west kentucky wma deer hunting
Application with up to five hunters allowed. 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. Similar hunts are held on West Kentucky WMA each year. Change to license validity period from June 1-30 to 365 days from the date of purchase. Hunters must have an annual hunting license for hunting grouse in Kentucky. Go get em. The Kentucky buck Heath Buchanan calls "Joker" is a Bluegrass State phenomenon. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Kentucky abounds with deer-hunting opportunities, and many would consider it a sleeper state for the DIY hunter. Opportunities are abundant in this state, with a population of around 900,000 deer and about seven hunters per square mile. My best advice would be to go to the area and scout it before you hunt..after reviewing the maps. Signups will not be accepted once all slots have been filled. 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. Selected hunters may not exceed their personal bag limit or a total of 5 bears per hunting party during the hunt. i would come sooner if possible. Western Kentucky normally produces bigger bucks. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. There is a lot of good places to hunt. 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. Spring squirrel hunting in Kentucky can be one of the most fun times of the year! You should have pretty good luck there. Rich WMA consists of ridge after ridge, with some low bottom areas where deer like to travel. 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. Size: 60,000 acres They monitor it closely. There is alot of deer down there. [,
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Originally posted by Valley Station. GEORGIA. Shane. Find season dates and bag limits here. 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!!!!! 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Then look up telecheck public land results, tells how many deer checked in on each wma. Number of Fields: 6+ Crop: 20+ acres, Sunflower. View all 40 pictures. NOTE: Some of the below hunts may be by pre-application lottery. 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. You are using an out of date browser. Total Harvest 2020: 30 Bucks: 16 Does: 14, Terrain: Diverse; Easy to moderate; Wetlands and open water make up 34% of land. This WMA is vast, covering more than 16,000 acres in Osage County. 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. They're well equipped to fill buck tags at the time of year when antlered deer are most vulnerable. It may not display this or other websites correctly. or one of the WMAs that are open without a draw. Be sure to always check regulations before an adventure Kentucky public land deer hunting. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. If you're going to hunt in November, one of those would be better due to no gun hunters. Good wma not much pressure and a lot of places for a big buck to hide. 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. 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. Participating hunters must use Telecheck, the departments phone-in or online reporting system, to register their deer harvest. Terrain: Hard; You can experience a big change in elevation when hunting this area. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. 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. "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.". Kentucky Ridge Forest WMA was one of the most successful Eastern Kentucky public land areas last year with 42 bucks harvested. Begley of Clay County, Ky harvested a 217 2/8-inch buck on Nov. 14, 2020 in Fayette . Lots of thick cover. Most hunters will use the roads that lead to parking areas. 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* 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. Thanks! Of course, trail cameras now are in wide use in many states and provinces that lack Kentucky's reputation for huge bucks. Opportunities are abundant in this state, with a population of around 900,000 deer and about seven hunters per square mile. The area offers waterfowl, turkey, deer and small game hunting along with fishing and hiking. 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. The Blue Grass Region is another hot spot, with Pendleton, Garrard, Boone and Henry counties offering the best chances for bagging a trophy buck. 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. One of the reasons Pennyrile sustains a nice deer herd is because hunting access to the park is not easy. Just $1 per month . 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. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Hunter cards and instruction sheets will be provided before Jan. 16 to those registered for the hunt. You may be able to find areas in which multiple hollers converge into one open bottom, as well. Deer were trapped and moved all over the state, so "our deer are quite genetically homogenous," Yancy said. . | 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. 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. If I remember right, the WMA list on kdfwr has what you can kill, limitations etc. Quota and firearm deer hunting for the 2022 season is over. Written by Mike Collins Kentuckians Cody Likins and Jakob Begley won the 2020 Quest Hunt Company Deer Hunting Competition. my father and i have been bowhunting for 7 years in Alabama. This is just another reason why Kentucky public land deer hunting is among the best. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton talk about being realistic when it comes to managing a smaller deer property in this edition of Dr. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife owns, leases, or manages more than 85 wildlife management areas (WMAs) for public use. Thanks! The other four counties in the top five were close behind, with hunters bagging between 2,222 and 2,470 bucks per county. Most areas are open to archery and crossbow hunting for deer except during the Dec. 12-13 quota gun hunt. I'm looking to do a public land hunt traveling from New Jersey, so any help would be appreciated. Mike Clerkin heads to the legendary Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in search of early season whitetail action. 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. All rights reserved. Changing the big game license to individual licenses for deer and turkey. You are using an out of date browser. While it may be hard to replicate that harvest, there are still big bucks lurking around Pennyrile. The grouse season in Kentucky runs from November to February, varying based on zone, with the permission of hunting ruffed grouse. Hunters are willing to pass up younger deer because they know older ones are around.". "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. To the west of this area, farm fields are larger and cover more restricted, making bucks more vulnerable to harvest by gun. 