is because hunting access to the park is not easy. If you head out to Rich WMA this season, dont sit back and wait. Western Kentucky normally produces bigger bucks. GEORGIA. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. Off Market. All Rights Reserved. Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? Like most Kentucky public land deer hunting spots, youll find numerous hollers, fingers, and bowls that are possible locations for bedding bucks. You must log in or register to reply here. Make sure your deer is 15in wide or it will cost you. They have tons of deer as well. 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. Hunters can hunt squirrel, white-tailed deer, wild turkey and resident Canadian geese during the specified seasons. Spring squirrel hunting in Kentucky can be one of the most fun times of the year! 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. WMA Management Levels Wildlife Management Areas Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are properties owned or managed by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for conservation and public access. The Blue Grass Region is the best area in the state of Kentucky for deer hunting, with Owen county leading the pack. Oct 20, 2004 #2 G glenmorebuckman 6 pointer Dec 20, 2003 468 Glenmore, Ky, USA. It's a state with a great reputation for big deer, but in producing them, it appears to violate many of the rules of how to manage deer with that in mind. 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. Hunting during rifle season, or late muzzleloader, will likely be the easiest path to finding a big buck at Kentucky Ridge Forest. 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. All rights reserved. Lots of deer, nice bucks. 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. Kansas. Feb 16, 2015 #2 G grasskiller Member Good wma not much pressure and a lot of places for a big buck to hide. Last season, there were 30 deer harvested at Doug Travis, with 16 of them being bucks. Access is available in all areas of Rich WMA. "So it's productive habitat. If it's like last year, Archery will open under statewide regulations, As far as gun hunts they'll do the youth hunt and a quoata, Shotgun or ML only. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. Itll make you a better deer hunter and itll make you prouder of your accomplishment when you do find the deer your after. Mostly wooded but has some ag fields on the wma. Id recommend the closest one to your house. 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. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. You are using an out of date browser. good luck, Thanks guys for all your info. In rare cases, wild whitetails can live for Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Most areas are open to archery and crossbow hunting for deer except during the Dec. 12-13 quota gun hunt. Fee, advance application required of deer, waterfowl hunters. "In much of western and central Kentucky we have fertile land with a good balance of cover and crops," the biologist says. At most wma's you need to scout a lot & then travel deep to the perfect spot. . He lives near there & knows the area pretty well. There is a lot that can be said about the Rough River Lake WMA. Therefore, this is perfect for hunters who like taking their kids hunting with them. "PRIVATE" lodging and family style meals included. You are using an out of date browser. 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. Refer to the pertinent Hunting Guides for specific rules regarding hunting and trapping. 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. Areas designated as no hunting (pink areas on the maps) are open to year-round visitation. There will be pressure any where you go. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. 6200 some odd acres. When Kentucky public land deer hunting, using a hunting app like OnX, try to find low gap areas, or saddles, that create natural pinch points and traveling corridors for deer. It may not display this or other websites correctly. If you want public land, hunt the Shawnee N.F. In all, I saw eight different bucks at Rich in 2020, with the biggest being a small 6-pointer. That's probably because in this region moderate deer numbers live among the state's most optimum juxtaposition of row-crop agriculture and oak-hickory woodlands.". Hiwassee and Yuchi wildlife refuges have growing deer herds the state would. Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Maps This map is intended as a guide only, and its content is subject to change without notice. Hunting there in early September can be tough until it is mowed before the youth hunting weekend. Terrain: Hard; You can experience a big change in elevation when hunting this area. CLOTHING - Get 10% off Legendary Whitetails gear w/code THP18 http://bit. Within Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, there are four designated hunt areas. they did close a bunch of areas due to 9-11, so maybe all the deer moved into those areas.. hope you have better luck than we did!! This is a great time for hunters to get out and enjoy the woods. You may be able to find areas in which multiple hollers converge into one open bottom, as well. 