FRANKFORT, Ky.

“The 119,656 deer taken was the highest total since the 2008-2009 season,” said Tina Brunjes, deer program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Good hunting weather may have been a contributing factor to the excellent harvest during the last two months of the season.”

Hunters bagged a record harvest of 12,989 in December, which surpassed the previous record by 4,261 set in December 2004. “Muzzleloader hunters were responsible for that big jump, checking in 10,536 deer during their nine-day late season that ran Dec. 10-18,” said Brunjes.

January’s harvest was excellent, too with hunters telechecking 2,628 deer – just 73 short of last year’s record harvest for the month.

Overall, hunters reported taking 55 percent male deer and 45 percent female deer. Modern firearms hunters bagged 83,357 deer, muzzleloader hunters 15,161 deer and archers 18,169 deer.

“For the last 10 years our harvest has gone up and down a bit, but overall the trend is stable,” said Brunjes. “That’s a good sign.”

This past season, Kentucky had 90,247 successful deer hunters, but 77 percent (69,776 hunters) took just one deer. “Seventeen percent of our successful deer hunters (15,118 hunters) took two deer, and six percent of our successful deer hunters (5,353 hunters) took three or more deer,” said Brunjes.

By zone, hunters harvested 52,664 deer in the 35 Zone 1 counties; 30,160 deer in the 27 Zone 2 counties; 25,324 deer in the 33 Zone 3 counties and 11,505 in the 25 Zone 4 counties.

The bulk of Kentucky counties are in deer management Zones 2 and 3. Brunjes said there’s still work to be done in the Zone 1 counties, where deer densities are too high, and in the Zone 4 counties, where deer densities are below target levels.

Archers and muzzleloader hunters took 61 percent antlerless deer. Modern gun hunters bagged the lowest percent of antlerless deer – 38 percent.

Crossbow hunters posted the highest percent of antlerless deer in the harvest, 63 percent. They also established a new harvest record in the process. Crossbow hunters bagged 1,969 deer, which represents about 1.6 percent of the overall harvest.

For the third consecutive season, archers posted a harvest record by taking 18,169 deer, about 15 percent of the total harvest.

“Overall, the hunters we have are being more successful,” said Brunjes. “We hope that all this success will help them in mentoring new hunters.”

Three quota hunts in both Kentucky and Tennessee during the first portion of the season require a prior application. In Kentucky, quota hunts include a two-day youth hunt for hunters (under age 16 on the Kentucky portion of LBL) March 31-April 1, a two-day hunt April 5-6, and a two-day hunt April 14-15. In Tennessee, quota hunts include a two-day youth hunt (for hunters 6-16 years old on the Tennessee portion) April 7-8, a two-day hunt April 9-10, and a two-day hunt April 14-15. No hunting is permitted between these dates.

The non-quota hunting season, which does not require a prior application, is one 14-day hunt, April 16-29 in Kentucky, and two 7-day hunts April 16-22 and April 23-29 in Tennessee.

The Quota Hunt application fee will remain at $5 for an online application. Hunters can apply online at www.lbl.org February 1-29. Applicants can check the website at www.lbl.org near the end of March to see if they were drawn.

The 2012 Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is now available on the website. Printed copies are also available at the Golden Pond Visitor Center. Licensed motorized vehicles are only permitted on roads identified on the MVUM and on the LBL Recreation Map. Hunters will want to be sure to refer to the MVUM when scouting and hunting on LBL.

Come Outside and Play at Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area, managed by the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, to provide public lands outdoor recreation and environmental education. We encourage visitors to review LBL’s official website at www.lbl.org each season, and throughout the season, for our Calendar of Events, updates on programs and policies, safety information, maps, and temporary trail and road closures. Follow us on Twitter @LBLScreechOwl and on our blog athttp://landbetweenthelakes.blogspot.com/. Additional LBL information is available on our website or by calling 1-800-LBL-7077 or 270-924-2000.

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Photo Courtesy of KDFWR

FRANKFORT, Ky. – In Kentucky, wild pigs may be hunted with firearms year-round with no daily bag limit, but wildlife biologists believe trapping is the most effective way to control the feral pests.

“In established populations, hunting often educates more pigs than it removes,” said Chad Soard, a wildlife biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Research has shown that relying too heavily on hunting will not control pigs and may hasten their spread.”

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is working with landowners to help them deal with the destructive, unwanted swine which pose serious ecological, economic and disease threats.

“We’ve had verified sightings of wild pigs in 37 counties,” said Soard. “For many of these sightings there’s no evidence of established populations. They’re just isolated occurrences of free-ranging pigs living independent of humans.”

