Hunt Kentucky

John Metcalf's 2010 9 Pointer

2011-04-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

Nice 9 pointer from Marion County killed by John Metcalf. This is a beautiful mount.

Youth Weekend Turkey 2011

2011-04-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

It's off to a rough start for us. The turkeys just haven't moved in yet. Last season, it was literally two days before the start of Youth.

Two Weeks to Youth Turkey

2011-03-20T19:07:00.001-07:00

Two more weeks until Youth Turkey 2011. I'm fired up to get little E out there for turkey #3.

Kentucky Conservation Coalition Newsletter for March

2011-03-20T19:02:00.000-07:00

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/newsletter0311.pdf

Pretty slow month for the newsletter. Maybe you'll find something interesting.

Fish and Wildlife Commission Notes

2011-03-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission at its quarterly meeting March 4 proposed bear season occur one week earlier than in past years and recommended deer zone changes for two counties.

The Commission proposed to the General Assembly that bear season be one week sooner on Dec. 10 and 11, 2011. Winter weather plagued the first two seasons. Moving the season forward one week could improve hunter opportunity. The Commission also recommended making it illegal to take bears from dens.

It also recommended changing Rowan county to Zone 3 and Lee County to Zone 4.

Versus Best Month of Viewership

2011-03-07T05:46:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK, N.Y. (March 3, 2011)—VERSUS has seen tremendous increases for its weekend outdoor programming in February 2011, achieving the network’s best month since November 2009 among average viewers and Men 25-54. Collectively, Saturday and Sunday programs are up over 35-percent from the same time period last year. Since the beginning of 2011, VERSUS weekend telecasts are performing amazingly well with average viewership up 25-percent and Men 25-54 (up 11-percent) from the same time period last year.

February’s performance highs were spurred by the weekend of February 12-13, which achieved the most-watched weekend among average viewers (up 34-percent from the 2011 average-to-date) and across all key male demos, including Men 18-34 (up 28-percent), Men 18-49 (up 36-percent) and Men 25-54 (up 47-percent). On Saturday, February 12, City Limits Fishing with Mike Iaconelli, now in its fourth season on the network, was VERSUS’ most-watched program of the day pulling in 280,000 viewers, up 85-percent from the prior four-week average. Then on Sunday, February 13, Bill Dance Outdoors was the most-watched program of the day averaging 351,000 viewers, up 81-percent from the prior four-week average.

VERSUS, part of the NBC Sports Group, prides itself on super-serving passionate sports fans across all platforms (VERSUS.com, VERSUS on Demand and VERSUS HD). Now in more than 75 million homes, the network is the cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), IZOD IndyCar Series, Tour de France and Professional Bull Riders (PBR). VERSUS also airs NASCAR, NBA, UFC, college football and college basketball programming. The network is home to the best outdoor programming on television and airs original programs not available anywhere else. VERSUS is distributed via cable systems and satellite operators throughout the United States.

Elk Lottery 2011 and Notes

2011-03-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

You have until April 30th to get your elk lottery chance.

Don't forget that your hunting liscense just expired. Get a new one now. The Sportsman's Liscence is $95 and includes everything for the year. Get that tax return $ out.

Countdown to Turkey 2011

2011-03-05T08:46:00.000-08:00

The countdown is on. Youth Turkey is less than a month away now...........Here we come gobblers.

Here is the 2011 Turkey and Squirrel Guide Link: Drag your mouse right below this line.....

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/11springturkeyentire.pdf

Kentucky Conservation Coalition Newsletter February

2011-02-21T18:13:00.000-08:00

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/newsletter0211.pdf

Check out page 7. There's a nice article on the elk transfer to Missouri.

Drag your mouse above the writing for the link.

Blog List

2011-02-21T18:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess somebody reads b/c this article has us as #26 of the top 50 deer hunting blogs. Nice. Thanks!

http://www.engineeringdegreeonline.org/bringing-home-a-buck-the-top-50-deer-hunting-blogs

Breaking Down the Elk Lottery

2011-02-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

The deadline to apply for Kentucky's Elk Lottery this year is April 30th. This year's elk lottery adds some choices and some strategy based on what you want to hunt. Last year, approximately 45,000 people applied for Kentucky's elk lottery from all over the United States and even other countries. I've been saying for the past few years that Kentucky desperately needed to break down the lottery into cow and bull permits. This year they've done that plus have broken it down by weapon.

Here's the run down:
You can apply for 2 of the 4 choices:

Archery Cow
Firearm Cow
Firearm Bull
Archery Bull

Season Dates and Notes:

Archery-only, bull only (no crossbows during this period except youth or exemptions): Sept 17 – 30

Firearms bull week 1: Oct 1 – 7

Firearms bull week 2 : Oct 8 – 14

Either sex archery and crossbow: Oct 15 – 16; Nov 12 – Dec 9; Dec 24 - 31

Either sex archery only: Oct 22 – Nov 11; Jan 1 - 16

Firearms cow week 1: Dec 10 – 16

Firearms cow week 2: Dec 17 – 23

Youth-only Paul Van Booven WMA hunt
Sept. 24-26 (Bull or cow)

Please note: A firearms hunter may only hunt during the 7 day season for which he is drawn. He may NOT continue hunting with a bow or crossbow outside of that week.

An archery or crossbow hunter may NOT hunt during the 4 firearms weeks.

A cow archery/crossbow hunter may not hunt during the 1st 2 weeks of the season in Sept.

Special youth hunt information.

Youth have an additional option. From what I can understand from the reading, youth are still only able to apply for 2 choices with one of those being the Youth Tag.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources opened one of the state’s best places to hunt elk for a special youth-only hunt. Five youth hunters have the opportunity to gun hunt in a 2,300-acre area normally reserved for bow hunting only. The site of the hunt, Paul Van Booven Wildlife Management Area in Breathitt County, was one of the original elk release sites.

Youth hunters must apply for the Youth WMA Elk Lottery online only via the Web site of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. It costs $10 to apply. The drawing is open to Kentucky residents and non-residents.

When you apply online, the youth hunt option does not appear immediately. You must enter a valid birth date for this option to appear.

Currently, youth-only quota hunt drawing is open to any applicant who will be less than 16 years old by the first day of the hunt. All youth hunters should have the size, strength and maturity to safely handle and shoot a firearm, bow or crossbow. An adult must accompany any youth firearms elk hunter and be in the position to take immediate control of the gun.

Youth hunters may also apply for the general elk hunt by paying an additional $10 application fee online at https://fw.ky.gov/license/olpsintro.aspx.

MORE ELK LOTTERY BREAKDOWN TO COME LATER................

Elk Lottery 2011

2011-01-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

OK, the elk lottery is 100% different for 2011 and will require some strategy. If you want a cow for some meat, you have a much better chance for draw this year. You can buy your lottery chance on-line from now to April 30th. More to come later on my strategy. I'm ready.

KY Conservation Coalition Newsletter for January

2011-01-28T20:03:00.001-08:00

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/newsletter0111.pdf

Kentucky Conservation Coalition Newsletter.........Good stuff. If you can't see the link, drag your mouse right above this sentence. There's a great article on Kentucky first two successful bear hunt on page 4.

NWTF National Convention In Nashville

2011-01-22T07:54:00.000-08:00

Mark your calandars. Here's a list of the celebrity autograph sessions at the National Wild Turkey Federation National Convention in Nashville, TN February 18th through the 20th.

Friday, February 18
Team Primos Session - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Will Primos, Jimmy Primos, Primos Hunting Team

Hunting Legends Session - 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Michael Waddell, Brenda Valentine, Ray Eye, Harold Knight, David Hale

Saturday, February 19
Mossy Oak Session - 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Toxey Haas, Cuz Strickland, Trent Cole, Mark and Terry Drury

Hunting and Country Music Celebrities Session - 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Lee Lakosky, Tiffany Lakosky, Craig Morgan, Chuck Wicks

Sunday, February 20
Turkey Hunting Legends Session - 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Michael Waddell, Eddie Salter, Alex Rutledge, Steve Stoltz

*The dates and times of each autograph session are set, however celebrity autograph signers are subject to change.