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. Additionally, hunt data for most Redlands WMA hunts . Be safe hunting!! If you're going to hunt in November, one of those would be better due to no gun hunters. Deer and Small Game Hunting and Trail Cams. You must log in or register to reply here. In this edition of "From The Stand," Pat Hogan explains the importance of being aware of proper clearance when using your bow or crossbow out in the field. "Also, deer population density averages about 20 animals per square mile. Camp is setup in Kentucky! Size: 60,000 acres But, I also do not think I was nearly aggressive enough in pursuing a mature buck on the property. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. One of the more attractive features at Rough River Lake WMA is the number of oxbows that can be hunted. I would scout three spots in three different areas just in case they are useing it. Subscriber Services. Thanks! Map reading is probably one of my best qualities in bowhunting.(served 8 years in the army). Timber Tract With Opportunities For Deer And Turkey Hunting, 21.5 acres in Graves County, Kentucky offered at $61,810. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. However, there's one rule that we've noticed is active in almost every country. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife owns, leases, or manages more than 85 wildlife management areas (WMAs) for public use. For one thing, the state doesn't limit buck tags in any way. Some of these governments allow the use of hunting equipment such as firearms, crossbows, and bows within their boundaries. You should have pretty good luck there. | Maps - Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife More Maps Public Lands and Hunting Maps Public Hunting area map* Wildlife Management Area and Public Lands Search Kentucky's Hunting and Fishing Access Sites Game Maps "Know Before You Go" CWD Interactive Map Specific Species Hunting Maps Dove Hunting Field Map Elk Hunting map Elk Hunting map* According to veteran biologist David Yancy, deer project leader for the Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, there are reasons for the state's continued productivity on trophy bucks. Hopefully by archery season you will have a game plan that will give you the best chance to get one with a bow. Same as some already said. Most hunting and fishing opportunities align with Kentucky state seasons and bag limits. This will be some of the most difficult terrain to hunt in Kentucky. The grouse season in Kentucky runs from November to February, varying based on zone, with the permission of hunting ruffed grouse. Of course, trail cameras now are in wide use in many states and provinces that lack Kentucky's reputation for huge bucks. JavaScript is disabled. I really can't see anyone coming in blind & having great success. Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect a broad pattern. More than a quarter-century ago, Kentucky followed neighboring Ohio's lead and implemented a single-buck-per-year bag limit. Deer were trapped and moved all over the state, so "our deer are quite genetically homogenous," Yancy said. You must log in or register to reply here. First, I would look for pull-offs on these roads that dont lead to easy-to-walk trails, but may give you an access down a ridge to where you can get into thicker woods. No vehicles/ATV's. No permanent stands, etc. Four other counties had an impressive season, each with a harvest of more than 1,500 deer. They is deer there just not like they used to be. Deer. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Location: west Kentucky Still, it's worth asking: Does the biologist feel the top areas for bowhunting trophy bucks are likely to change any time soon? Scott Bestul With a little research and hard work, metro hunters can successfully . With an official net score of 246 0/8 non-typical, Austin Musselman's megabuck is an example of Kentucky quality. West Kentucky WMA offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including horseback riding trails, a skeet range, a mobility impaired archery range and hiking trails. This is just another reason why Kentucky public land deer hunting is among the best. Most of Kodiak Island is public (Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge) and accessible by plane or boat. 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. 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. We hunt all over Alabama (private and public). But, the most important memoryis being with my father and making memories. "Catoosa is one of the more popular public hunting areas in the state for big deer," according to Ratajczak. You must log in or register to reply here. At 195-inches there's good reason why. Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect that broad pattern. Peabody Wildlife Management Area "Camera use facilitates trophy whitetail production in two ways," he points out. It may not display this or other websites correctly. 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. Alternating ridges and sloughs, moist soil management units, woodlands, brush, and open crop fields are found here. According to Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher, 55-year-old. Lake Beshear is part of Pennyrile and it has some of the best bass fishing in the area. Write, email or call Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for additional information. ZIP: 42327. If you really want to be different, you can access more remote parts of Pennyrile if you access it through Lake Beshear. i would go to lbl if u were u.its closest to bama and the biggest by far.over 100,000 acres..big bucks and less crowded simply due to its size. $61,810. