Be safe hunting!! NOTE: Some of the below hunts may be by pre-application lottery. 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. At any time, you can drop off down a ridge and go looking for more deer sign. Off Market. Welcome to 2022-23 Louisiana Hunting What's New for 2022 Licensing changes ( Licenses & Fees ): Change to license fees; see fee tables for details. Try Fort Campbell. Hunters may only or one of the WMAs that are open without a draw. Subscriber Services. But, I also do not think I was nearly aggressive enough in pursuing a mature buck on the property. Hunter cards and instruction sheets will be provided before Jan. 16 to those registered for the hunt. http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/1112huntingguideentire.pdf, Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. State Park Deer. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. Description Livingston County Wildlife Management (WMA) and State Natural Area in Livingston County features bluff habitat in three tracts near the confluence of the Cumberland and Ohio rivers. In Oklahoma, Osage county holds the record for most bucks harvested during the archery season with 681 bucks during the 2019-20 season . I live near Miller-Welch. 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. You may be able to find areas in which multiple hollers converge into one open bottom, as well. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. 2022 Commonwealth of Kentucky. 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. He lives near there & knows the area pretty well. 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. Deer. JavaScript is disabled. 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. They is deer there just not like they used to be. 8Z on Kodiak Island was second with 4,797. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Fall 2020-'21 harvest: 24,809 mule deer, 24,849 whitetails Overall outlook: Rick Ward, deer and elk coordinator for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, says the statewide mule deer outlook is fair to good and improving depending on the area. No vehicles/ATV's. Fee, advance application required of deer, waterfowl hunters. It's that you have to be at least 14 years old in order to ride an eBike on the public road. More than 41,000 acres of deer hunting are open only to bowhunters on 27 of Georgia's WMAs. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. Quota and firearm deer hunting for the 2022 season is over. Ballard has the best buck-to-doe ratio of any public hunting area in the state at one buck for every two does, Yancy says, and it also has an excellent age-class structure that features a lot of older bucks. Starting this year, more sportsmen will be able to take advantage of these numbers. The Deer Tour has begun! . "There's a selective mindset among many hunters and landowners, which results in most small bucks getting a free pass.". There were tracks that were open to hunting and others closed to hunting. "I woke up this morning and I thanked God that I did" Rush Limbaugh RIP Tethered Life Feb 4, 2020 #4 Thunder Head Speaking from experience. Published Oct 24, 2007 6:19 PM EDT, Ballard Wildlife Management Area In all, I saw eight different bucks at Rich in 2020, with the biggest being a small 6-pointer. Rabbit and quail hunting seasons open Nov. 14 - Dec. 31. Good luck. 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. There are deer in there, but the horse people screwing around with their dogs will likely increase the difficulty of a hunt. West Kentucky WMA, McCracken County. You are using an out of date browser. 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). These 2 areas combined offer more than 46,000 acres giving archery hunters lots of space to roam. . Hunters in Crittenden took 3,033 bucks during the 2013 season. Id recommend the closest one to your house. The end result is that we only harvest about 49 percent of the available antlered deer each year.". There is a lot that can be said about the Rough River Lake WMA. I know the basics. Because of that, I prefer to hunt Rich. There is alot of deer down there. They only ones I know anything about is in the bluegrass region! The area offers waterfowl, turkey, deer and small game hunting along with fishing and hiking. Never hunted there, curious to see if anyone had any information on the place (what tract to hunt, what to setup on, etc.) Christian, Graves, Trigg and Livingston rounded out the top five counties with between 1,737 and 2,910 deer taken in each. Anyone been up to kentucky in search of a wma Buck? Never hunted there, curious to see if anyone had any information on the place (what tract to hunt, what to setup on, etc.) The Kentucky river wma in Henry co is really good. I also missed 1 of the 2 bucks I have shot at with a bow in that small strip of woods. 2 deer a day from October 15 through January 31, but only 3 total bucks. 5 because the lack of quality bucks that I have seen. View 40 photos, read details, and contact the seller. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Yes it was. For a $24 license, you may kill 3 antlered deer and 213 does. I did see an absolute monster on a quota hunt but did not get a shot at him. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. My best advice would be to go to the area and scout it before you hunt..after reviewing the maps. I think I may get drawn this coming season. Lots of deer, nice bucks. Just want to try something new this year. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. Alternating ridges and sloughs, moist soil management units, woodlands, brush, and open crop fields are found here. It will tell you how many were killed each year and with what weapon. 