What is the Most Important Factor in Whitetail Nutrition? But a clearly defined chunk of Kentucky is a great place to start your search. The hunting of game animals necessitates a different license and permit depending on their species. I had no shot whatsoever.. Settle, 41, grew up in the Bluegrass State and is a long-time local of Henderson County. In fact, a majority of hunters take only one deer anyway, often taking a doe late in the season when if no buck can be found. If youre looking for an easy buck, the best bets are Hopkins, Hardin, Hart, Webster, and Breckinridge. Overcrowding means less food and smaller antlers. The whitetails 27 scoreable points taped 230 1/8 inches non-typical Pope and Young (gross green score). Counties in the Northeast Region continue to be generally managed under a four-deer season limit. An 8-point bumped the dominant buck in the rump. Whatever the reason, 2005 was an off year, though the 2006 season was another story altogether. with the state record non-typical whitetail scoring 270 inches and a buck scoring 283-5/8 in Muhlenberg County in 2012. Three Reasons Why Saddle Hunting is Right for You, Hunting is a Great Thanksgiving Tradition, When it comes to saddle hunting our typical minds can find the new challenge overwhelming, and we often want to resort back to what we know and find comfortable, whether that is climbing tree stands, or still hunting. Unregulated hunting nearly drove the states deer population to extinction. All of the remaining counties listed using 2005 season data stayed on the list after 2006 data was calculated. Contact them at (800) 689-6619 or (859) 509-2704, or go to whitetailheavenoutfitters.com. For our example, lets say youre on the hunt for a record-book whitetail. Total Harvest Results. In 2013, the county set a new record for deer kills, with 4,069 being taken, which was more than any other. Records indicate that most of those came from outside of Daviess County and with a modern gun, rarely a bow. All Game & Fish subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. During the 2006 deer season, Kentucky whitetail hunters returned with a bang to post a near-record harvest of 122,233 animals -- just shy of being 10,000 more than the previous season. Since 1958, more than 600 of Kentucky's white-tailed deer have made the record books for their trophy-sized antlers and been listed in the Boone and Crockett Club, which tracks and scores big game animals. Every big game animal entered and accepted into the Club's Records Program from 1830 to present are available through this searchable database. Most of the 29-county region saw a jump in individual county harvests last season. However, after now reading Facebook comments and seeing photos of his deer that were posted on the page of an Indiana deer preserve, one thing is clear: Someone is not telling the truth. It was a solid season from start to finish, said Noelle Thompson, deer program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. A large number of counties open to a 16-day modern gun season, for either sex of deer the entire time. It may surprise you that hunters took nearly half those deer over the past seven seasons alone. We spent a lot of time out in the woods together growing up. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. I want that to be a rack but must be brush or a pile of sticks, or something., Settle got out his Bushnell Powerview 7-1525 binoculars for a better look. They offer extremely limited habitat, compared to other more rural counties in this region. The set up wasnt quite right and he was strapped for time, so Mooney tweaked his position by bringing in a climber. It was broadside and slightly quartering away from Settle. It is a species that should be reintroduced to the deer hunting community more than two decades after its extinction. On Target: Are AR Rifles a Good Option for Whitetail Hunting. It had run about 70 yards from where it was shot before it hit the dirt. The whitetail's 27 scoreable points taped 230 1/8 inches non-typical Pope and Young (gross green score). Furthermore, the herd has the potential to support the harvest of over 130,000 deer per year. Hunting for antlered deer is limited to one per hunter in all 50 states. Why bother with using County Search yourself? A hunting license or permit is required for youth hunters, but they are not required to purchase a hunting license or deer permit to hunt deer. Following the highest harvest on record in 2004, the 2006 season missed the mark of 124,752 by just 2,500 deer. "But your secret spot is safe because the Club will not publicly list anything more specific than the county.". Whatever the reason, Kentucky has indeed managed to find the "sweet spot" of hunting opportunity for trophy deer. one lone county topped the 1,000 deer-per-county harvest minimum we use to help determine the better places to find numbers of whitetails. All North American Whitetail subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. Third party advertisements support hosting, listing verification, updates, and site maintenance. Instead of using his existing stand, however, he had packed his climber and set up in an adjacent tree he thought was better situated along the trail. In the Species search bar, select typical whitetail deer and non-typical whitetail deer. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages the states public lands. ! Today, the states deer population is thriving and deer hunting contributes an estimated $800 million to the states economy every year. Mooney called his father, waited 10 minutes, then climbed down and walked to the truck. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1975 who is at least 12 years old and holding a Hunter Education card is required to carry a Hunter Education card when hunting. Every 5,000 acres enrolled in Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, the agency will issue one permit. This equates to approximately 18,000 pounds of venison on the table. So clear your At the peak of the market-hunting era, waterfowlers Sign up for the Field & Stream newsletter and get the latest intelligence straight to your inbox. Published Oct 22, 2014 8:32 PM EDT. I thought, Thats not a rack. But instead of climbing into his treestand that Saturday, Mooney found himself in the hospital delivery room. Tim Young remembers, "Man, he looked big." Instead, he relied on attractants like the Sugar Beet Crush. There have only been a few buck taken with a muzzleloading gun, but this one was the largest. The Kentucky buck Heath Buchanan calls "Joker" is a Bluegrass State phenomenon. Theres plenty of food for them to eat. When you click on the arrow next to the state, youll see a list of counties populate underneath, and youll see that one county has 19 entries. Were off to a great start for the 2021 deer season in Kentucky. He also learned valuable information in those first few sits in his hang-on stand. He took the shot. There are over 1.5 million acres of public land available, but much of it is under pressure from developers. Subscribe and receivecomplete web-basedaccess to B&C's Records of North American Big Game database. This past weekend hunters harvested 2,603 more deer on the opening weekend of gun season than they did in 2020. "Camera use facilitates trophy whitetail production in two ways," he points out. ), It took me a long time to get over to the deer, he says. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. It all started when Mooney secured permission to hunt behind his boss house in Webster County. The following year, a total of 3,814 deer were killed, shattering the previous record. "No, not really," he says. Mooney chose a staging area along a ridge, with a small rise in the terrain between him and the bedding area 50 yards away. The buck was bedded down. Competing in dozens of tournaments this year helped prepare him for a perfect shot. When I saw him on the ground, Ive never really acted like that in my adult life, says Settle. A deer permit and a hunting license are required for anyone over the age of 16, as are proof of purchase of an annual hunting license. That's probably because in this region moderate deer numbers live among the state's most optimum juxtaposition of row-crop agriculture and oak-hickory woodlands.". Popularity:#27 of 121 Recorders Of Deeds in Kentucky#1,068 in Recorders Of Deeds. Settles biological father, Terry, passed away earlier this year. Unveiling The Mystery Of CA: Understand Chromatic Aberration And Get The Best View Through Your Binoculars, Exploring Nature With 8 X 32 Binoculars Understanding The Power Of Magnification, Make Outdoor Watching Easier: Discover Why You Should Use A Camera Tripod For Your Binoculars, How To Mount Leica Trinovid Binoculars To A Tripod: A Step-By-Step Guide, Unlock The Power Of Binoculars In Pokemon Learn Where To Find And How To Use Them, Maximizing Your Binoculars Performance: The Importance Of Using Eyecups, Exploring The Phenomenon Of Ghosting In Binoculars What You Need To Know Before Shopping For A Pair, Bring Your Binoculars To The French Open Everything You Need To Know. Kentucky wasn't always the big buck factory that it has become. Don't Leave! All Rights Reserved. One that's smoked first. Kentucky Public Deer Hunting Land Map. By submitting this form you agree to our Privacy Policy & Terms. Yet in much of the region, things are starting to blossom nicely, given the Southeast's overall habitat quality. The 2022-2023 season ran from September through Jan. 16. "Also, deer population density averages about 20 animals per square mile. The goal of this user interactive map is to give fellow hunters an idea of where to find the best regions to hunt the biggest Kentucky whitetails. Last season, if you recall, in Kentucky's toughest region for deer hunting, one lone county topped the 1,000 deer-per-county harvest minimum we use to help determine the better places to find numbers of whitetails. 