My Hunting Year In Review

2011-01-17T16:22:00.001-08:00

Well, the 2010 hunting seasons officially came to an end tonight. It's been a pretty good year although it could've been a whole lot better.

Ethan killed a big gobbler in the spring. I worked a ton of birds and never got a good shot.

In July, I went to the Daytona Beach area and bass fished one of the premier bass spots in the US catching absolutely ZERO. Mostly because....I am the worst fisherman on the planet. Also, in July the QDM convention was in Louisville and it was interesting and a lot of fun. I videoed two bucks during the month that I thought would both score near B&C and decided then to only hunt those bucks.

September and October were probably the two worst deer hunting months I've ever experienced. November however, was pretty crazy. Ethan scored on a nice 8 pointer hunting with my dad. Late in the month, I figured out why I haven't seen my two big bucks, fining them locked together dead about 100 yards from the stand. I hunted quite a bit late with some close incounters with some nice bucks but no success.

2011 starts with some coyote hunting in the next month and then on to Turkey 2011 and fingers crossed for an elk draw. Here's hoping for a productive and fun 2011 hunting season for everyone in the Bluegrass.

Last Two Days

2011-01-16T09:47:00.001-08:00

Last two days of Deer 2010-2011. If you're going, good luck. After Monday, it's time to start thinking about the picture.

GLACIER GLOVE from Glacier Outdoor

2011-01-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

I got my new Glacier Gloves in the mail this week and they are pretty awesome. I love the way they feel and the Realtree AP HD Camo pattern. After Tuesday night in the snow, I love the fact they are water proof because my hands were so miserable that I couldn't feel my release. The Patented touchrite technolody makes squeezing the trigger easy. My favorite feature is that they are long enough to fit up under the sleeve of my jacket and not let any snow or water slip in.

Hunters don’t just rely on their instincts; they also rely on their gear. Glacier Outdoor, a Nevada-based outdoor outlet, understands how important gear is to a hunter because the owners grew up perfecting the art of hunting. Everything they produce is crafted by their experiences, understanding, and love of outdoor adventure.

Their most recent hunting glove, the Aleutian Hunting Glove, is no different. In fact, it’s a culmination of what they’ve learned about hunting gear over the years. The glove provides unparalleled dexterity and warmth, and is in Realtree AP HD, an attribute that allows its owner to blend in with increased efficiency. It’s also waterproof and contains both a neoprene and fleece lining.

Hunters rely on their gear, and the Aleutian Hunting Glove won’t let them down.
http://www.glacieroutdoor.com/products_hunting.php

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OR CALL 800-728-8235

Deer 2010-11 Winding Down..........

2011-01-09T19:57:00.000-08:00

Only 1 more week of Deer Season 2010-11. I still have a couple of big boys out there. I have to give it at least 2 more shots. I'm going to try to hunt the snow this week. Good luck to everybody who gets out. Crunch time. After this week, it's time to shoot some yotes and look forward to spring turkey 2011.

Big Boys Still Out There

2011-01-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

Got out tonight for the first time in a long while. Should have gotten a shot at a doe while I was hunting on the ground. When she went behind the tree and gave me a chance to draw she was inside 15 feet. Not yards, feet. Had a really big 9 that got within 50 but no closer. Story of my season.

Kentucky Telecheck Review

2011-01-02T15:35:00.000-08:00

Elk---509 total elk killed. 198 of 200 bulls and 311 Cows. 170 of that 509 being killed in Knott County.

Deer---108,162. 54% bucks. That ratio is not good. 7642 button bucks. That's not good at all.

Turkey---Fall 4378 with almost 70% of those being hens.

Turkey---Spring 36,097.... 287 bearded hens.

Bear---2! First two ever.

Bobcat----1,044. 816 of those hunted, not trapped. Highest Co. was Graves with 31.

Youth Weekend January 1st and 2nd

2010-12-30T15:50:00.000-08:00

The Free Youth Hunting Weekend is set for this New Year's weekend January 1st and January 2nd.

Kentucky Shipping Elk to Missouri

2010-12-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

I guess we learned today why Kentucky hasn't increased our elk permit allotment over the past two years. According to the Courier Journal, Kentucky will trap 200 elk in Bell County and transport them three months later to Missouri. I'm going to assume this has been in the works for some time now. I'm also going to assume this will not be the last shipment to Missouri. With the addition of Missouri, the eastern US will now have elk populations in Kentucky, Tenn, Pennsylvania, and, West Virginia. According to the article, the RMEF will be donating over $300,000 to fund Missouri's elk resoration.

F&W Bear Hunt Press Release

2010-12-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Smith, Dixon Record Successful State Black Bear Hunts

Dec 22, 2010

FRANKFORT, Ky – Danny Smith of Phelps, Ky. carved his name into Kentucky’s hunting annals Saturday, Dec. 18, when he claimed the state’s first legally harvested black bear in the modern era.

Smith took the 265-pound male bear in Pike County about five hours into his hunt. He owned the state’s record for the largest bear for about a day, until Billy Joe Dixon, of Cumberland, took a 280-pound male on the second day.

Smith, a lifetime Pike County resident and long-time coyote and deer hunter, was hunting coyotes last Friday when he came across “a lot of bear sign in the snow near a stand of Autumn Olive”. That prompted him to go buy his bear hunting license.

He hit the woods Saturday morning just after his Highway Department shift ended, but failed to find more bear sign. So he moved to an area where he had previously seen bear activity and picked up a fresh trail.

He followed it for more than a mile around a mountain top. When the track he was following approached the location where he had first found the track, he backed off and began watching the area.

He used binoculars to scour the area and finally spotted the bear about 240 yards away. He made the shot just before 2 p.m. with his Savage .270 rifle.

“I’ve hunted a lot of coyotes and deer, but this bear season is the best thing Kentucky could have,” said Smith. “This is the first time I have ever hunted them, but I am hooked for life.”

Kentucky’s first black bear season last year was tough on bear hunters after a winter storm dumped nearly two-feet of snow across Pike, Harlan and Letcher counties and kept the hunters off the mountains. They were the only three counties open to bear hunting, and no bears were taken in that first season.

Dixon, 35, a lifetime resident of Cumberland, took the only other bear claimed this season Sunday about noon on the Harlan County mine property where he works.

He was already familiar with bear activity on the property. Like Smith, he took advantage of the fresh snowfall to track the bear.

He found a track crossing the road as he was climbing the mountain, followed the track, and then caught a glimpse of the bear heading down the mountain. He hurried down the mountain, set up in an area where he suspected the bear might show up, and soon made a 50-yard shot with his .308 rifle.

Then he tied the present with the past. He called upon his 84-year-old grandfather, Bill Dixon, of Hiram, to help him skin his trophy. That’s when he learned that his grandfather, while a young boy, was also present when another bear was taken on Pine Mountain, long before the days of regulated bear hunting in Kentucky.

“Bears are good opportunity for Kentucky,” said Dixon. “For those who don’t work in the mines, there’s not a lot to do. With our elk, deer and now bear, we have some real tourism opportunities.”

“Some people are simply not comfortable walking the mountains in snow-covered conditions to hunt bears,” said Steven Dobey, bear program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “For those willing to get out, however, the snow played a positive role in their ability to go into the record books.”

Kentucky’s initial bear seasons have been held in December in order to gauge hunter participation and success rates, while concentrating the harvest on male bears. Most female bears in Kentucky enter dens by mid-November.

“This year’s hunt shows that mature bears can be harvested late in the season,” said Dobey. “Likewise, beginning with a late-season hunt allows us the maneuverability to move the season earlier in future years.”

Kentucky's 1st Bear!