Soard said he gets regular reports from landowners about their ongoing efforts to remove pigs from areas of Kentucky with established populations. “You have to adapt your strategy to completely eradicate wild pigs,” said Soard. “You have to understand the species. Shooting them on sight isn’t always best.”

Wild pigs live in maternal groups called sounders, usually made up of several related sows with their offspring. Several maternal groups may come together to forage so there could be as many as 20 to 30 pigs on a food source.

Mature boars tend to be solitary and don’t tolerate the presence of other males.

Hunting in general, and sport hunting in particular, is ineffective for controlling or eradicating wild pigs because boars are targeted.

“The removal of all age classes concurrently is critical to any successful control or eradication plan,” said Soard. “Reproduction often outpaces the most intensive hunting efforts. Juveniles can breed at six months so you have to concentrate your efforts on maternal groups, continually trapping over a long period of time.”

Shooting into a group of pigs forces them to search for sanctuary. “You’re going to spread out the population and push them onto neighboring properties,” said Soard.

“Wild pigs are not prone to wandering. They’re not overly territorial, except when boars are fighting over breeding rights,” said Soard. “Populations tend to stay in a small area unless they are pressured.”

Wild pigs make their presence known by the sign they leave such as rooted up areas in woods and fields and wallows around small ponds or wet areas.

Trail cameras are a good way to assess wild pig numbers and find suitable trap sites. “You can’t just trap anywhere; you have to locate the trap on fresh sign, where the pigs are actively feeding or traveling,” said Soard.

Large box traps can be used to catch wild pigs, but corral traps are better. “They allow non-targeted species to escape and are capable of catching entire maternal groups of pigs at one time,” said Soard.

Corral traps are made from wire and typically have a swinging, saloon-style gate which lets the pigs enter, but blocks them from leaving the trap. A good strategy is to establish the trap site at an area where pigs can feed unmolested. Then, monitor the site with trail cameras and set the trap when the largest numbers of pigs are feeding at the site.

In Kentucky, it is illegal to possess wild pigs. Any captured pig must be killed at the trap site. They may not be removed from traps alive.

Corral traps are commercially available or can be homemade. “We have a cost share program to help landowners offset the cost of the traps,” said Soard.

Winter is the best time to trap. Food is in short supply and pigs readily come to bait piles. The best trap sites for pigs are located along travel routes between bedding and feeding sites.

Trapping works. “The staff at Bernheim Forest corral trapped steadily for three years and reduced the population to the point where damage and observations have ceased,” said Soard. “You can’t trap for a while and quit. You’ve got to stick with it.”

PBO Prostaffer Cory McBride with a hard earned Kentucky thunder chicken!

With the 2012 Kentucky turkey season slipping up on us, I thought it would be good to take a look at some of Kentucky’s excellent public land hunting opportunities for filling your spring turkey tag.  So here is a region-by-region breakdown, highlighting the top WMAs in each region based on last year’s spring turkey season harvest data.  We’ll start with the Purchase region in the far western portion of the state and work our way over to the Southeast.

Purchase Region

Purchase region public land hunters were able to harvest 122 turkeys during the 2011 Kentucky spring turkey season.  Of those, 42 were harvested in Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, 21 were bagged at Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, and 18 on Pennyrile State Forest.  Keep in mind that part of the turkey season at LBL is a quota hunt for drawn hunters.  You can check out the LBL website for information about applying for those hunts.  Clarks River is open to the public, but does require a permit.

Green River Region

Moving east, hunters in the Green River Region were able to harvest an impressive 304 birds on public land in 2011.  Over half of those birds – 159 – were harvested on Peabody WMA.  Next in line was the Wendell H Ford Regional Training Center with 56 birds taken, and Barren River Lake WMA came in third with 24 turkey tags filled.  Peabody WMA requires a user permit, and the Wendell H Ford RTC may have special regulations in place, so be sure to contact the Fish and Wildlife Manager at (502) 607-7929. 

Bluegrass Region

In the central part of the state, public lands hunters were able to bag 116 birds total.  Of those, 44 were taken on Taylorsville Lake WMA, 25 on Kentucky River WMA, and 14 on John A Kleber WMA.  All three of these areas are open under statewide season dates and regulations for spring turkey season.

Northeast Region

Hunters in the northeast portion of the state managed to tag 159 birds on public lands.  Fishtrap Lake WMA produced 36 of those birds, Yatesville Lake yielded 30 and both Grayson Lake and Paintsville Lake WMA provided hunters with a respectable 21 birds.  Again, all three of the WMAs are open under statewide regulations and season dates.

