Id recommend the closest one to your house. "First, by capturing images of older and/or larger-antlered bucks in an area, they encourage local hunters to pass up younger/lesser animals. *Our Gear. 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. A hunter may only hunt four grouse per day and eight per season using shotguns. They monitor it closely. I would scout three spots in three different areas just in case they are useing it. I will once again be maintaining a report detailing the results for WMA Deer hunts for the 2022/2023 season. 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. Likely, youll find them with their backs to the water and their vantage points set to access areas or popular walking routes. I got drawn for a quota here and have never been there.Does anybody know anything about this place any help is appreciated. Be sure to always check regulations before an adventure Kentucky public land deer hunting. The majority of Ballard WMA is closed to visitation Oct. 15-March 15. 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. 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. 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. 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%. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. 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. My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. What a question for a public forum, laziest approach I've seen yet. To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine. I always hunt about 100 from the road in the small strip of woods. Find entry trail and be there come opening weekend. Sept. 30. Ainsley Whitley is a contributing writer for various branded properties that together attract more than 280 million readers seeking influential content. Dr. James Kroll and Haynes Shelton explain why it's important to know your neighbors when operating a smaller deer property. Good wma not much pressure and a lot of places for a big buck to hide. Some of these governments allow the use of hunting equipment such as firearms, crossbows, and bows within their boundaries. I think I may get drawn this coming season. The 10-day firearms season in early November is popular with out-of-state hunters, but bowhunters will find pressure light. The shotgun and muzzleloader deer hunt for up to 140 hunters is scheduled Jan. 16-18, 2021. I bowhunted 10 days in a row there last year and saw 4 deer. 5 because the lack of quality bucks that I have seen. I also missed 1 of the 2 bucks I have shot at with a bow in that small strip of woods. Hopkins leads the way with a recorded harvest of 2,542 deer during the 2013 season. The other four counties in the top five were close behind, with hunters bagging between 2,222 and 2,470 bucks per county. 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. 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. There will be pressure any where you go. West Kentucky Whitetails, LLC offers free range deer hunts in Western Kentucky. For another, gun season falls right in the heart of the November rut. 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. Of all the counties in this area, Hopkins, Hardin, Hart, Webster and Breckinridge offer the best chances for success at bagging a buck. Stan Potts heads to Montana with his rifle in search of a Big Sky buck. If Kentucky public land deer hunting is on your list this fall, Rough River Lake WMA would not be a bad starting point. 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!!!!! Steep hills of the Appalachian Mountains make for limited access and will push even the most physically fit. Lots of thick cover. And that public land is found throughout the state, in areas big and small. 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. State Park Deer. Asking that question in an open forum is problematic for two reasons: (1) any answer is likely to draw otherwise unwanted attention to a public WMA hunter's spots (even accidentally), and (2) there is likely no one on this forum who has hunted every WMA and can give an honest answer (I know which WMAs that I have hunted and prefer--I have taken deer on six different WMAs, Ft Knox and DBNF--but it is a far cry from every WMA) How do you ask such a question and not check in lol, posted at 10:32 am not seen since 10:32 am. 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. I think I have 2 priority points. My advice would be to get as close to the river as you can, in some of the more remote areas. Shane. Its a well known fact that bucks, especially mature bucks, like to bed near oxbows, with their backs to the water. Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. Can anyone tell me when archery season will open in West Ky? These are prime locations at Rough River. Lots of deer, nice bucks. Refer to the pertinent Hunting Guides for specific rules regarding hunting and trapping. Mostly wooded but has some ag fields on the wma. There are some WMA's, like the dam/Peninusula area at Barren River Reservoir that are primitive weapons only. my father and i have been bowhunting for 7 years in Alabama. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Hunters are willing to pass up younger deer because they know older ones are around.". Heard something about an open hunt. 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. Areas designated as no hunting (pink areas on the maps) are open to year-round visitation. West Kentucky WMA offers a variety of recreational opportunities, including horseback riding trails, a skeet range, a mobility impaired archery range and hiking trails. Where to Hunt Deer in Alaska Unit 4Z saw the highest blacktail harvest in 2021, with 6,579 animals. 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. One of the more attractive features at Rough River Lake WMA is the number of oxbows that can be hunted. The deer are so abundant in the Blue Grass Region that hunters harvested more deer in this area than in the northeast and southeast regions combined. 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. And get this: Nearly all of the hunters heading afield then are carrying scoped centerfire rifles. 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. JavaScript is disabled. 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. "There's a selective mindset among many hunters and landowners, which results in most small bucks getting a free pass.". Write, email or call Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for additional information. Any info would be appreciated. Never hunted there, curious to see if anyone had any information on the place (what tract to hunt, what to setup on, etc.) Last season, there were 30 deer harvested at Doug Travis, with 16 of them being bucks. I did see an absolute monster on a quota hunt but did not get a shot at him. Like most Kentucky public land deer hunting spots, youll find numerous hollers, fingers, and bowls that are possible locations for bedding bucks. My group got picked for the West Kentucky WMA Quota Deer Hunt December 15-18. Breckinridge and Grayson Counties are also known as two of the best counties in the state. Find season dates and bag limits here. Opportunities are abundant in this state, with a population of around 900,000 deer and about seven hunters per square mile. Hunters may only During the 2013 deer season, hunters bagged a record 4,069 deer, which was more than in any other county. The fishing is outstanding, and the waterfowling is at least acceptable. "I woke up this morning and I thanked God that I did" Rush Limbaugh RIP Tethered Life Feb 4, 2020 #4 Thunder Head Change to senior hunt/fish licenses. I know the basics. Other than that, put on a good pair of boots, pack light, and give it your best shot.