2010-12-18T20:57:00.000-08:00

One bear was checked in today which makes it bear #1 in Kentucky's modern bear hunting history. It was a male killed on private property in Pike County with a modern firearm. That's all we know now. More to come.

Update-bear #2 was killed in Harlan on private property with a modern firearm.

Kentucky's 2nd Bear Season Opened Today

2010-12-18T12:14:00.000-08:00

Kentucky's 2nd annual and hopefully 1st successful bear season opened this morning. At this point in the day, nothing has been checked in yet.

Also, the cow elk hunt is in progress. Good luck to those folks.

More Pics

2010-12-13T19:33:00.000-08:00

Several people have asked me to show a pic of the bucks like I found them. Also, here's a second view of the bucks at a slightly different angle. I don't have any of the Red Deer like crown on the 10 pointer.

Video from July of the Buck on the Left

2010-12-12T14:51:00.000-08:00

Found My Deer

2010-12-11T07:48:00.000-08:00

Kind of a rough morning. The kind where you just want to sit down and cry, but I figured out why I haven't seen the two big boys I've been hunting all season. I found them locked together about 100 yards from my stand. Rough scored them at over 180 and around 160. What I thought was the big 9 on film turned out to have 10 scorable points and some small points coming off his bases. What I thought was the big double drop tined 14 pointer on film, turned out to have 13 scorable points. He had broken his kicker on top and had another small drop tine coming off the tip of his beam. The buck on the left was 21 inches wide and had two 14 inch points, and his main beams were over 26 inches. The double drop tine buck was only 15 inches wide but the points were really long. What a shame, but at least I figured out why I haven't seen them.

Muzzleloader 10th or 11th??

2010-12-08T14:53:00.000-08:00

Lots of people are confused this week because The Courier Journal stated that muzzleloader season begins on Friday December 10th in Kentucky and Indiana but it's actually Saturday December 11th through the 19th. One guy I talked to said he was just going to carry the paper with him Friday. Not a good idea.

F&W Commission Proposes Changes for Deer and Elk

2010-12-05T08:43:00.000-08:00

Here is the article from F&W website. I'm still wondering why we're issuing so few elk permits if the numbers being reported are correct. Still, the elk changes look much better than last years baffling spike tags.

Dec 03, 2010

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission at its quarterly meeting Dec. 3 proposed issuing 800 quota hunt elk tags for the 2011-2012 season and adding six days antlered deer hunting to modern gun deer season in Zones 3 and 4.

The Commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. All recommendations must be approved by legislators before they become law.

Commission members proposed lengthening the 2011 modern gun deer season in Zones 3 and 4 from 10 days to 16 days, matching the season length of Zones 1 and 2. The additional six days of modern gun deer season in Zones 3 and 4 would be for antlered deer (bucks) only.

The Commission also set the number of quota hunt elk permits for next season.

In 2011, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will issue 80 archery or crossbow bull permits, 120 firearms bull permits, 240 archery or crossbow cow elk permits and 360 firearms cow elk permits for the elk quota hunts. Hunters may apply for two of the four permit types, but will only be drawn for one.

In other elk-related business, the Commission proposed removing antler restrictions for bulls for the 2011 elk season. A bull elk hunter will be allowed to take any elk with visible antlers, eliminating spike bull tags.

Those hunters drawn for a branch-antlered bull elk tag this year cannot be drawn again for a period of three years. Commission members decided Friday that the three-year ban will not apply to those hunters drawn for a 2010 spike bull permit.

The Commission recommended limiting the first two weeks of elk archery season to bull hunters only, to alleviate overcrowding from the addition of cow elk hunters. Commission members also propose to ban people from mimicking the sound of an elk from Sept. 1 until the opening of the elk archery season on public land within the elk restoration zone.

In deer-related business, Lewis County Wildlife Management Area (WMA) will be open for the 9-day December muzzleloader deer season in 2011. The newly established Marion County WMA will have two five-day firearms deer quota hunts next fall. The area will remain open to statewide regulations for archery and crossbow deer hunting.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, March 4, 2011 at #1 Sportsman’s Lane off U.S. 60 in Frankfort. Persons interested in addressing the Commission must notify the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s Commissioner’s office in writing at least 30 days in advance to be considered for placement on the meeting agenda. People who are hearing impaired and plan to attend the meeting should contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at least 10 days in advance and the agency will provide a translator. To request to address the commission, write to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.

Muzzleloader Upcoming and Other Season Info

2010-12-05T08:32:00.000-08:00

Muzzleloader begins next weekend December 11th and runs through December 19th in zones 1, 2, and 3. Zone 4 has anletered only from Dec. 11 to the 16th and either sex December 17-19th. Crossbow runs until December 31st. The Free Youth Weekend is January 1st and 2nd this season.

Kentucky's 2nd and hopefully first successful bear season will be December 18th and 19th in Harlan, Letcher, and Pike counties.

Turkey shotgun runs until December 10th.

Versus Hunting For The Holidays Friday December 3rd

2010-12-02T19:18:00.001-08:00

VERSUS KICKS-OFF SEVENTH ANNUAL HUNTING FOR THE HOLIDAYS WITH NEW HOST BENNY SPIES ON DECEMBER 3

Three-Week Primetime Celebration Begins at 8 p.m. ET

New York, N.Y. (December 2, 2010) – On Friday, December 3, VERSUS will air its seventh annual installment of Hunting for the Holidays—a three week primetime celebration filled with the best hunting shows on television and great gift ideas for every outdoor enthusiast. Hunting for the Holidays will be hosted by avid outdoorsmen and the host of Gun It on VERSUS Benny Spies as he breaks down the best gifts to stir up holiday cheer and celebrate the best hunting programming on television. The evening’s line-up features new episodes of The Bucks of Tecomate with Jeff Foxworthy and David Morris and Winchester Whitetail Revolution as well as encore episodes of Remington’s the Buck Stops Here with Mike Hanback, Gun It with Benny Spies, Elk Fever and The Best and Worst of Tred Barta: all of which are presented in HD.

The programming schedule for Friday, December 3, follows (subject to change):

8:00 p.m. ET Remington’s The Buck Stops Here with Mike Hanback

8:30 p.m. ET The Bucks of Tecomate with Jeff Foxworthy and David Morris -New Episode
9:00 p.m. ET Gun It with Benny Spies
9:30 p.m. ET Elk Fever
10:00 p.m. ET The Best and Worst of Tred Barta

10:30 p.m. ET Winchester Whitetail Revolution -New Episode

Versus Country Holiday Gear Giveaway Partnership with Cabelas Giveaway

2010-12-01T14:41:00.000-08:00

http://www.versus.com/sweepstakes/versus-countrys-holiday-gear-giveaway-in-p

Load up on your favorite gear from Cabela's for FREE this holiday season.
Versus.com is giving away a complete package for one lucky hunter this
holiday season. It's quick and easy to enter, and you just may walk away a
winner!

One lucky winner will receive an exclusive Cabela's prize pack valued at
more than $575. It includes a Cabela's Elite Scout Pack knife, a Cabela's
Outfitter SeriesTM Gut Hook Skinner knife, a Cabela's Outfitter SeriesTM
Caping knife, a Cabela's RGB Headlamp in Seclusion camouflage, a pair of
Cabela's 8x42 Black Alpha Extreme Binoculars, and much more.

After you enter the Holiday Gear Giveaway, upload photos from this year's
hunts and outdoor expeditions. Connect with fellow outdoor enthusiasts on
our bulletin boards and, if you didn't score on that monster buck, take a
shot at one on our Bag A Monster Buck Page,
http://www.versus.com/games/bag-a-monster-buck/

For More Information about VERSUS Country please check out
http://www.versus.com/hunting/

Ethan Scores

2010-11-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

Man, the past week has been crazy with bucks chasing does and now with bucks being locked down with does. I can't wait til next weekend. Ethan hammered this perfect 8 pointer on Saturday night while hunting a stand with my dad. I actually spotted the buck from my stand location and called them. He moved back to a thick area with the doe he was with and Ethan found a shoooting lane and put the hammer to him.