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. Always saw several deer and tons of buck sign. They only ones I know anything about is in the bluegrass region! There were tracks that were open to hunting and others closed to hunting. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. I will once again be maintaining a report detailing the results for WMA Deer hunts for the 2022/2023 season. Lots of thick cover. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Opportunities are abundant in this state, with a population of around 900,000 deer and about seven hunters per square mile. WMA located approximately 10 miles west of Henderson, KY, consists of 6 units. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. ", Game and Fishing Magazine: Kentucky Deer Hunting Forecast for 2014, Game and Fishing Magazine: Best Counties for Hunting Deer in 2013, Game and Fishing Magazine: Best Places for Trophy Bucks in Kentucky in 2013, Outdoor Life: Best Deer Hunting State: Kentucky Takes Top Spot in New Whitetail Scale. I live near Miller-Welch. The deadline to register by phone is 3:30 p.m. (CST) on Jan. 5. He sold his first story to Field & Stream a few years later and has been contributing to the brand ever since. 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. New this year, WK WMA will have both Quota Gun Hunt and a "Open" Gun Hunt. 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. If you're going to hunt in November, one of those would be better due to no gun hunters. The Bluegrass State's production of older bucks quickly began to rise. One of the better areas for quail hunting in the state. The last time I was down there it was tore up with rubs and I saw probably a 140" buck. ZIP: 42056. It may not display this or other websites correctly. For me, its just another reason to go. The Kentucky river wma in Henry co is really good. July 26, 2022 By Bernie Barringer. No permanent stands, etc. Kentucky Hunting Features Forums List Deer Hunting Forum Kentucky Community Forum Waterfowl Hunting Forum Turkey Hunting Forum We will be hunting the quota hunt as well but where will depend a lot on where other people are hunting. I'll try & drive out there after work today & see if theres any new info at the hunter check station. The report *will be* updated to include results for bear-only and bear/deer hunts at a later date. Rich WMA is often an overlooked public land hunting area because it is the next-door-neighbor to Kleber WMA, a hotbed for deer. If I remember right, the WMA list on kdfwr has what you can kill, limitations etc. Signups will not be accepted once all slots have been filled. You are using an out of date browser. These 2 areas combined offer more than 46,000 acres giving archery hunters lots of space to roam. 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. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. They are categorized into high, moderate and low management levels. The Pennyrile State Forest is the largest public land area on this list and that is why it is at number one. Peabody WMA Nearby 1,200 acres of public land added in western Kentucky One of western Kentucky's largest wildlife management areas is growing again. Total Harvest 2020: 79 Bucks: 56 Does: 23, Terrain: Moderate to Hard; Most hunting areas consists of hills and ridges. Hunters in Crittenden took 3,033 bucks during the 2013 season. There are some WMA's, like the dam/Peninusula area at Barren River Reservoir that are primitive weapons only. Hunters are willing to pass up younger deer because they know older ones are around.". JavaScript is disabled. The 10-day firearms season in early November is popular with out-of-state hunters, but bowhunters will find pressure light. You can park in a few different spots along Georgetown Rd, or you can drive up and around to Old Columbus and park there. I didnt include Kleber WMA on this list because it is not underrated. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. "No, not really," he says. West Kentucky Whitetails, LLC offers free range deer hunts in Western Kentucky. I also missed 1 of the 2 bucks I have shot at with a bow in that small strip of woods. These areas in which deer will travel and you may have some luck with buck movement during the mid-day. Late fall shotgun turkey season starts Saturday December 2, 2022 Derek Aaron WJRS News Local hunters have one final opportunity to harvest wild turkeys with a shotgun this year during the late fall shotgun season, which opens tomorrow, Saturday, Dec. 3rd and runs through Friday, Dec. 9th. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. View 40 photos, read details, and contact the seller. 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! *Our Gear. 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. Then, once it's known a big buck frequents an area, cameras can assist hunters in patterning the deer.With only one buck tag per season, and the knowledge big bucks are out there, it's possibly led to even more selective harvest. Welcome to 2022-23 Louisiana Hunting What's New for 2022 Licensing changes ( Licenses & Fees ): Change to license fees; see fee tables for details. I remember some of them you get an extra preference point or something for taking does. 