Who's hunting Kentucky this year?

[Tennhunter3]

I'm planning to hunt kentucky this year looking forward to September 5.

Not really sure which part of the state I haven't been outside west Ky.


Who else has Kentucky on the mind?

My plan was North Dakota but due to the riots and mess I'm staying closer to home.

[wolverinebuckman]

Resident

[Andyschulte]

Guilty, but I’m a resident.

I mostly hunt Taylorsville lake and Rolling Fork. Deer numbers in both are solid.

[thwack16]

It is on my tentative schedule to hunt Labor Day weekend. Haven't deer hunted KY since 2015 and itching to get back.

[Kane243]

Planning my first trip for the 6-13th of September. I’m focusing on the western side of the state on the wma’s

[NYBackcountry]

I'll be there. Aiming for the Southeastern part of the state but nothing set in stone - still scouting and keeping options open.

[Kane243]

What’s everyone’s experiences for September opener. What do you focus on along with opinions if the heat helps keep some pressure out of the wma’s. This will be my first year hunting Kentucky.

[Andyschulte]

What’s everyone’s experiences for September opener. What do you focus on along with opinions if the heat helps keep some pressure out of the wma’s. This will be my first year hunting Kentucky.

As far as pressure goes, it’s the same as always. Go in farther than others, go over or through something that most people won’t, or look for overlooked type places.

Truthfully, pressure isn’t super high during bow season in my experience.

Hunt like you normally would, look for diversity, look for food, look for transitions between bedding and food.

[Andyschulte]

One thing I’m wondering about is the mast crop this season. We got a real late hard frost in May, so I’m thinking it could be a tough year for the white oaks. Could be a boon for hunting, but we’ll see.

[SILhunter]

Been cyber scouting a couple WMA areas on the west side and thought about driving down there Saturday just to get a lay of the land. Does anyone know if they plant row crops on the WMA's?

[Andyschulte]

Been cyber scouting a couple WMA areas on the west side and thought about driving down there Saturday just to get a lay of the land. Does anyone know if they plant row crops on the WMA's?

Some do, most have some in the area.

This aerial gives a solid idea:

https://www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/view ... 994,39.393

[seazofcheeze]

What’s everyone’s experiences for September opener. What do you focus on along with opinions if the heat helps keep some pressure out of the wma’s. This will be my first year hunting Kentucky.

I only hunted there one year, but my experience was sweltering heat/humidity, bugs, and snakes. I saw a 2--year old 8-point near a secluded water source, but passed hoping for a bigger one, which never happened.

[wolverinebuckman]

What’s everyone’s experiences for September opener. What do you focus on along with opinions if the heat helps keep some pressure out of the wma’s. This will be my first year hunting Kentucky.

I only hunted there one year, but my experience was sweltering heat/humidity, bugs, and snakes. I saw a 2--year old 8-point near a secluded water source, but passed hoping for a bigger one, which never happened.

Last year was my first summer down here, and it was for all these reasons I didn't even consider hunting. It was in the 90's, snakes were huge, and the bugs could carry you off. I was used to Michigan's 10-1 opener, so it didn't bother me to wait until temps dropped and some of the ground cover thinned. Plus, I know the lay of the land a bit better this year, so I'll probably venture out a bit earlier this year.

[Kane243]

What did you find best for bugs and ticks. Also what made you decide to focus on the water source vs food? Was water sources minimal in that area and easier to focus on water vs food?

[Kane243]

What’s everyone’s experiences for September opener. What do you focus on along with opinions if the heat helps keep some pressure out of the wma’s. This will be my first year hunting Kentucky.

As far as pressure goes, it’s the same as always. Go in farther than others, go over or through something that most people won’t, or look for overlooked type places.

Truthfully, pressure isn’t super high during bow season in my experience.

Hunt like you normally would, look for diversity, look for food, look for transitions between bedding and food.

From everything I’ve been looking at most of the western wma’s shut down around mid october then transition to draw hunt. Are most people waiting for their chances in that field of opportunity. Narrowing sign will be different for me having all the extra vegetation. Wv and OH open around October first so I start seeing rubs and pre rut activity pretty early in the game. September tho will require focusing on different sign I believe. Do you look for browsed area and licking branches since they hopefully havent started rubbing ( intending on hunting velvet horned only). I intend for observation evening drives to locate then boots on the ground in the afternoons to help narrow the search before hunting. Also unlike WV most wma’s don’t have a minimum antler requirement. Is this the case or have I missed something in my readings of the purchase region of Kentucky. I know this is 20 questions and a lot to answer and appreciate the time of anyone in this forum to answer. Also if anyone would care to reach out to me and talk over the phone to discuss experiences I’d love the opportunity.