Rut in Full Swing........

2010-11-14T18:13:00.001-08:00

Well, after a rough opening two months of the season, this week has been a little wild. The rut is definitely in full swing. I've seen some really good bucks checking does and tonight, I saw the first doe actually in heat. A big 9 pointer was chasing her but luck was not on our side as my son could never get a good shot. It's a little frustrating watching a buck chase for two solid hours and not getting a shot. Tomorrow night, here we come!

Cheyenne Signature Lodge

2010-11-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

Premier Pheasant Hunting in South Dakota
http://http//signaturelodge.com/

As the prairie grasses crunch beneath your boots and the crisp, morning air meets your face, it is great to know you're experiencing South Dakota pheasant hunting at its finest. Among these meadows, cornfields, river bluffs, creek bottoms and rolling hillsides, you'll find North America's largest population of Chinese Ring-necked Pheasant.

Sought for its phenomenal upland bird hunting, extended season, diverse habitat and all-inclusive hunting packages, Cheyenne Ridge Signature Lodge is the first sporting venue to ever receive a Beretta Trident rating. The family-owned lodge provides a setting for field sports that makes pheasant hunting in South Dakota especially rewarding. When considering South Dakota hunting lodges, hunters prefer Cheyenne Ridge Signature Lodge for numerous reasons, including its 33 guest rooms and suites. Comfortably appointed, each is designed for single occupancy and has a private bath.

The season lasts seven months, from early September through the end of March, with hunters enjoying up to a 20-bird daily limit. Accompanied by professional hunting guides and highly trained flushing dogs that truly understand South Dakota pheasant hunting, guests can look forward to an all-inclusive hunt that is as productive as it is aesthetically pleasing, one that captures the spirit of South Dakota in the 1940's, 50's and 60's. The new standard that honors South Dakota's storied pheasant hunting traditions, Cheyenne Ridge Signature Lodge awaits your arrival.

Finally Fired Up

2010-11-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

OK, the rut is coming and I'm finally fired up. Can't wait to get out tonight after watching my daughter dominate her cheerleading competition this morning. Let's go hunting!

Kentucky's Elk Season.....Notes

2010-10-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

So far, there's been 190 of 200 bulls killed which is a 95% success rate. So far, only 12 cows have been killed before the actual cow season opens. Of the 190 bulls killed, only 12 were killed with a bow. I haven't seen pictures or any kind of release from Fish and Wildlife, but there's talk of a 398" bull being killed at the Czar Coal company where I hunted in 2005.

It's Not Getting Any Better

2010-10-23T09:28:00.001-07:00

Man, it's just not getting any better. The bucks are still not moving as far as I've seen. I've heard many people saying otherwise. If it's happening, I'm not seeing it. 80 degrees on October 22nd. This full moon isn't helping either. Watch the Cats or in the deer stand this evening? Not sure yet.

Another Rough Morning

2010-10-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

This season has been totally rough so far with warm weather and this morning was no different. Just some does and a small forker. I hate early October's lull. We'll see what this afternoon holds sitting in the stands listening to the Big Blue hopefully winning. I'm already excited for the next few weekends though. Big bucks coming!

Not Gotten That Feeling

2010-10-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what it is aobut this deer season, but I've yet to find "that" hunting feeling. I was excited about the opening of the season because I'd seen two bucks of a lifetime in August. Maybe it's the lousy weather pattern or maybe it's that I haven't seen a shooter buck of any kind. I'm hoping all that changes tomorrow morning with the opening of youth with me and Little E in the stand. Good luck folks.

Youth Weekend Weather

2010-10-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

Wow, the weather reports make me sad heading into youth weekend which is one of my favorite weekends of the year to hunt. Forcast in the Louisville area is 87 and sunny. Not good.

Poor Boys Outdoors

2010-10-03T08:31:00.001-07:00

If you're in the Louisville area, don't forget to tune into the opening episode of Poor Boys Outdoors Sunday at 3:30 on WBKI 21. I believe it's channel 7 or 914 on Insight Cable.

Crossbow Opens Tomorrow

2010-09-30T18:46:00.001-07:00

Remember, crossbow opens tomorrow. I'll be in the stand with the boy.

Youth opens next weekend.

Unusually Hot Weather Taking a Toll

2010-09-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

This summer has been rediculously hot and the beginning of fall looks no differnt. It's supposed to be dry and in the mid to upper 90s again this week. This hot weather has definitely effected many ponds and streams around Kentucky with a huge fish die out. Now it looks like the acorns are dropping at least two to three weeks early. It's going to definitely change hunting with the change in deer patterns. Come on cool weather!

Nat'l Hunting and Fishing Day

2010-09-20T17:26:00.000-07:00

Saturday is National Hunting and Fishing Day. Get a kid in the woods or on the water in The Bluegrass.

Elk Night

2010-09-15T11:44:00.001-07:00

Elk Night is this weekend at Jenny Wiley State Park. The night begins the elk tour season on September 19th with elk meat on the menu. You can take elk tours at Jenny Wiley, Buckhorn Lake State Park, and Pine Mountain State Resort Park.

The Full Package Tour at Pine Mountain for one person - $107: The package includes Friday evening dinner, Friday evening elk program; Friday evening lodging, Saturday continental breakfast Saturday sunrise tour, and Saturday lunch for one person.Full Package Tour for two people - $158: The package includes Friday evening dinner, Friday evening elk program; Friday evening lodging, Saturday continental breakfast Saturday sunrise tour, and Saturday lunch for two people. That seems like a fatanstic deal.

September Hunting

2010-09-15T11:37:00.000-07:00

September bow hunting. Let me sum it up. Climbed the stand.....figured out that there is a limb fallen and in my shooting lane.......climbed back up.......sweaty mess......no scent spray in my pouch........dogs chasing deer. That's been my season so far.

Bernard+Associates and Sporting Classics Magazine Presents-"Best Ever Bucks" by Larry Weishuhn Article

2010-09-06T19:25:00.000-07:00

Article Coming Soon-Best Ever Bucks by Larry Weishuhn
from Sporting Classics Magazine

Opening Weekend

2010-09-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

Labor Day weekend has been kind of slow for me. I've seen a ton of deer, just not any big bucks. The weather was nice and the moon was right but for some reason, the deer moved late both afternoons. I'm still not a fan of the season opening this early, but if it's open, I guess I'll keep going. Looking for my double drop tine monster.

VERSUS Hunting in the Bluegrass

2010-09-02T14:04:00.000-07:00

Versus is back.................Check out Versus beginning this week including Whinchester's Whitetail Revolution Friday at 7:30 hunting for big bucks in the Bluegrass! That should be plenty to get you fired up for the stand Saturday morning for OPENING DAY 2010.

HUNTERS REJOICE: VERSUS DELIVERS MUST SEE TELEVISION

TOMORROW NIGHT BEGINNING AT 7:00 P.M. ET WITH

SIX SEASON PREMIERES OF OUTDOOR SHOWS

NEW YORK, N.Y. (September 2, 2010)-VERSUS, the most-watched sports cable network in the country for outdoor programming, will debut six season premieres of heart-pounding hunting shows on Friday, September 3. New episodes of Winchester World of Whitetail with Larry Weishuhn, Winchester Whitetail Revolution, Remington's The Buck Stops Here with Mike Hanback, The Bucks of Tecomate featuring Jeff Foxworthy and David Morris, Elk Fever and The Best and Worst of Tred Barta begin tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. ET.

Viewers can watch all of VERSUS' respected hosts and outdoor authorities hunt various kinds of game, including whitetail in Kentucky, Colorado and Montana and elk in Colorado. Descriptions for the premiere episodes are below. For a full schedule please visit www.VERSUS.com .

7:00 p.m. ET Winchester World of Whitetail
Track along with Larry Weishuhn as he works with new ammo, attends a Dallas Safari Club event and hunts for whitetail.