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. Check kdfwr website for harvest results over several years. So how can Kentucky keep cranking out Pope & Young bucks? Ainsley Whitley is a contributing writer for various branded properties that together attract more than 280 million readers seeking influential content. Therefore, it seems only fitting that his pursuit of a particular giant buck actually began during a rabbit hunt in November 2012. Honestly man and I dont mean this in a bad way but Ive been very fortunate and taken nice deer on public land in a couple different states so I feel like my advice might help you. Size: 8,600 acres Hardin County was the number one deer producing county in the entire state of Kentucky last season. A drive through the access points may afford some glassing during early August and give you a good idea of what youre dealing with. The hunter tipped off his local game warden after tracking down the poached deer's gut pile deep in Idaho backcountry. Number of Fields: 6+ Crop: 20+ acres, Sunflower. Some hunts are mentored hunts for youth and accompanying adults. Surrounded by private land, there are some pinch points along the fence lines where I have seen deer travel back and forth. or one of the WMAs that are open without a draw. My advice would be to get as close to the river as you can, in some of the more remote areas. 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. But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. Entrance GPS coordinates: Latitude N 37.1332, Longitude W -88.8139 Area Habitat: open land 34.74%, forest 46.58%, wetland 18.09%, open water 0.62%. Find entry trail and be there come opening weekend. Any info would be greatly appreciated. The strip of woods conects the A area (no hunting) and private land. 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. Gordon Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about the trophy buck he took back in 1998 while bowhunting public land in Illinois. I heard they might be having an open hunt on Nov 22-23. There is alot of deer down there. You are using an out of date browser. Rich WMA made this list because it is filled with deer, but it comes in at No. Im hoping those bucks made it through the season and they come back bigger and better, but its not likely when hunting public land. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. "At 5-8 per square mile, Kentucky's deer hunter density doesn't place it among the top 12 densest states in whitetail range," Yancy notes. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. The place almost seems like an international airport for hunting during November. Lace your boots up and put some time in now. The end result is that we only harvest about 49 percent of the available antlered deer each year.". hope that helps. Then look up telecheck public land results, tells how many deer checked in on each wma. Photo Gallery See all Photos Do what i did, go through every wma on KDFW website, write down name, # or acres. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. Several years back the population was much better than it is now. Hopkins leads the way with a recorded harvest of 2,542 deer during the 2013 season. Cheatham WMA is a popular property that produces quite a bit of success, with a mixture of quota and non-quota hunts. It's that you have to be at least 14 years old in order to ride an eBike on the public road. Go get em. As the accompanying map illustrates, no single county has them to itself. I did see a lot of deer when I hunted it though. Similar hunts are held on West Kentucky WMA each year. Or you could shoot 216 does and no bucks. They are strict on their rules, so read up. Yet, anyone younger than 14 can still ride an eBike off-road. 8Z on Kodiak Island was second with 4,797. The best hunting area I have found is Fort Knox military reservation.deer numbers are good (not as good as when I started hunting there in the 1990s though) and the CHANCE for a B&C buck is legitimate (Ft Knox posts lots of pictures of big bucks harvested each year). Deer. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Land that once gave up coal to huge strip mine shovels now regularly yields 120- and 130-class bucks. 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. "We have a lot of veteran hunters who aren't necessarily eager to shoot the first buck they see anyway," Yancy points out. 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. Any info would be greatly appreciated. The Deer Tour has begun! The changes are necessary to ensure the health and safety of hunters and WMA staff. Mostly wooded but has some ag fields on the wma. Of all the counties in this area, Hopkins, Hardin, Hart, Webster and Breckinridge offer the best chances for success at bagging a buck. I haven't hunted the rest of the states in your list but I can tell you that most of the WMA's in Kentucky are going to be full of gun hunters during your chosen time period. 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. That has been several years ago on the youth mentor hunt. They are strict on their rules, so read up. In the eastern half of Kentucky deer numbers tend to be much lower, with far less acreage devoted to row crops. Kind of an eerie place with all the nuclear signs and fall out shelters. 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. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. 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. "I woke up this morning and I thanked God that I did" Rush Limbaugh RIP Tethered Life Feb 4, 2020 #4 Thunder Head Changing the big game license to individual licenses for deer and turkey.