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%. Additionally, hunt data for most Redlands WMA hunts . Hiwassee and Yuchi wildlife refuges have growing deer herds the state would. ", 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. Where to Hunt Deer in Alaska Unit 4Z saw the highest blacktail harvest in 2021, with 6,579 animals. Good deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game hunting. West Tennessee Wildlife Management Areas (Region 1) *The numbers for each WMA and on the map correspond to the numbers in the hunting guide. ZIP: 42056. To hear many serious trophy bowhunters tell it, Kentucky must be a figment of someone's fertile imagination. 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. Easy access in most areas. Hunters are willing to pass up younger deer because they know older ones are around.". This will be some of the most difficult terrain to hunt in Kentucky. During quota hunts, all deer hun ting seasons on this WMA are closed, except to drawn hunters. According to the biologist, some biologists in the agency also believe the advent of affordable digital trail cameras has played a big role. The strip of woods conects the A area (no hunting) and private land. Of course, trail cameras now are in wide use in many states and provinces that lack Kentucky's reputation for huge bucks. It may not display this or other websites correctly. "We have a lot of veteran hunters who aren't necessarily eager to shoot the first buck they see anyway," Yancy points out. My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. They are strict on their rules, so read up. 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!! my father and i have been bowhunting for 7 years in Alabama. Can anyone tell me when archery season will open in West Ky? Deer hunts offered include a shotgun-only, youth-mentor hunt at the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Dec. 15-18. Like another said just head to nearest wma and scout. West Kentucky Whitetails, LLC offers free range deer hunts in Western Kentucky. The last time I was down there it was tore up with rubs and I saw probably a 140" buck. Kentucky abounds with deer-hunting opportunities, and many would consider it a sleeper state for the DIY hunter. At most wma's you need to scout a lot & then travel deep to the perfect spot. Rich WMA made this list because it is filled with deer, but it comes in at No. Most areas are open to archery and crossbow hunting for deer except during the Dec. 12-13 quota gun hunt. In my experiences, most hunters do not do this at Rich WMA. As a reminder, results are missing for several 2017/2018 & 2018/2019 seasons hunts. Most hunting and fishing opportunities align with Kentucky state seasons and bag limits. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Its also home to the No. 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. That's where i'd hide if I was a deer! There are some WMA's, like the dam/Peninusula area at Barren River Reservoir that are primitive weapons only. Question on West Point WMA deer restrictions. But, the most important memoryis being with my father and making memories. i would come sooner if possible. The other four counties in the top five were close behind, with hunters bagging between 2,222 and 2,470 bucks per county. View all 40 pictures. Kleber in Franklin and Owen co. Is good! Heard something about an open hunt. Now Kentucky taxidermists stay plenty busy mounting big bucks. "So it's productive habitat. Opportunities are abundant in this state, with a population of around 900,000 deer and about seven hunters per square mile. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. If you want to set yourself apart from other hunters, using a kayak or boat to get to more remote locations will give you a better chance at bagging a mature buck. 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). 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. Then look up telecheck public land results, tells how many deer checked in on each wma. A hunter may only hunt four grouse per day and eight per season using shotguns. Rich WMA is often an overlooked public land hunting area because it is the next-door-neighbor to Kleber WMA, a hotbed for deer. Some hunts are open to mobility-impaired hunters only. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. I'd think I'd start there. Anyone else know anything about this hunt? some buddies of mine and i got drawn there to hunt in 2001 man, the area looked really promising, food plots, creek bottoms, hardwoods.. in two days of hard hunting, we saw 2 deer!!!!! The Blue Grass Region is another hot spot, with Pendleton, Garrard, Boone and Henry counties offering the best chances for bagging a trophy buck. Some hunts are mentored hunts for youth and accompanying adults. 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. "Be bear aware at all times, and never drag your game," Svoboda said. 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. Sept. 1. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. "Catoosa is one of the more popular public hunting areas in the state for big deer," according to Ratajczak. What a question for a public forum, laziest approach I've seen yet. Western Kentucky normally produces bigger bucks. Lots of thick cover. The place almost seems like an international airport for hunting during November. 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. Last season, there were 30 deer harvested at Doug Travis, with 16 of them being bucks. The refuge manages native grasslands to benefit white-tailed deer, turkey, quail, migratory songbirds and small mammals. 