2023 Outdoor Sportsman Group. If you want to allow public hunting on your property, you should apply for a hunting permit. An understanding of safe hunting practices demonstrated by this card will be helpful to the hunter. Once you find a top trophy-producing county, you can then key in on units within that county. Perhaps one of the most significant reasons for Kentuckys big bucks involves the age of the animals. Join F&S+ to read exclusive stories by your favorite writers. Whatever the reason, it's good to be informed. Then he retrieved his gear from the blind returned home to pick up his 16- and 18-year-old boys, who Settle calls his little tracking dogs. They went back to look for the buck. Published Sep 15, 2021 6:00 PM EDT. Even in southeastern Kentuckythe last place the rejuvenated deer herd has gained a footholdhunters in Bell, Breathitt, Harlan, Jackson, Johnson, Leslie, Knott, Perry, and Whitley counties have taken trophies. He squeezed in a few short hunts, but it wasnt until he checked on the trail cam that he started itching to hit the woods again: The big non-typical had reappeared. Land owners are not required by law to allow hunters to retrieve game or dogs from their property, so be sure to ask before you go hunting. Updated: 11/15/2021. Id like to dedicate this deer to him and his memory. I was hoping Id maybe see him again. United States Vital Records has additional research guidance on researching and using vital records. Even with the buck in his sights, Mooney still had to make the shot. In addition, hunters must use their own license, permit, and harvest log, as well as their own Social Security number when telechecking the deer. Heres what you need to know, and the photos to prove it. Favorable hunting weather during the 16-day modern gun season in November helped drive the harvest total higher. Because of the high harvest of deer as well as the increase in the size of deer, Kentuckys deer populations are increasing. And get this: Nearly all of the hunters heading afield then are carrying scoped centerfire rifles. The deer is never where you think hes supposed to be.. I was going really slowly. For one thing, the state doesn't limit buck tags in any way. With an unofficial green net score of 196 inches the buck should smash the state's crossbow typical record (currently 179") and rank among Wisconsin's best typicals ever. "Upload a Photo" below to get started and put in as much information as you want to be published with your photo. The purpose of the Recorder of Deeds is to ensure the accuracy of Allen County property and land records and to preserve their continuity. As the states deer herd has grown from fewer than 2,000 in 1945 to nearly a million today, opportunities have likewise grown for hunters to take a trophy. Hunting in the state is subject to the requirements of a Hunting License. For $50, you get access to the entire Boone and Crockett record system, including Classic Trophy Search, County Search, Trophy Combinator and the Method Visualizer OR or become a B&CAssociate to get it for $40. A member of the deer (Cervidae) family may not be brought back into Kentucky unless the skull and spinal column have been removed first. At that point, he could tell it was a good deer. Animal populations change because of predation, weather, management and numerous other variables, so hunters should look at the previous five, sometimes 10, years-worth of data for a particular category. And, perhaps most importantly, Mooney only hunted those woods when the wind was right. What may have been a great county for entries in the 1990s may not be a great county today. Why not get a few years of hunting the honey holes before the tags are even more impossible to draw? Hes a union carpenter and lived a couple of miles from his current property. About Us Contact Us | But the buck took a full step to the right. Kentuckys hunting culture is a popular pastime with a lot of reasons. I figured he took off. The organization of firearms seasons, hunter ages, and hunting zones in deer deer seasons is determined by a number of factors. Ohio archery hunter Brandon Clark harvested this record-book typical whitetail during the 2018 season. I felt like my dad was with me like an angel on my shoulder, he says. There is a 130-inch minimum harvest size at Whitetail Heaven and some farms have a 140- or 150-inch minimum. Then, one of the squirrels perked up, listening. For this article, were focusing on how to scout with the County Search tool. Many fur-bearing animals, such as bobcats and otters, as well as deer, elk, bears, and turkey, can be found here. But Settle says he felt his presence this September. It's a state with a great reputation for big deer, but in producing them, it appears to violate many of the rules of how to manage deer with that in mind. The Bluegrass State's production of older bucks quickly began to rise. You know someone is going to do something crazy. Those werent his exact words, but you get the gist of it.
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