Happy New Year-2009

2009 is going to be a huge year for hunting in Kentucky. The elk permit draw for 750 cows and 250 bulls will be the largest ever, there will be a bear hunt in Kentucky for the first time in the state's history, and more WMAs will open to give hunters more public land opportunities. 2009 will be a historic year in Kentucky hunting!

Kentucky Outfitters-Western Kentucky Outdoors

Western Kentucky Outdoors offers both hunting and fishing trips in western Kentucky. They will get you in the right place for big bucks, turkey, waterfowl, or fish. I love the fact that they offer fresh trail cam pics as well as trophies from the current season. For deer hunting, WKO hunts over 3,000 acres across three Kentucky counties. WKO offers reasonable and I'd even go to the extreme and say cheap prices as compared to most outfitters for their hunting. Check out WKO's website for their trophy room, trail cam pics, and all their many services.

http://www.westernkentuckyoutdoors.com/index.html

"We want to shake your hand when you arrive and be able to do the same when you leave. This cannot be accomplished unless you have a hunt that is enjoyable regardless of success." Bill Cartwright, owner.

Kentucky Outfitters-Beechwood Farms

http://www.beechwoodfarms.com/index.htm

Beechwood Farms is located in Christian County between Madisonville and Hopkinsville, KY. It's 700 acres of diverse terrain from timbered areas to fields and river bottoms. A cabin is available on the property for up to 4 hunters. Archery and gun seasons are both available at reasonable prices. All you need is your stand and a Kentucky tag.

Check out some of the bucks taken on Beechwood.

http://www.beechwoodfarms.com/buckgallery.htm

News Release from F&W.....New Kentucky State Record Elk

Frankfort, Ky. – Kelvin Jackson of Clay County holds Kentucky’s new state record for a non-typical bull elk. Jackson’s 8x8 bull, shot Oct. 4 in Harlan County, officially scored 367 7/8 in the Boone & Crockett Club’s scoring system. The bull beat the previous non-typical record of 349 3/8 held by Andy Kidd of McCreary County. “When I got drawn for a bull permit, you can ask my wife, I was like a kid,” Jackson said. “That’s the first time I’ve felt that way since I was seven years old.” Jackson decided not to hunt in his home county, opting instead to try a county with a larger population of elk. He began scouting Harlan County in July. “I wasn’t after a state record or anything,” said Jackson, who had previously hunted elk in Colorado. “I’m kind of a meat hunter – everything I harvest, I enjoy it.”Local residents helped Jackson locate elk, and he received permission to scout and hunt on private land. “I went to people in a little place they call Greasy,” remembered Jackson. “They told me where they’ve been seeing elk. When I found the herd, there were 22 cows and seven bulls. I stayed behind a big mound of dirt to watch them, up into August. I’d go there once a week to watch them.”Jackson’s work paid off. As he studied the herd’s behavior, he prepared to take a long-range shot. “They were in a field, and if you approached them, they would leave,” Jackson said. “I practiced shooting long-range because I figured I’d have to do that.”Jackson took the bull at 465 yards with one shot from his 300 Remington Ultra Magnum. The bull’s antlers had to dry for 60 days before official scoring could take place. Jackson’s elk is the largest non-typical bull officially scored and reported to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for the 2008 season. “This bull is an outstanding example of what conservation can accomplish,” said Tina Brunjes, big game program coordinator for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “A little more than a decade ago, Kentucky had no wild elk. Today, we have a large, healthy herd that consistently produces quality animals that any hunter would be proud to take home.”Kentucky Fish and Wildlife intends to issue 1,000 quota elk hunting permits for the 2009-10 season. The state’s herd is now estimated at 9,000 animals.“Our restoration program has reached a management stage,” Brunjes said. “It will take the help of hunters, along with sound, science-based management decisions, to maintain the kind of elk herd that produces such an exceptional bull.”So far this season, no hunter has reported a typical bull larger than the 371 0/8 elk taken last year by Greg Neff of Kenton County. Archery season for elk, however, continues through Jan. 19, 2009.Elk lottery applications for the 2009-10 hunting season are on sale now through April 30 for $10 online at fw.ky.gov. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will conduct a random drawing in May to award the quota hunt permits. The department plans to issue 250 bull and 750 cow elk hunting permits.

Don't forget about the Kentucky Kids Free Hunting Weekend

The Kids Free Hunting Weekend is this coming weekend, December 27 and 28th. Ethan and I will hit the woods to knock out a few does and we might even head to the slough to pound at a few ducks Saturday. The weather is supposed to be super warm.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from HuntKentucky. Hope the hunting is even better in 2009 here in the great Bluegrass State!