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. Similar hunts are held on West Kentucky WMA each year. 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. Several years back the population was much better than it is now. Look forward to hearing how y'all do! I always hunt about 100 from the road in the small strip of woods. As the accompanying map illustrates, no single county has them to itself. Nevertheless, whenever this resident of western Kentucky has an opportunity to turn loose his pack of beagles in prime swamp rabbit habitat, deer hunting usually becomes a secondary priority. This is a great time for hunters to get out and enjoy the woods. You are using an out of date browser. Youll find several smaller areas that fall between the water and private land, but a quick paddle can get you there quickly and away from other hunters. 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. These areas in which deer will travel and you may have some luck with buck movement during the mid-day. It may not display this or other websites correctly. How are they doing the gun hunt in West Ky this year? Hunting there in early September can be tough until it is mowed before the youth hunting weekend. 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. For one thing, the state doesn't limit buck tags in any way. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife conducts quota hunts for deer, pheasant and migratory birds (waterfowl and mourning doves). Doug Travis WMA Size: 4,132 acres Location: Carlisle & Hickman Counties Total Harvest 2020: 30 Bucks: 16 Does: 14 Terrain: Diverse; Easy to moderate; Wetlands and open water make up 34% of land 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 . FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 20, 2018) Apply for deer, waterfowl, pheasant and sandhill crane quota hunts offered by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at state wildlife management areas and other public lands now through the end of September. 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. But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. Number of Fields: 6+ Crop: 20+ acres, Sunflower. 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. $61,810. 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. Timber Tract With Opportunities For Deer And Turkey Hunting, 21.5 acres in Graves County, Kentucky offered at $61,810. "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. I will once again be maintaining a report detailing the results for WMA Deer hunts for the 2022/2023 season. Once you make your way to a good logging road, the walking is pretty easy. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Do your own research and scout some of the places you come up with. If you're going to hunt in November, one of those would be better due to no gun hunters. I'll try & drive out there after work today & see if theres any new info at the hunter check station. I bowhunted 10 days in a row there last year and saw 4 deer. "First, by capturing images of older and/or larger-antlered bucks in an area, they encourage local hunters to pass up younger/lesser animals. (Author image) Sportsmen and women have it pretty good in my home state of Kentucky. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Access is available in all areas of Rich WMA. Write, email or call Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for additional information. All stands are community so you get to hunt the full 16000 acres. I know they are there. While some places around the lake are limited, there are sizable parcels of land that offer land features that attract deer. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Please see the refuge hunting/fishing permit for details. Give a Gift 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. 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. The deadline to register by phone is 3:30 p.m. (CST) on Jan. 5. If you want public land, hunt the Shawnee N.F. Surrounded by private land, there are some pinch points along the fence lines where I have seen deer travel back and forth. Changing the big game license to individual licenses for deer and turkey. You are using an out of date browser. Most of Kodiak Island is public (Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge) and accessible by plane or boat. But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. If I remember right, the WMA list on kdfwr has what you can kill, limitations etc. Location: Breckinridge, Grayson & Hardin Counties, Total Harvest 2020: 39 Bucks: 24 Does: 15, Terrain: Moderate;; Most hunting areas consists of hills and ridges. West Kentucky WMA offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including horseback riding trails, a skeet range, a mobility impaired archery range and hiking trails. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Thanks! Search the dept website and check harvest numbers on wmas. This allows them to keep an eye out for any predator or hunter that may enter the bedding area. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. The hunter tipped off his local game warden after tracking down the poached deer's gut pile deep in Idaho backcountry. The fishing is outstanding, and the waterfowling is at least acceptable. In fact, it is a well known wetland in far west Kentucky in Carlisle and Hickman Counties. At 195-inches there's good reason why. In this edition of "Big Buck Profile," Gordon Whittington talks with young whitetail hunter Reid Crawford about his trophy buck taken in 2017. You are using an out of date browser. Feb 16, 2015 #2 G grasskiller Member Good wma not much pressure and a lot of places for a big buck to hide. 