The Bluegrass State's production of older bucks quickly began to rise. Tim Young remembers, "Man, he looked big." But More than likely the result would just be largest wma. A hunter may only hunt four grouse per day and eight per season using shotguns. Similar hunts are held on West Kentucky WMA each year. No vehicles/ATV's. No permanent stands, etc. Thanks! More than 41,000 acres of deer hunting are open only to bowhunters on 27 of Georgia's WMAs. Kentucky Hunting is the leading online community for outdoors enthusiasts to discuss hunting, fishing, archery, and life in Kentucky. Subscriber Services. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. 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. Size: 8,600 acres 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. 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. Most hunting and fishing opportunities align with Kentucky state seasons and bag limits. 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! Kentucky Fish and Wildlife owns, leases, or manages more than 85 wildlife management areas (WMAs) for public use. Since 2010, the hottest counties for P&Y entries (white stars on map) have continued to reflect a broad pattern. 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. Like most Kentucky public land deer hunting spots, youll find numerous hollers, fingers, and bowls that are possible locations for bedding bucks. Hiwassee and Yuchi wildlife refuges have growing deer herds the state would. Size: 60,000 acres This will allow you to hunt areas of Pennyrile that are nearly impossible to get to by foot and should open up a good opportunity to hunt a more mature buck on the property. If you head out to Rich WMA this season, dont sit back and wait. Never hunted there, curious to see if anyone had any information on the place (what tract to hunt, what to setup on, etc.) According to the biologist, some biologists in the agency also believe the advent of affordable digital trail cameras has played a big role. In some areas, a user permit is required. What would you guys consider the best WMA for deer numbers and best chance to get one with a bow ? As a reminder, results are missing for several 2017/2018 & 2018/2019 seasons hunts. I did see an absolute monster on a quota hunt but did not get a shot at him. 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. For me, its just another reason to go. I know nothing about this state and being this far away I would be going by your guys help. Sept. 1. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. As well as Clay wma in nicholus co. Yah, just send everyone to Owen County the second week of Novemberplenty of land, deer, and hardly any hunters! Used to quail hunt down there years ago. The majority of Ballard WMA is closed to visitation Oct. 15-March 15. Hunters are willing to pass up younger deer because they know older ones are around.". During quota hunts, all deer hun ting seasons on this WMA are closed, except to drawn hunters. You are using an out of date browser. A drive through the access points may afford some glassing during early August and give you a good idea of what youre dealing with. This is a great time for hunters to get out and enjoy the woods. Cheatham WMA is a popular property that produces quite a bit of success, with a mixture of quota and non-quota hunts. We are located in Crofton, Ky, and have several beautiful properties that are the perfect home for big bucks. "No, not really," he says. 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. Missouri's metropolitan areas are a complex mix of municipal and county governments, each with its own jurisdiction and set of laws. This allows them to keep an eye out for any predator or hunter that may enter the bedding area. | 8Z on Kodiak Island was second with 4,797. Therefore, it seems only fitting that his pursuit of a particular giant buck actually began during a rabbit hunt in November 2012. "Camera use facilitates trophy whitetail production in two ways," he points out. Access is available in all areas of Rich WMA. I harvested a doe at Rich in late September, and had a chance at a few small bucks that I passed one. my father and i have been bowhunting for 7 years in Alabama. 5 Underdated Forests and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) for Deer Hunting In Kentucky. Go get em. 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. Kentucky public land deer hunting can be rewarding and Rich WMA is where I spent a lot of time last year, and I saw a lot of deer. The Kentucky river wma in Henry co is really good. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets. Gordon Whittington talks with Steven Sprout about the trophy buck he took back in 1998 while bowhunting public land in Illinois. 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. 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. Deer. Hunters in Crittenden took 3,033 bucks during the 2013 season. 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. 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. Deer. There were tracks that were open to hunting and others closed to hunting. If I remember right, the WMA list on kdfwr has what you can kill, limitations etc. They have tons of deer as well. JavaScript is disabled. 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! "Catoosa is one of the more popular public hunting areas in the state for big deer," according to Ratajczak. According to Benton County Sheriff Kenny Christopher, 55-year-old. These areas in which deer will travel and you may have some luck with buck movement during the mid-day. I'd hunt Illinois. 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. There are deer in there, but the horse people screwing around with their dogs will likely increase the difficulty of a hunt. Location: west Kentucky If you want public land, hunt the Shawnee N.F. 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. My father is 66 years old and his days are numbered for: climbing trees, bow hunting, etc. 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. Number of Fields: 6+ Crop: 20+ acres, Sunflower. or one of the WMAs that are open without a draw. 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. Begley of Clay County, Ky harvested a 217 2/8-inch buck on Nov. 14, 2020 in Fayette . If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. To the west of this area, farm fields are larger and cover more restricted, making bucks more vulnerable to harvest by gun. 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. "You can take a boy out of ol' dixieland but you'll never take ol' dixie from a boy" -Lynyrd Skynyrd. These areas range from a few hundred acres to the 22,000-acre Rich Mountain WMA in northwestern Georgia. This is a place that is enjoyed by visitors all year round. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Haynes Shelton discusses what to look for when choosing the magnification range when it comes to the scope on your deer rifle. CLOTHING - Get 10% off Legendary Whitetails gear w/code THP18 http://bit. Food Preparation, Camp Cooking and Recipes. Here's his full story. No tags are required for does and only one of your bucks has an antler restriction. There will not be a staffed check station for the hunt because of crowding concerns and the potential for spreading COVID-19. It gets hit pretty hard! 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. Gordon Whittington heads north to his personal Missouri farm for some crossbow action. Location: west Kentucky 6200 some odd acres. Where's the best place to go looking for one of these big guys in bow season? Western Kentucky normally produces bigger bucks. Western Kentucky normally produces bigger bucks. In fact, it is a well known wetland in far west Kentucky in Carlisle and Hickman Counties. 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. (Author image) Sportsmen and women have it pretty good in my home state of Kentucky. Try Fort Campbell. Fee, advance application required of deer, waterfowl hunters. Our deer and turkey hunting are both the best in the nation, far as I'm concerned. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Therefore, this is perfect for hunters who like taking their kids hunting with them. There is a lot that can be said about the Rough River Lake WMA. Within Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge, there are four designated hunt areas. WMA located approximately 10 miles west of Henderson, KY, consists of 6 units. Christian, Graves, Trigg and Livingston rounded out the top five counties with between 1,737 and 2,910 deer taken in each. My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. Steep hills of the Appalachian Mountains make for limited access and will push even the most physically fit. 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. Of course, trail cameras now are in wide use in many states and provinces that lack Kentucky's reputation for huge 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. they are all hard to hunt blind. Refer to the pertinent Hunting Guides for specific rules regarding hunting and trapping.