west kentucky wma deer hunting west kentucky wma deer hunting

I bowhunted 10 days in a row there last year and saw 4 deer. Size: 8,600 acres Please see the refuge hunting/fishing permit for details. | You must log in or register to reply here. There are deer in there, but the horse people screwing around with their dogs will likely increase the difficulty of a hunt. JavaScript is disabled. 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. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. 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. 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. They are strict on their rules, so read up. Shane. Total Harvest 2020: 25 Bucks: 13 Does: 12. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. They is deer there just not like they used to be. I'd think I'd start there. The deadline to register by phone is 3:30 p.m. (CST) on Jan. 5. (10) If a hunter has purchased the appropriate permits, a hunter may take unlimited antler-less deer in: (a) The West Kentucky WMA gun hunt; (b) WMA quota hunts in Zone 1; and (c) State Park quota hunts in Zone 1, except as established in Section 8 of this administrative regulation. They are strict on their rules, so read up. I did see a lot of deer when I hunted it though. I remember some of them you get an extra preference point or something for taking does. Here's his full story. Or you could shoot 216 does and no bucks. 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! Y outh Seasons and Youth Lottery Hunts. Any info would be greatly appreciated. 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. Dont rely on info strangers on the internet give you. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. Rich WMA consists of ridge after ridge, with some low bottom areas where deer like to travel. Lots of deer, nice bucks. 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. You are using an out of date browser. Its a well known fact that bucks, especially mature bucks, like to bed near oxbows, with their backs to the water. They monitor it closely. But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. "So it's productive habitat. 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. Just want to try something new this year. He lives near there & knows the area pretty well. 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. 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. Rich WMA is often an overlooked public land hunting area because it is the next-door-neighbor to Kleber WMA, a hotbed for deer. As the accompanying map illustrates, no single county has them to itself. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. 6200 some odd acres. This allows them to keep an eye out for any predator or hunter that may enter the bedding area. Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? . Kind of an eerie place with all the nuclear signs and fall out shelters. You are using an out of date browser. Begley of Clay County, Ky harvested a 217 2/8-inch buck on Nov. 14, 2020 in Fayette . Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. They only ones I know anything about is in the bluegrass region! Steep hills of the Appalachian Mountains make for limited access and will push even the most physically fit. But, Pennyrile is home to a nice deer population, as well. 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. If any old whitetail just won't do and you're on the hunt for trophy bucks, Kentucky has you covered. Welcome to 2022-23 Louisiana Hunting What's New for 2022 Licensing changes ( Licenses & Fees ): Change to license fees; see fee tables for details. Instead of in-person signups, registration will be by phone and email only. I'm looking to do a public land hunt traveling from New Jersey, so any help would be appreciated. Mostly wooded but has some ag fields on the wma. Can you field dress in a WMA and discard the remains in the WMA in Georgia? Changing the big game license to individual licenses for deer and turkey. Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? Camp is setup in Kentucky! Kind of an eerie place with all the nuclear signs and fall out shelters. Find entry trail and be there come opening weekend. Stan Potts doubles down in Montana and Wyoming. Kentucky Ridge Forest WMA was one of the most successful Eastern Kentucky public land areas last year with 42 bucks harvested. CLOTHING - Get 10% off Legendary Whitetails gear w/code THP18 http://bit. We hunt all over Alabama (private and public). 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. These areas in which deer will travel and you may have some luck with buck movement during the mid-day. There is a lot that can be said about the Rough River Lake WMA. I would scout three spots in three different areas just in case they are useing it. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife conducts quota hunts for deer, pheasant and migratory birds (waterfowl and mourning doves). Hunters may only 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. 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. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. Good deer, turkey, waterfowl and small game hunting. That has been several years ago on the youth mentor hunt. 