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. Killed the biggest deer I have "ever" killed there on a quota hunt. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. they are all hard to hunt blind. Total Harvest 2020: 25 Bucks: 13 Does: 12. I harvested a doe at Rich in late September, and had a chance at a few small bucks that I passed one. 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. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife owns, leases, or manages more than 85 wildlife management areas (WMAs) for public use. Y outh Seasons and Youth Lottery Hunts. They monitor it closely. I'm looking to do a public land hunt traveling from New Jersey, so any help would be appreciated. Divide #acres by # of deer harvested. when you hunted was the wma divided into tracts? Check kdfwr website for harvest results over several years. Refer to the pertinent Hunting Guides for specific rules regarding hunting and trapping. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. To the west of this area, farm fields are larger and cover more restricted, making bucks more vulnerable to harvest by gun. These are prime locations at Rough River. I am sure a lot has changed. It gets hit pretty hard! hope that helps. Only one antlered deer per hunter may be harvested statewide, regardless of zone, method or season. 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. Deer and Small Game Hunting and Trail Cams. Photo Gallery See all Photos Signups will not be accepted once all slots have been filled. Change to license validity period from June 1-30 to 365 days from the date of purchase. The report *will be* updated to include results for bear-only and bear/deer hunts at a later date. Written by Mike Collins Kentuckians Cody Likins and Jakob Begley won the 2020 Quest Hunt Company Deer Hunting Competition. Thanks! "Open" hunt to be Nov. 22-23, Shotgun or Muzzle loader only. If I had a choice of hunting Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri or IllinoisKentucky would be my last pick. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. 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. Like most Kentucky public land deer hunting spots, youll find numerous hollers, fingers, and bowls that are possible locations for bedding bucks. 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. As the accompanying map illustrates, no single county has them to itself. Deer: Balancing Expectations for Small Properties, Get to Know Your Neighbors for Better Deer Herd Management, Big Buck Profile: Reid Crawford Kansas Buck, Choosing Correct Magnification for Rifle Scope, Big Buck Profile: Troy Metzger's East Illinois Giant. They monitor it closely. We will be hunting the quota hunt as well but where will depend a lot on where other people are hunting. CLOTHING - Get 10% off Legendary Whitetails gear w/code THP18 http://bit. I know nothing about this state and being this far away I would be going by your guys help. Jonathan A.,Oct 11, 2018 Jonathan A.,Oct 11, 2018 #1 Oct 12, 2018#2 bowhunter26912 pointer 3,973 Iowa Bowhunter Goes Stealth Mode with a Tree Saddle to Bag 194-inch Non-typical, Missouri Hunter Shoots 25-point Ozark Giant with Limited Time to Hunt, Hunters Must Lead the Fight Against Invasive Species, Understanding Non-Verbal Whitetail Communication, A Look Back at No. A drive through the access points may afford some glassing during early August and give you a good idea of what youre dealing with. 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! 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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! To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Maps This map is intended as a guide only, and its content is subject to change without notice. Ballard Wildlife Management Area Location: west Kentucky Size: 8,600 acres ZIP: 42056 Ballard has the best buck-to-doe ratio of any By Find entry trail and be there come opening weekend. Tract 1, Tract 4 and Tract 4A, Tract 5, Other. More than a quarter-century ago, Kentucky followed neighboring Ohio's lead and implemented a single-buck-per-year bag limit. During the 2013 deer season, hunters bagged a record 4,069 deer, which was more than in any other county. Antler restrictions at the Cumberland Plateau site have limited the harvest for the. Take bowhunters advice and scout if you get a chance. Lace your boots up and put some time in now. You should have pretty good luck there. 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. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. I remember some of them you get an extra preference point or something for taking does. This WMA is vast, covering more than 16,000 acres in Osage County. Hunting during rifle season, or late muzzleloader, will likely be the easiest path to finding a big buck at Kentucky Ridge Forest. Dont rely on info strangers on the internet give you. 1 Pope and Young Bucks Before They Were Beat, Two Brothers' Shed Hunting Strategy Yields Non-Typical Match Set in Missouri, Potential Kentucky State Record Crossbow Typical Shot in Hemp Field, Night Hunting for Predators Will Help Your Deer Herd, Michigan Hunter Shoots 200-class Non-typical After Oversleeping That Morning, Saskatchewan Hunter Finds Target Sheds After Looking for Multiple Days, Dr. For details, see individual WMA schedules, contact any Field Office, or visit our website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov. All rights reserved. You need look no further than the bulletin board in Uncle Lees sporting goods store in Greenville for pictorial proof of Peabodys potential. 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.