7:30 p.m. ET Winchester Whitetail Revolution
Hunter and host Joe Codd is in Kentucky, where he is in the thick timber pulling out all the stops to score a trophy buck.

8:00 p.m. ET The Buck Stops Here with Mike Hanback
Mike heads to Montana to pursue whitetail deer on the famous Milk River.

8:30 p.m. ET The Bucks of Tecomate featuring Jeff Foxworthy and David Morris
David Morris and friends hunt the vast open prairies of Eastern Colorado for monster bucks.

9:30 p.m. ET Elk Fever
Guide Kessler Canyon takes out a first time elk hunter through the beautiful mountain-lined terrain of Colorado.

10:00 p.m. ET The Best and Worst of Tred Barta
Tred is back in action and he's heading out to hunt for elk in this action-packed episode.

1 Hot Week Until Deer 2010

2010-08-28T19:39:00.000-07:00

Only one week to got and it looks like the beginning of deer season 2010 will be a hot one. Here we go.

Eastern Kentucky Elk

2010-08-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

I'm in Eastern Kentucky inside Knott and Floyd county watching some elk this weekend with my lovely wife. Knott County is the self proclaimed Elk Capital of the East. We've seen a lot of cows so far. Knott County's tourism maps all show "elk viewing stations". I'm not sure what that might be, but the locations on the map must have disappeared from the face of the earth because they aren't marked by signs and no one in the community knows where they are. I was unsure if I was even supposed to be in some of the areas period. Inside Breathitt, there were clearly marked signs. The Elk Expo is next weekend (August 28/29) in Knott County. It's a great area. I'd just like to see signage be more visible if they're going to call themselves the Elk Capital of the East.

Big Buck

2010-08-16T19:23:00.000-07:00

Got this buck on film in early July with two months to grow.....the video is terrible with me nervously trying to free hand it..................enjoy. He's tall and WIDE. The best look shows up around the 7 minute mark. I have one much bigger on film but he's gonna be hidden until I get him! :)

IT'S HOT IN KENTUCKY

2010-08-16T19:20:00.001-07:00

Good gracious. Enough is enough of this miserably hot weather. We have three weeks before deer season 2010 and it's still going to be hanging around 100 this week. It's so hot, all of our bass are dying. Nothing like seeing 8 to 10 pound bass floating on top of a 90+ degree water pond. SUCKS. Pics tomorrow.

Trail Cam Pics

2010-08-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

I haven't gotten much good on trail cams this year, although I do have a couple of tremendous bucks on film. Here are a couple of interesting bucks. The one from the Remington camera looks tall and wide. The other one is in the background and his hard to tell. It looks like he's got a long main beam. After posting, the pics are too small to see anything!

New Versus Hunting Show-Goin' Country

2010-08-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

My favorite hunting channel, Versus, is getting ready to debut a new hunting show Goin' Country. The show will be hosted by former American Idol finalist, Kristy Lee Cook. It will air on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. Guests will include Aaron Tippin, Jake Owen, and Blake Lewis. Goin' Country will also feature Cook's work with a horse rescue progra called the Kristy Lee Horse Heaven Foundation

I've been very lucky to get to participate in numerous podcasts for Versus Country TV. Look for a possible Kristy Lee Cook interview in the coming weeks.

Hanging Stands

2010-08-03T19:51:00.000-07:00

Hanging stands in the summertime is just not fun. The heat index has been near 100 seemingly every day this summer. Not only is it sweaty, I've learned that taking an old stand doown covered in poison ivy just isn't very intelligent. I've spent the last three days covered in lotion. On a positive note, I only have one more stand to hang and one to repair. Countdown is on.

KY Bear Season 2010

2010-07-26T20:52:00.001-07:00

Kentucky's 2nd (and hopefully more successful) black bear season will take place December 18th and 19th in Letcher, Harlan, and Pike Counties. It is open to Kentucky residents only. The season will end when 10 bears or 5 female bears are killed. Hunters will have to call in after 9 pm on December 18th to see if the quota has been reached. Bear permits will be $30. Good luck.

Kentucky Elk Season Notes 2010

2010-07-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

**Remember, you must have an out-of-zone elk permit to take an elk out of the 16 county restoration zone.

**Spike and Bull Tags: I'm pretty sure the commission was smokin up when they put the spike permits in.....A spike has no more than two points on EACH side. A Bull has 4 or more points on a side.

**You may no longer hunt elk outside the listed elk seasons. (You can't go elk hunting as before during the legal deer seasons). This is going to make some bow hunters unhappy.

**Hunters drawn for a bull or spike permit are ineligible to be drawn for three years for a bull or spike. They can be drawn for a cow hunt.

**Youth hunters drawn for the special youth hunt will never be able to be drawn for that hunt again.

**There are no longer special metal tags for elk. They now have to be telechecked only.

**Unit 3 is now separated into 3A and 3B.

Interesting Cam Pics

2010-07-25T07:58:00.000-07:00

Still haven't gotten a really big buck on trail cam yet. I do have one on video. Here's a couple of intersting cam pics. A buck getting a little smooch from a little doe and an extreme close up.

KY Deer Regulation Changes for 2010-11

2010-07-22T17:08:00.000-07:00

The countdown is on to deer season 2010-2011 and there are some big changes in the Kentucky regulations. First, hunters will have to use their normal deer tags for quota hunts. There will no longer be the quota "bonus" tags. I like this change even though I've taken advantage of it in the past. I believe this gives a lot of folks with limited hunting opportunities the ability to participate. There are several zone changes. Caldwell County changed to zone 1. Bullitt, Hardin, Hart, Nelson Counties changed to zone 2. Several counties changed to zone 3. See the guide to the right to see all zone changes.

Important deer dates include:
September 4: opening of bow season. UK/Loserville gameday. UK up 28 by halftime and I'm heading to the stand!
October 1 to Oct. 17th. Crossbow opens. I have no earthly idea why it's so short-stupid.
Youth Firearms: October 9th and 10th
Muzzleloader: October 16th and 17th
Gun: opens November 13th. My momma's birthday.

QDMA National Convention July 10th and 11th

2010-07-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

The Quality Deer Management Association National Convention will take place in Louisville on July 10th and 11th at the International Convention Center downtown. The doors will be open from 9-5 on Saturday and 9-4 on Sunday. Guest speakers will include Lee and Tiffany, Grant Woods, and Dan Perez.

Good News: Two Months Until Deer Season 2010

2010-07-01T15:06:00.000-07:00

Enough said.........

First Kentucky Bear Attack

2010-07-01T15:02:00.001-07:00

Well, I'm in Florida this week apparently where I should be making a video on how NOT to catch big bass or for that matter, any bass at all. Back in Kentucky, a man hiking was attacked by a black bear in Wolfe County. From what I understand, the bear was on the same trail with the man and instead of walking away from the bear, he took pictures and then began beating it with a stick. Bad move.

Here's the story from WLEX in Lexington..........

A man was taken to the hospital Sunday afternoon after being mauled by a bear while hiking in Wolfe County.

It happened around 2:30 along Tunnel Ridge Road. Witnesses tell LEX 18 that a few couples were walking along a trial when one of the men fell behind. When the others turned around to check on him, a black bear was standing in front of him. Witnesses say the man picked up a stick and the bear attacked. The others ran up and began hitting the bear with their backpacks.

The man's leg was mauled and he was taken to the hospital in Irvine. He was later transported to UK Hospital. He was in stable condition at last report

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, along with the Wolfe County Sheriff's Department are investigating.

We're told officials are in the woods searching for that bear because it will have to be put down.

Free Fishing Weekend June 5th and 6th

2010-05-30T07:51:00.000-07:00

Kentucky's free fishing weekend will be June 5th and 6th this year. The event is a part of National Fishing and Boating Week. You may fish in Kentucky without a fishing license or a trout stamp.