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. I know the basics. Go get em. These 2 areas combined offer more than 46,000 acres giving archery hunters lots of space to roam. Rich WMA made this list because it is filled with deer, but it comes in at No. You are using an out of date browser. The Blue Grass Region is another hot spot, with Pendleton, Garrard, Boone and Henry counties offering the best chances for bagging a trophy buck. I've been there a few times on quota hunts and there are alot of deer there, but it seems like there are always twice as many people as deer. Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect that broad pattern. Kentucky Elk Guides Ask for Changes for 2022 Season, Curtis Gates Lloyd WMA Offers Great Hunting in Northern Kentucky, The only thing I find more fun than killing a gobbler each spring is getting my hands on all of the new products that I can take with me into the woods. Still, it's worth asking: Does the biologist feel the top areas for bowhunting trophy bucks are likely to change any time soon? Emailed registrations will be accepted through Jan. 8. Hardin County was the number one deer producing county in the entire state of Kentucky last season. Find season dates and bag limits here. Mike Clerkin heads to Buffalo County, Wisconsin to bowhunt whitetails. Location: Breckinridge, Grayson & Hardin Counties, Total Harvest 2020: 39 Bucks: 24 Does: 15, Terrain: Moderate;; Most hunting areas consists of hills and ridges. Land that once gave up coal to huge strip mine shovels now regularly yields 120- and 130-class bucks. Horseback riding allowed on maintained roads. New this year, WK WMA will have both Quota Gun Hunt and a "Open" Gun Hunt. But I had so much property off base it was just easyer to hunt around Clarksville or Oak Grove. This WMA is vast, covering more than 16,000 acres in Osage County. Total Harvest 2020: 30 Bucks: 16 Does: 14, Terrain: Diverse; Easy to moderate; Wetlands and open water make up 34% of land. However, there's one rule that we've noticed is active in almost every country. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. The changes are necessary to ensure the health and safety of hunters and WMA staff. And that public land is found throughout the state, in areas big and small. 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 luck. Find one with a soybean field and go glass late evenings in August. 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. 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. http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/1112huntingguideentire.pdf, Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Deer. 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. Several years back the population was much better than it is now. 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. Timber Tract With Opportunities For Deer And Turkey Hunting, 21.5 acres in Graves County, Kentucky offered at $61,810. If you really want to be different, you can access more remote parts of Pennyrile if you access it through Lake Beshear. For more on record-class bow bucks from Kentucky and across North America, visit Pope and Young Club. West Kentucky WMA offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including horseback riding trails, a skeet range, a mobility impaired archery range and hiking trails. 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. 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. The 10-day firearms season in early November is popular with out-of-state hunters, but bowhunters will find pressure light. That makes the hunting tougher for with bow or gun. For me, its just another reason to go. I'd hunt Illinois. Hiwassee and Yuchi wildlife refuges have growing deer herds the state would. If you're going to hunt in November, one of those would be better due to no gun hunters. We will be hunting the quota hunt as well but where will depend a lot on where other people are hunting. What a question for a public forum, laziest approach I've seen yet. In all, I saw eight different bucks at Rich in 2020, with the biggest being a small 6-pointer. Selected hunters may bring a hunting party totaling no more than 10 members, including the administrator and designated co-administrator. (Author image) Sportsmen and women have it pretty good in my home state 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. Quota and firearm deer hunting for the 2022 season is over. Ainsley Whitley is a contributing writer for various branded properties that together attract more than 280 million readers seeking influential content. The Bluegrass State's production of older bucks quickly began to rise. U are right and it looks good from what I have seen. West Kentucky WMA, McCracken County. Dog-Deer To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Some hunts are open to mobility-impaired hunters only. No vehicles/ATV's. A hunter may only hunt four grouse per day and eight per season using shotguns. However, I just love the moment to be with my father as we try and tag out. 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. Rabbit and quail hunting seasons open Nov. 14 - Dec. 31. I always hunt about 100 from the road in the small strip of woods. He sold his first story to Field & Stream a few years later and has been contributing to the brand ever since. Total Harvest 2020: 79 Bucks: 56 Does: 23, Terrain: Moderate to Hard; Most hunting areas consists of hills and ridges. Anyone been up to kentucky in search of a wma Buck? Kentucky Guided Hunting Trips Most of the SRO Crew Contact us today! Be sure to always check regulations before an adventure Kentucky public land deer hunting. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. "Camera use facilitates trophy whitetail production in two ways," he points out. 2022 Commonwealth of Kentucky. Christian, Graves, Trigg and Livingston rounded out the top five counties with between 1,737 and 2,910 deer taken in each. Spring squirrel hunting in Kentucky can be one of the most fun times of the year! 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. One of the better areas for quail hunting in the state. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Shooting range (for single projectile firearms only; no shotshells or pistols allowed) open Monday-Saturday 9:00 AM-sunset & Sundays noon-sunset. Hopefully by archery season you will have a game plan that will give you the best chance to get one with a bow. With an official net score of 246 0/8 non-typical, Austin Musselman's megabuck is an example of Kentucky quality. 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. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. "Also, deer population density averages about 20 animals per square mile. Additionally, hunt data for most Redlands WMA hunts . Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. 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. 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. "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.". 2023-2024 archery dates will be announced later in 2023.; 2022-23 Tennessee Deer Season There are some WMA's, like the dam/Peninusula area at Barren River Reservoir that are primitive weapons only. 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. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. Thanks! This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. You must log in or register to reply here. My advice would be to get as close to the river as you can, in some of the more remote areas. 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. If you want public land, hunt the Shawnee N.F. West Kentucky Whitetails, LLC offers free range deer hunts in Western Kentucky. This will be some of the most difficult terrain to hunt in Kentucky. Peabody Wildlife Management Area I have hunted down there prbably 7 or 8 times. Deer and Small Game Hunting and Trail Cams. Kentucky Hunting Features Forums List Deer Hunting Forum Kentucky Community Forum Waterfowl Hunting Forum Turkey Hunting Forum Missouri's metropolitan areas are a complex mix of municipal and county governments, each with its own jurisdiction and set of laws. 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!! Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect a broad pattern. 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%. 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. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. In the eastern half of Kentucky deer numbers tend to be much lower, with far less acreage devoted to row crops. "There's a selective mindset among many hunters and landowners, which results in most small bucks getting a free pass.". 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. The Pennyrile State Forest is the largest public land area on this list and that is why it is at number one. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. 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. Where to Hunt Deer in Alaska Unit 4Z saw the highest blacktail harvest in 2021, with 6,579 animals. Write, email or call Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for additional information. i also agree about about your timing. 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! For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. ZIP: 42327. Hunter cards and instruction sheets will be provided before Jan. 16 to those registered for the hunt. 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. You must log in or register to reply here. Speaking from experience. Any resident or nonresident may apply for quota hunts. I also missed 1 of the 2 bucks I have shot at with a bow in that small strip of woods. Take bowhunters advice and scout if you get a chance. i think you guys would have to best chance there. Sept. 30. 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. In fact, it is a well known wetland in far west Kentucky in Carlisle and Hickman Counties. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Be safe hunting!! 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.". or one of the WMAs that are open without a draw. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. Similar hunts are held on West Kentucky WMA each year. Kentucky abounds with deer-hunting opportunities, and many would consider it a sleeper state for the DIY hunter. However, some counties in Kentucky have a very low deer population, so it's crucial to know where your best chances of bagging a buck in Kentucky are. 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. Four other counties had an impressive season, each with a harvest of more than 1,500 deer. Fee, advance application required of deer, waterfowl hunters. Application with up to five hunters allowed. Heard something about an open hunt. Lake Beshear is part of Pennyrile and it has some of the best bass fishing in the area. Do what i did, go through every wma on KDFW website, write down name, # or acres. The grouse season in Kentucky runs from November to February, varying based on zone, with the permission of hunting ruffed grouse.