Youth Weekend January 1st and 2nd

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

Kentucky Shipping Elk to Missouri

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

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!

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

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

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

Found My Deer

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??

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

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

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

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

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

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........

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Youth opens next weekend.

Unusually Hot Weather Taking a Toll

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

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

Elk Night

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

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

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

Opening Weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

**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

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

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

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

Enough said.........

First Kentucky Bear Attack

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Youth Turkey Two Weeks Away

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

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

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

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

**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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.........

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

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

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

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

**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!

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.

Braving the COLD!

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

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

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

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

Kentucky Hunting Seasons Update 1-4-09

Archery Deer continues until January 18th.

Crossbow ended on December 31st.

Elk Archery continues until January 18th.

Squirrel continues until Feb. 18th.

Bobcat continues until January 31st.

Turkey Archery continues until January 18th.

Spring Turkey Youth April 3-4, 2010
Spring Turkey General Season April 10-May 2, 2010