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. West Kentucky WMA Get Directions Return to Search WMA Overview Size: 6425 acres Location: McCracken Contact: (270) 488-3233 Elevation: minimum 297 feet, maximum 451 feet. "There's a selective mindset among many hunters and landowners, which results in most small bucks getting a free pass.". Instead of in-person signups, registration will be by phone and email only. For a long time it's been a consistent producer of quality bucks on both public and private land. Search the dept website and check harvest numbers on wmas. As the accompanying map illustrates, no single county has them to itself. Speaking from experience. It's that you have to be at least 14 years old in order to ride an eBike on the public road. In Oklahoma, Osage county holds the record for most bucks harvested during the archery season with 681 bucks during the 2019-20 season . Hopkins leads the way with a recorded harvest of 2,542 deer during the 2013 season. West Tennessee Wildlife Management Areas (Region 1) *The numbers for each WMA and on the map correspond to the numbers in the hunting guide. Horseback riding allowed on maintained roads. You can park in a few different spots along Georgetown Rd, or you can drive up and around to Old Columbus and park there. Still, it's worth asking: Does the biologist feel the top areas for bowhunting trophy bucks are likely to change any time soon? We are located in Crofton, Ky, and have several beautiful properties that are the perfect home for big bucks. I didnt include Kleber WMA on this list because it is not underrated. *Our Gear. For a $24 license, you may kill 3 antlered deer and 213 does. 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. 6200 some odd acres. There were tracks that were open to hunting and others closed to hunting. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Yet, anyone younger than 14 can still ride an eBike off-road. 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. Whitley's articles have appeared in various print and online magazines, including "GQ," "Details," "Southern Living" and "Cooking Light. 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. All stands are community so you get to hunt the full 16000 acres. Ainsley Whitley is a contributing writer for various branded properties that together attract more than 280 million readers seeking influential content. With an official net score of 246 0/8 non-typical, Austin Musselman's megabuck is an example of Kentucky quality. Off Market. There are deer in there, but the horse people screwing around with their dogs will likely increase the difficulty of a hunt. The last time I was down there it was tore up with rubs and I saw probably a 140" buck. Do what i did, go through every wma on KDFW website, write down name, # or acres. ", 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. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect that broad pattern. Find one with a soybean field and go glass late evenings in August. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Location: west Kentucky Hunters in Crittenden took 3,033 bucks during the 2013 season. I'd think the WMA that lists incentives for killing a bunch of does would be the ones with the highest density. 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. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Western Kentucky normally produces bigger bucks. They have tons of deer as well. hope that helps. 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. There will be pressure any where you go. Give a Gift Do your own research and scout some of the places you come up with. I did see an absolute monster on a quota hunt but did not get a shot at him. 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). Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? And that public land is found throughout the state, in areas big and small. They stay near the logging roads and hope a deer goes walking by. The changes are necessary to ensure the health and safety of hunters and WMA staff. I remember some of them you get an extra preference point or something for taking does. 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. 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. Y outh Seasons and Youth Lottery Hunts. I would hunt in area 4 right across the road from the A area. 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. Steep hills of the Appalachian Mountains make for limited access and will push even the most physically fit. 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. More than a quarter-century ago, Kentucky followed neighboring Ohio's lead and implemented a single-buck-per-year bag limit. 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. 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. 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%. Any info would be appreciated. Therefore, this is perfect for hunters who like taking their kids hunting with them. Early season is the key here. Easy access in most areas. West Kentucky WMA, McCracken County. Im hoping those bucks made it through the season and they come back bigger and better, but its not likely when hunting public land. If any old whitetail just won't do and you're on the hunt for trophy bucks, Kentucky has you covered. 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. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. I did see a lot of deer when I hunted it though. You must log in or register to reply here. Now Kentucky taxidermists stay plenty busy mounting big bucks. Oct 20, 2004 #2 G glenmorebuckman 6 pointer Dec 20, 2003 468 Glenmore, Ky, USA. I'd think I'd start there. This will be some of the most difficult terrain to hunt in Kentucky. 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.". they are all hard to hunt blind. "So it's productive habitat. Welcome to 2022-23 Louisiana Hunting What's New for 2022 Licensing changes ( Licenses & Fees ): Change to license fees; see fee tables for details. The Kentucky river wma in Henry co is really good. Anyone been up to kentucky in search of a wma Buck? Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Deer and Small Game Hunting and Trail Cams. First off, the location of this public land area is incredible. The hunter tipped off his local game warden after tracking down the poached deer's gut pile deep in Idaho backcountry. He sold his first story to Field & Stream a few years later and has been contributing to the brand ever since. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. They are categorized into high, moderate and low management levels. Antler restrictions at the Cumberland Plateau site have limited the harvest for the. Itll make you a better deer hunter and itll make you prouder of your accomplishment when you do find the deer your after. My advice would be to get as close to the river as you can, in some of the more remote areas. Like another said just head to nearest wma and scout. Cheatham WMA is a popular property that produces quite a bit of success, with a mixture of quota and non-quota hunts. Try Fort Campbell. Rich WMA made this list because it is filled with deer, but it comes in at No. Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect a broad pattern. Stan Potts doubles down in Montana and Wyoming. 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. So perhaps it really is the combination of scouting technology and having just one buck tag that results in a far more selective hunting public. 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!! That's where i'd hide if I was a deer! Kansas. That has been several years ago on the youth mentor hunt. "I woke up this morning and I thanked God that I did" Rush Limbaugh RIP Tethered Life Feb 4, 2020 #4 Thunder Head Can anyone tell me when archery season will open in West Ky? No vehicles/ATV's. No permanent stands, etc. As the accompanying map illustrates, no single county has them to itself. 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. Here's his full story. I live near Miller-Welch. Photo Gallery See all Photos 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. 5 because the lack of quality bucks that I have seen. For more on record-class bow bucks from Kentucky and across North America, visit Pope and Young Club. 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. One of the more attractive features at Rough River Lake WMA is the number of oxbows that can be hunted. Therefore, it seems only fitting that his pursuit of a particular giant buck actually began during a rabbit hunt in November 2012. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Hunting during rifle season, or late muzzleloader, will likely be the easiest path to finding a big buck at Kentucky Ridge Forest. 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. But, the most important memoryis being with my father and making memories. Feb 16, 2015 #3 C Chadx1981 Senior Member Sweet what's the name lol 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. For me, its just another reason to go. 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. A drive through the access points may afford some glassing during early August and give you a good idea of what youre dealing with. Id recommend the closest one to your house. Emailed registrations will be accepted through Jan. 8. For details, see individual WMA schedules, contact any Field Office, or visit our website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov. Will take first (300) hunters that show-up and sign in. Some hunts are mentored hunts for youth and accompanying adults. In February, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources bought nearly 1,200 acres along the Pond River to add to the Peabody Please see the refuge hunting/fishing permit for details. My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. They is deer there just not like they used to be. Yes it was. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Our deer and turkey hunting are both the best in the nation, far as I'm concerned. They monitor it closely. In my experiences, most hunters do not do this at Rich WMA. Dog-Deer It's a question a lot of wildlife biologists and trophy hunters in other states probably have asked themselves. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. Last season, there were 30 deer harvested at Doug Travis, with 16 of them being bucks. 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). Good luck. In the eastern half of Kentucky deer numbers tend to be much lower, with far less acreage devoted to row crops. At any time, you can drop off down a ridge and go looking for more deer sign. We hunt all over Alabama (private and public). And the first of those reasons is the number of hunters. 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 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. These are prime locations at Rough River. No tags are required for does and only one of your bucks has an antler restriction. I know they are there. Mostly wooded but has some ag fields on the wma. 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. Look forward to hearing how y'all do! 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. Alternating ridges and sloughs, moist soil management units, woodlands, brush, and open crop fields are found here. With a little research and hard work, metro hunters can successfully . Shooting range (for single projectile firearms only; no shotshells or pistols allowed) open Monday-Saturday 9:00 AM-sunset & Sundays noon-sunset. Always saw several deer and tons of buck sign. Tim Young remembers, "Man, he looked big." Sept. 1. The majority of Ballard WMA is closed to visitation Oct. 15-March 15. Selected hunters may bring a hunting party totaling no more than 10 members, including the administrator and designated co-administrator. Because of that, I prefer to hunt Rich. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. "In much of western and central Kentucky we have fertile land with a good balance of cover and crops," the biologist says. Can you field dress in a WMA and discard the remains in the WMA in Georgia? That makes the hunting tougher for with bow or gun. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You must log in or register to reply here. Hunting there in early September can be tough until it is mowed before the youth hunting weekend. | 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. "We have a lot of veteran hunters who aren't necessarily eager to shoot the first buck they see anyway," Yancy points out. If I had a choice of hunting Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri or IllinoisKentucky would be my last pick. Several counties in the Green River Region offer excellent deer hunting opportunities. . The place almost seems like an international airport for hunting during November. 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. Some hunts are open to mobility-impaired hunters only.When A Guy Says You're His Property, Rear Wheel Spins When Jacked Up, Articles W