Last Weekend of Spring Turkey

2010-05-08T13:37:00.001-07:00

Sunday will be the final day of the 2010 Spring Kentucky Turkey season. Sad to see it end because it's been a long frustrating season seeing endless days of gobblers hanging out with hens. One more day for that luck to change. Good luck.

Elk Draw Results Posted

2010-05-05T19:45:00.000-07:00

The Elk draw results are posted at F&W. I did not get drawn. I'm hoping somebody in my family might.

You can check with your social or liscense number here:

http://fw.ky.gov/app/ElkQuotaLookup.aspx

GOOD LUCK.

400 Pound Buck Article

2010-05-02T19:12:00.000-07:00

http://www.buckmasters.com/BuckmastersLinks/ViewAllArticles/tabid/135/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/2637/Thats-a-Hawg-of-a-Buck-But.aspx

If anyone has seen this photo and thought it was a fake like me, well I guess we were wrong. It was however taken on a high fenced place in Wisconsin. Check out the Buckmasters article on this monster 400 pounder.

Rainy Weekend

2010-05-01T09:22:00.000-07:00

There's only 1 more week remaining in the 2010 Spring Turkey Season and it looks rough with the monsoons. We worked quite a few birds yesterday but the hens still have them on lock down. Some hens are sitting but these hens seem to be staying with the gobblers until about 11 and then dispersing.

Also, last night was your final chance to get a elk lottery permit. Not sure on a draw date yet. For those who have yours......good luck.

Hens beginning to Sit

2010-04-25T08:51:00.001-07:00

Finally, the hens are beginning to sit. Hopefully the gobblers will get a little more workable over the next week. Over the first week of the season, they've been hanging out with the hens and won't even look at a decoy. Good luck.

Spring Turkey Begins Saturday

2010-04-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

Big day Saturday. Spring Turkey officially opens and with this weather, the gobblers are fired up and gobbling hard. Here we go. Good luck folks.

Ethan's Turkey Hunt 2010

2010-04-04T18:47:00.000-07:00

Ethan's Easter Sunday afternoon youth hunt was a lot of fun. We had no luck with gobblers avoiding us in both youth hunt morning sessions. This afternoon, my brother spotted these turkeys out and about. We crawled about 200 yards to the blind. The video is poor because I couldn't find my tripod today before I left and I have no idea how to edit. Ethan misses this bird the first time, then you hear a click as he didn't jack the next shell in all the way. I barely got the camera back on the bird when he blasted him on try #3! The bird had 9 1/4 inch beard and weighed 22 lbs. It's seldom that you get to see four mature gobblers in the same field all strutting. One of these days, I'm going to learn how to video. Fun day. Warning: My dad uses a few expletives you may not want your child to hear.

Youth Turkey Ends Today

2010-04-04T17:55:00.001-07:00

Youth Turkey season ended this evening. The regular turkey season is just two weeks away. My boy scored on a 9 1/4 inch-22 lb bird tonight. I'll have horrible quality video later.

Spring Turkey Guide

2010-03-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/10SpringTurkeyComplete2010Guide.pdf

Youth Turkey Two Weeks Away

2010-03-21T16:00:00.001-07:00

Youth Turkey season is just two weeks away on April 3rd and 4th. Remember, regular turkey season opens two weekends later on April 17th.

Here is a link to the spring turkey guide or you can find it on the tool bar to the right.

Commission Proposes Baffling Elk Changes

2010-03-14T18:17:00.000-07:00

The Commission proposed just baffling changes recently. Some questions need to be answered about the elk program. Elk permits will be cut from 1,000 to 800 tags. Some big questions are:
1. Why the reduction in permits???? Did the herd decline or do they not have the herd at the numbers they want yet.
2. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU ISSUE 75 SPIKE ONLY PERMITS?????? Maybe the deer program will introduce button buck only permits.............stupid!
3. Why the reduction in bull tags? Is the brain worm hitting the elk harder than we know?

F&W needs to come out and answer some questions. I'd love to understand why we want to kill 75 spikes................GEEZ.

HERE ARE ALL THE PROPOSED ELK CHANGES------------------------------

Proposed Elk Hunt Changes for 2010-11

Commission members proposed issuing 800 permits through Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s quota elk hunt drawing for the upcoming season. Of this number, 600 would be valid for antlerless elk (cow or a bull without visible antlers). Another 125 permits would be valid for bulls with a minimum of four antler points on at least one side. The remaining 75 elk hunting permits would be spike permits, valid for bull elk with up to two antler points on each side.

The number of permits issued for the special youth-only elk hunt in September remains at five.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife commission members also proposed eliminating the November gun season for antlerless elk (cows or a bull without visible antlers). Last year, cow elk hunters could use rifles during November’s modern gun season for deer. Hunters with an antlerless elk permit could still use rifles or muzzleloaders during their assigned week in December.

Other proposed changes for this season include:

Subdividing elk hunting unit 3 into two subunits to help spread hunting pressure. Unit 3 is located southeast of Hindman, bordered by KY 80, U.S. 23 and KY 15.
Increasing the amount of property open for the September youth elk hunt.
Eliminating metal permit tags.
Eliminating the deer permit requirement for those hunting elk outside southeastern Kentucky’s 16-county elk restoration zone. Hunters still must have an out-of-zone elk permit, however.
Limiting the number of times a hunter could be drawn for a bull elk permit. Under this proposal, a hunter drawn for a bull elk permit could not apply for another bull permit for the next three years. However, the hunter could continue to apply for a cow elk permit. This is designed to increase the number of people hunting elk in Kentucky for the first time.
Allowing a young hunter to only be drawn once for the special September youth hunt. After being drawn, the hunter could not apply for the youth hunt again. However, the hunter could enter the general drawing for an elk hunt.

2010-11 Elk Season

Firearms
Week 1 (bull) – Oct. 2-8

Week 2 (bull) – Oct. 9-15

Week 1 (cow) – Dec.11-17

Week 2 (cow) – Dec. 18-24

Archery
Week 1 (bull) – Oct. 2-8, and Oct.16, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011

Week 2 (bull) – Oct. 9, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011

Week 1 (cow) – Oct. 16 – Dec. 17 and Dec. 25, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011

Week 2 (cow) – Oct.16 – Dec. 10 and Dec.18, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011

Crossbow
Week 1 (bull) – Oct. 2-8, Oct. 16-17 and Nov.13 – Dec. 31

Week 2 (bull) – Oct. 9-17, and Nov. 13 – Dec. 31

Week 1 (cow) – Oct. 16-17, Nov.13 - Dec.17 and Dec. 25-31

Week 2 (cow) – Oct. 16-17, Nov.13- Dec. 10 and Dec.18 – 31

Youth-only
Sept. 25-27

Hunting Liscense Expires Sunday

2010-02-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

Remember, your hunting and fishing liscenses expires this Sunday. Purchase a new one below. Also, go ahead and get your elk drawing chance while you're there. You can get your elk chance now through April 3oth.

https://fw.ky.gov/license/olpsintro.aspx

New State Record Non-Typical Elk

2010-02-15T19:24:00.001-08:00

The record has fallen yet again. Terrell Royalty from Harrodsburg killed a huge 7x7 elk that scored 372 6/8 non-typical breaking last years state record of 367 7/8. The bull game from public property in Knott County. Remember, the elk draw application deadline is April 30th. Youth can actually apply twice. Once in the regular draw and once for the youth only draw. Good luck. I think it's gonna be my year again!

Hunting Seasons Update

2010-02-13T16:50:00.000-08:00

**Squirrel runs until Feb. 28th.

**Crow season runs until Feb. 28th.

**Otter, Mink, Muskrat, Fox, and Beaver runs until Feb. 28th.

**Wild Hog and Groundhog runs year-round.

Remember, you can purchase your elk draw chance anytime until April 30th.

https://fw.ky.gov/license/olpsintro.aspx

Also, don't forget to purchase a new hunting liscense. Your current liscense expires February 28th.