Kentucky Conservation Coalition Newsletter

Commissioners Newsletter - December 2008
Click here to read December's newsletter
The Kentucky Conservation Coalition will be sending out the KDFWR Commissioner Newsletter each Month. Please click here to read December's newsletter.
If you are currently a member of the Kentucky Conservation Coalition, thank you for joining. Please share this e-mail with other outdoorsmen and women.
The mission of the Kentucky Conservation Coalition is to organize outdoorsmen and women, conservation groups and their members so that their united voices can be heard on important issues impacting fish and wildlife management, wildlife-related recreation interests, and natural resource conservation in Kentucky. Our fishing, hunting, trapping, and natural resource conservation heritage is depending on it. We need to pass the things we hold dear to the next generation, and the time to act is now. To join the KCC and its many partners, including The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, please sign up for this FREE service by clicking here http://www.kycoalition.org.

Kentucky Muzzeloader wraps up today

Muzzleloader Season wraps up on this cold and windy Sunday. Crossbow season will run through December 31st and bow until mid January.

Typical crazy Kentucky weather will continue as Monday it'll be freezing cold and back around 60 by the end of the week.

Christmas...........Affordable, Quality Brands

There are so many hunting products out there and I'd love to have them all but there are some brands I love because they are affordable and have quality products. I love the Moultrie Scouting Cameras. You can't beat the Moutrie and even better, you can get it for $98 on WingSupply.com. Why pay $200 to $300 for a camera? If you want to spend any extra money, buy a good lock and chain so no one steals it. Another product I love is my Cabela's range finder. I paid $135 for it. I guess I could've bought one for $300 but I've seen them side by side, and I wouldn't trade mine for any of them. Lastly, my son's $40 Bushnell binoculars are hard to beat. My dad has some $300+ binos and the first time I looked through them, I thought they were the best pair I'd ever seen. Then, I bought my son these for C-Mas last year just for him to have some and I was shocked by the quality.

Good luck with your Christmas shopping. Be careful and compare before you drop a ton of dough. You might be able to put that extra $ toward a hunting trip!

Snow and Ice Movin in.............

Looks like it's going to be a nasty Monday and Tuesday which could get the deer moving a bit. I haven't seen any signs of a secondary rut. I saw 17 does Saturday evening and 10 this evening but absolutely zero bucks. I did see some fresh rubs. One more week of muzzlelaoder season for us here in Zone 1. I'm looking for new tactics.

Doug Sparks' Garrard County Buck

Reader Doug Sparks Of Garrard County Killed this 22 pt horse in Garrard County. He killed it with his 30-06 Rifle 400 Yards off a fence post. I love the tine length of this buck. This buck was killed close to where the Brogel buck was killed. Just another example of the size of bucks we're growing here in Kentucky.

Thanks to Doug's wife for sending this pic in.

Field Dressed Giveaway Winner!

The winner of the Field Dressed Discover Your Roots T is Marigold. Congrats. Everyone please go check out Field Dressed. It's a great place to buy some quality T-Shirts at VERY low prices. I love all the designs. They are so original.

Marigold said...
My brother would love the Classic Hook Up Tee.boldnessbe(at)gmail(dot)com
December 7, 2008 11:22 PM

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:10
Timestamp: 2008-12-10 22:27:44 UTC

1,000 Elk Tags available in 2009

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife proposed today to draw 1,000 elk tags in 2009. There will be 250 bull permits and 750 cows drawn. They also proposed a special youth hunt which would be held the last weekend of September. Youth can purchase a special youth application and a regular application to be drawn. One other change would be extending the bull firearms season to two weeks.

Field Dressed T-Shirt Giveaway

Field Dressed has once again provided a great giveaway item for one of you to win which would be a great Christmas present or something to keep for yourself. Field Dressed has a great selection of shirts. Where can you get $4 quality T-Shirts? You can get 3 for $12 and NO SHIPPING charge. If you don't win or even if you do, go check out Field Dress and get some quality, inexpensive gifts for the outdoorsman or woman in your family! I just ordered mine.

The shirt is a Large Green T with the "Discover Your Roots" Logo.

http://www.fielddressed.com/

GIVEAWAY:
TO ENTER: Visit Field Dress and let me know who on your Christmas Shopping List would like a shirt from Field Dress and which one they would like!!!

Would You Like to Earn EXTRA Entries???
1. Subscribe via feed reader or email (and let me know in a seperate comment) and you will have an extra entry!!
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3. Blog about the giveaway with a link back to the giveaway (and let me know in a seperate comment) and you will have another extra entry!!!

4.Go check out the Field Dress site and tell us which other logo you like the best for yet another extra entry.

*This contest will be open to US Addresses ONLY!!!!!

**This contest will end at Midnight on December 9th!!

***The winner will be picked with the random number generator!!!

****Thanks so much for entering****