2010-02-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Team USA's dreams are on the line! We're in the final countdown to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games! With just weeks to go before our athletes take the world's stage in Vancouver, your support of Team USA right now makes a difference.

Each Team USA athlete and hopeful has been training hard and dreaming big, waiting to realize their long-held ambition of Olympic and Paralympic competition. There are so many ways to help them get there! Make a donation, become a member the Sixth Ring, or cheer on Team USA in person in Vancouver.
Go Team USA!

Follow Team USA here and get insider info from your favorite athletes and sports.
http://support.teamusa.org/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=1320

Keep up to date with the latest news about Team USA and the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Games begin February 12.

February Sucks

2010-02-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

The only good thing about February is pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training.

If you have nothing to do like me except watching UK roll through college basketball like butter, how about a little coyote hunting in the snow? Saw a yote and the bobcat last night coming home. If it snows Tuesday, I'm there. The coyotes should be breeding pretty heavy this month. They're a little more out in the open during February.

It's pretty dead in the hunting world right now. Some folks are doing some shed hunting. It's time to get those stands down and get them put away until summer. I've got to do all that in the next few weeks. Count down to Turkey '10 is on.

Sport, Boat, and Recreation Show Lexington

2010-02-01T18:15:00.000-08:00

Lexington's Lexington Center (Rupp Arena) will host the Sport, Boat, and Recreation Show beginning Thursday February 4th until Sunday Feburary 7th. Prices are $7 for adults and $3 for children.

F&W Bust Poacher with 34 Deer

2010-01-29T13:57:00.000-08:00

http://fw.ky.gov/newsrelease.asp?nid=694

F&W busted a Livingston County man with 34 deer heads and 2 turkey. The man, David Ray, had previously be busted in in 1995 for illegally taking game. Ray will pay at least $753 for each deer and $563 for each turkey so that's a minimum of $26,728 +$1,000 fine, a year in jail, and loss of hunting previleges. He also needs a good kick in the behind from residents of Livingston County!

Deer Season Withdrawal Symptoms

2010-01-27T19:39:00.001-08:00

It's been over for only about two weeks and I already can't wait for that opening day 2010. Luckily, a fairly long turkey season will ease the pain. Then it's time for food plot planting, putting out the scouting cameras, sighting in the bow, hanging stands, and back at it again in 10. September can't get here fast enough.

Terrorists from PETA Continue Thier Rediculous Behavior

2010-01-25T19:01:00.000-08:00

Well, what can I say. Hunting season is over and it's time to get back to showing the stupidity of America's #1 terrorist organization. This time, they smashed a pie in the face of Canada's Minister of Fisheries. This is not the first pie. These idiots are going all over pieing folks in the face.........including a Ronald McDonald mascot.

If you have any doubt these people are absolute nutcases.............
PETA head, Ingrid Newkirk has stated that there is no moral difference between poultry farms and Nazi death camps.

2010 Spring Turkey and Squirrel Guide Released

2010-01-25T13:41:00.000-08:00

http://fw.ky.gov/pdf/10SpringTurkeyComplete2010Guide.pdf

Check out the new spring turkey and squirrel guide released today by Fish and Wildlife. Remember, Youth Turkey will be April 3rd and 4th and the general turkey season will run from April 17th to May 9th. Squirrel season will run June 5th through the 18th.

Plan for Communications During Your Alaskan Hunt

2010-01-22T09:34:00.000-08:00

Now's the time to start getting into the details of your Alaskan hunt. In previous posts I have mention A DIY hunt here for Moose or Caribou would cost you around $3K-$4K. That's close but it could cost more if you take both species and then fly all the meat and antlers out. They just weight too much or take up too much room to pack it all out in 1 or even two flights. That starts to get expensive.

Knowing this now can save you the frustration of being here without enough money to accomplish what you set out to in Alaska. We will cover the subject of budget and other financial details in upcoming posts. First thing we need do is decide what big game trophy you want to give priority to.

Alaska's moose population is widespread. Caribou herds are also quite healthy in most of Alaska but their concentrations are more regional than the moose as caribou migrate back and forth across their migration routes. The two species do have a lot of overlapping territory though. Knowing these spots can help non-resident hunters improve their success rate and make for a great Alaskan hunting experience.

The classic Alaskan big game hunting experience, in my opinion, would be achieved more readily for those NR hunters who opt for a river float trip. I have given those reasons in previous posts and do not want to repeat myself here. (See previous posts for those details.)

How does one prepare for one of these float trips? Many States have rivers and rafting equipment one could rent and learn the basics of operating center oared rafts. Knowing how to operate a canoe is about the same level of difficulty-but easier. In a raft, your are the only one with the oars. Anything goes wrong; you can't blame the other guy as in a canoe. Most folks get the hang of raft oarsman ship pretty quick AND they are a very forgiving piece of transportation.

I dare say that most NR hunters would have more trouble judging where they are each day, how much farther to the pick-up point, and the hardest-recognizing your pick-up point when you get to it. We don't have signs on the rivers!

For example, your pilot will tell you he will pick up at the mouth of the Mulchatna River and French Creek. He will point it out on the map and all you have to do is keep up with where you are each day and realize "this must be "French Creek". Yes, it's tricky for sure. These days a hand-held GPS would give your position at the end of each day. Compare that to the coordinates on your topo and you have it! It was more adventurous in the old days!

There are two pieces of electronic gear you should have on your hunt. The GPS and Satellite telephone. Your regular cell phone will not work in the bush in most areas. There's just to many mountains in the way and too few Cell site towers. However, a Satellite phone is all together different. They work great and can save your life in the Bush. There are several places in Alaska to rent Satellite phones when you get here. JUST BE SURE to reserve yours well before September as local hunters gobble up the supply here pretty quick. The phone will also help coordinate your pick-up by the air-taxi operator. Many non-resident hunters have had a bad trip because they had to wait, and wait, and wait for their pilot to show up. Many times weather will keep them from getting to you and without that satellite phone, you would have no way of knowing it. They are real "nerve" comforting at times like that.

Your weather may be fine where you are, but that does not mean the pilot on the other side of the pass is enjoying the same weather. Prepare yourself for something like that NOW. Odds are, it will happen. Surprisingly these satellite phone costs have dropped considerable from where they used to be. Plan on spending $150. for 10 days and add $4. per minute of useage to that. Your loved ones will enjoy hearing that you are O.K. while in Alaska too.

Word of caution. The number one complaint about satellite phones is battery failure. Make sure you take extra batteries and keep them DRY and warm as possible. Your satellite phone vendor will supply you with a waterproof case for the phone. For more information about Alaska's Satellite phones log on to:

http://www.anchoragesatellitephones.com

Your gear list grew a little more!

In my next post, I will give you some river options to float, what game you can expect to see and the degree of difficulty the river offers.

Strader Lawsuit is Very Interesting..........

2010-01-21T19:42:00.000-08:00

Wow, the more you dig into the Strader lawsuit, the more interesting it gets. I'll be going though Strader's Complaint Page and commenting on some of those complaits over a series of posts. The lawsuit itself centers around Freedom of Speech, Defamation, and Freedom of Press. When you really get into the Complaints Page, things get interesting with Strader's claims. Many of which center around unethical practices by Fish and Wildlife officials, especially the commish and representatives. I've made it very known that I don't agree with many of Strader's stances on issues that we'll get into such as some aspects of the Telecheck system, the elk program, and season dates in general. I believe Fish and Wildlife have made some amazing strides in deer, turkey, and the elk restoration. I don't always agree with seasons and policies, I believe Fish and Wildlife have the right people in mind (the hunters themselves) when making most policies. However, if the claims against F&W that Strader states are true, they are very troubling and need to be dealt with on a very high level. I'm no lawyer so I have no earthly ideas if Strader's lawsuit will succeed in court but I'll be shocked if some high level heads don't roll in Fish and Wildlife.

More to come....................

Two Tickets to Sport, Boat, and Vacation Show

2010-01-21T12:50:00.001-08:00

Anybody want two free tickets to the Sport, Boat, and Vacation show, shoot me an e-mail at moore.gj@insideconnect.net

Thanks.

Deer and Turkey Over and Out.........

2010-01-18T19:13:00.001-08:00

Deer and Turkey Season officially ended today and man it was a tough one for a lot of folks. For whatever reason, the rut was near non-existent in many areas. Some people are reporting that some bucks are still making active rubs and scrapes and even chasing does this week. I've yet to see a buck that has dropped his rack but that's not uncommon with excellent nutrition.

The season for me was ver unlucky and frustrating. I saw a ton of bucks early in October and went two months of absolute dead hunting. All of the sudden in January, the bucks started reappearing. I missed out on a huge 8 pointer early in the gun season and started seeing him again late, including tonight. The best part of the season is when my son scored on a nice little 8 pointer checking on some does.

Let's hope we hit 2010 like back in 2008. It won't be long until it's time to be planting food plots again!

Hunter Education Course Finder

2010-01-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

Remember, if your youth is nearing age 12, you need to start thinking about taking the Hunter Education Course. Follow this link to find a class near you.

http://fw.ky.gov/app1/calendar.aspx?Category=8&County=000&Month=*

2010 Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show

2010-01-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

The Derby City Fly Fishers are hosting the Kentuckiana Fly Fishing Show on January 30th from 9-5 at the Fern Valley Hotel and Conference Center. I'm probably the only person in the world who has trout fished in Wyoming and used a Zebco 33, so this is something I need to attend and learn a thing or two. Check out the website below.

www.derbycityflyfishers.com

Last Weekend of Deer Season

2010-01-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

Well, it's offically the last weekend of deer season 2009-10. All bow hunting will end on Monday January 18th. I've got two huge bucks locked down and I've got to get a shot at one of them this weekend. I need some luck! Let's finish this season off right in the deer stand folks.

Upcoming Hunting and Fishing Expos

2010-01-11T19:49:00.000-08:00

**Cincinnati Hunting and Fishing Show-January 20-24 at the Duke Energy Convention Center. The Stephens buck from Ohio will be on display there. If you haven't seen it..........it had 35 inch main beams. Unreal.
http://www.hartproductions.com/hunting-and-fishing-show/

**Louisville Boat, RV, and Sportshow -January 20-24 at the Kentucky Int'l Convention Center in Louisville. KDFWR will offer a free boat safety course. It will also feature a hunting pavillion sponsered by Ky F&W. Mike Beaty and the Beaty Buck (another Ohio buck) will be there. There will also be a big buck contest sponsered by Awesome Antlers.

http://www.louisvilleboatshow.com/attendees/features/features.aspx

Far Cry From A Kentucky Flintlock!

2010-01-11T01:55:00.000-08:00

Rooting large brown bear out of the Alaskan bush can be very dangerous. In my guiding days it was up to me to always back them up or worse go find the bruins after the client fired and it disappeared. My backup rifle is a .505 Gibbs. "Mr.Gibbs" as he is generally referred to, got his name from my friend and client Denny Crum, Hall of Fame Basketball coach from Louisville,Ky.

I recommend clients who want Brown Bear use .300 Magnums.They are flat shooting and have the desired muzzle energy to take down these bruins usually with one shoot, but it sometimes takes more. Depending on bullet placement and distance. .338 Magnums are good too, but a lot of hunters who are not from here have trouble with judging distances. The .338 Magnums have heavier lead and will drop more over long distances. It's big country, and judging distances is part of our job, but clients need to know how to compensate when the time comes. The .300 Magnums are a little more forgiving if your shot is not quite perfect and has much less drop over distances.

A gunsmith friend of mine along with myself, found a B-25 Bomber that still had it's 50 caliber machine gun barrel, that was headed for the scrap pile. We took that barrel, turned about 3/4 of an inch of steel off of it, mounted the barrel to a 1915 Enfield action, which has a three point locking bolt.

We fitted it on a nice stock and began testing rounds. Barnes had made my bullets for me. They were 600 grain lead bullets, with a monolith tip, which meant it would mushroom about halfway back and then stop mushrooming, thereby obtaining optimum width. I purchased brass from Bell Labs now out of California. They specialized in old African calibers. I had to buy .577 Nitro express casings and neck them down to my .505 Gibbs. RCBS made my reloading dies for me, and did a wonderful job. This whole business of "Big Gun" building had become quite the collaborative effort. Now came the fun part,TEST FIRING.

My first few tests used improved military rifle powders, the most up to date. I found this powder to be way too "hot" for the lead. I discussed this problem with the fellow guide community and Cecil Rhoades Dippenhour had the answer. Cecil owned Zingali Safaris out of Malawi Africa, they have mean lions there and the .505 Gibbs side by sides are still in use, if you are lucky enough to have one. Cecil told me to get the slowest burning powder I could find. I found Hodgson 8700, a very slow burning powder, that proved quite effective. After I chronographed a few shots, Mr. Gibbs produced 9,720 pounds of muzzle energy at 2700 ft. per second. Remember, that's pushing a 600 grain slug.

Braving the COLD!

2010-01-08T16:25:00.001-08:00

Archery Deer Season lasts until January 18th so time is winding down on the 2009-10 season. I decided to brave the cold tonight for the first time in a few weeks. I couldn't quite decide on a stand location today with the blowing snow. I sat on the edge of some beans, then decided to move. I drew on a big doe but couldn't get a clear shot and had some issues with my peep site. I turned later to see the biggest buck of my lifetime standing about 15 yards from my first ground set up. The deer was unreal. I've been pretty fortunate to see a lot of big deer in my life but today was by far the biggest. With a rifle, it would have been record books for ole me. But, like my luck has went so many times in recent years, it was just getting a beautiful look at another monster.

UPDATE: no dice in the cold and snow yesterday. I saw 29 does/fawns but the big buck didn't show himself. I was trying to get a doe that walks with a pretty bad limp but she's sharp.

F&W Calls Special Commission Meeting

2010-01-06T14:06:00.000-08:00

Fish and Wildlife has called a Special Commission Meeting for Thursday night 1/7/10 at the Frankfort Convention Center at 5 pm to discuss pending litigation filed by Jim Strader. Kentucky State law states that the Commission can enter into a closed session to discuss pending litiation. I'd like to be a fly on that wall.

Jim Strader Files Federal Lawsuit Against F&W

2010-01-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

As reported today by Wave3, Jim Strader has filed a lawsuit against Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. The lawsuit basically says that F&W has blackballed him for disagreeing with and speaking out about F&W policy. According to Strader, F&W ordered their folks not to attend the Jim Strader Hunting and Fishing Expo in February. Strader says his civil rights were violated and that commisioner Jonathan Gassett defamed him in a F&W newsletter. I get the newsletter but did not see that in it. I will have to go back and review. As I've stated many times before, I'm not a big fan of Strader necessarily and don't typically enjoy his radio show but I will have to say that he's one of the very few outdoorsman with a voice in the state of Kentucky and this lawsuit, if valid, is very interesting.

You can check out the entire article from Wave3.com below.

Former Kentuckian to Contribute Articles

2010-01-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

Former Meade County Kentucky resident M. Scotty Lamkin has been living the dream in Alaska for 30 years now as a professional hunting guide many of those years. He has recently written a book about many of those hunting experiences during those years.
He will be posting articles about how to hunt Alaska on your own as well as gear required and ALL costs associated with your DIY Alaskan hunt.
"I want fellow Kentuckians to have MORE than a fair shot at making their dream come true too!"
Upcoming posts will include: Moose Hunts, Caribou Hunts, Black Bear hunts, near death experiences and much more. Many articles about Brown Bear and Grizzly Bear hunting will also be posted.

Be sure to visit his blog at www.scottysalaska.blogspot.com