Southeast Region

Saving the best for last, hunters in the southeast region telechecked an amazing 1,178 turkeys from public land!  Nearly three-quarters of those birds, 750 total, were taken in the Daniel Boone National Forest.  Lake Cumberland produced an impressive 72 turkeys, and Begley WMA turned in 37.  All three are open under statewide regs for the spring turkey season.

Regardless of where you live in Kentucky, you are only a short drive from great spring turkey hunting.  So, if you don’t have access to private land, or if you just want a change of scenery this spring, give one of these WMAs a shot.

To learn about all of Kentucky’s public hunting areas, and access maps for hunting, be sure to visit our Public Hunting Areas page here on Poor Boys Outdoors!

To discuss turkey hunting with other Kentucky hunters, be sure to check out our PBO Forums!

FRANKFORT, Ky. - A new archery range is now open to the public at the Miller Welch-Central Kentucky Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Madison County.

Constructed on the northern edge of the WMA along Muddy Creek Road, the archery range consists of is a 12-target traditional range and a 30-target course through the woods, said Derek Beard, wildlife coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ Bluegrass Region.

Archers are already excited about the new facilities. “We had people using the range within minutes of putting up the final signs at the entrance and opening the gates,” he said.

Beard said the new ranges in Madison County will provide opportunity for area archers, bowhunters, and for groups such as sportsmen’s organizations, 4-H clubs, scouts, schools and church organizations. “With archery being one of fastest growing sports in the U.S. today, the new ranges will allow for expanded public archery opportunity within close driving distance of one of our fastest growing populations,” Beard explained.

The traditional static range includes 12 lanes with targets set at 10 meters and 15 meters, in addition to targets at 20 yards to 60 yards. Archers shoot into large outdoor archery targets that are secured into target sheds. The second range is a walking woods course consisting of a loop trail with lanes cut and a target placed at the end of each shooting lane. Archers can move within the lane to a comfortable distance ranging from 10 yards up to 65 yards.

The new ranges are open daily from 9 a.m. eastern time to sunset. To reduce impact to targets, broadheads are not allowed on arrows. Groups may apply to reserve a range for a shooting event, by submitting a WMA User Permit Application to the Area Manager for consideration. Call (859) 986-4130 for more information.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife also has archery ranges at Jones-Keeney WMA in Caldwell County, Curtis Gates Lloyd WMA in Grant County, Otter Creek Outdoor Recreational Area in Meade County and West Kentucky WMA in McCracken County.

For a complete listing of shooting and archery ranges on Kentucky’s wildlife management areas, go online to www.fw.ky.gov and click onto the “Maps and Online Services” tab, followed by “Other KDFWR Maps.”

FRANKFORT, Ky. - The Kentucky Division of Forestry and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources have jointly acquired nearly 2,500 acres in Union County at the confluence of the Ohio and Tradewater rivers. The property will become the state’s newest wildlife management area (WMA) and state forest.

The 2,484-acre site near Sturgis is a portion of one of the largest private landholdings in Kentucky. Purchase of the property – known locally as the Alcoa Property, or more recently as the Kimball Property – was possible only through the cooperation of private, public and non-profit agencies. It completes the first of a two-phase project to protect the area.

The property will provide public recreational opportunities for hunting, fishing, hiking, canoeing, wildlife viewing and other activities as a wildlife management area. The property also will be managed to provide watershed and water quality protection; protection and recovery of endangered, threatened and rare species; preservation of existing cultural and geological treasures – and a sustainable forest. It will be permanently protected from development and agricultural conversion.

The entire property was purchased in early 2009 by an investment fund managed by The Forestland Group with cooperation from The Conservation Fund and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). The Conservation Fund partners with community, government and corporate organizations to help them fulfill their conservation priorities. The purchase of the entire property by The Forestland Group’s investment fund enabled KDFWR and the Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) to acquire and protect this tract.

State Forestry and Kentucky Fish and Wildlife assembled $6,681,780 (including administrative fees) to purchase the tract. Kentucky’s congressional delegation helped secure $3.25 million in federal money through the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program (FLP), the most significant share of the project.

The necessary non-federal matching funds were supplied from a variety of sources. The Nature Conservancy, one of the nation’s largest environmental non-profit organizations, assisted in obtaining funds from Duke Energy and the Crounse Corporation.

Duke Energy, a generator and distributor of electric power and natural gas, provided $1.75 million. Its funds became available as part of a consent decree requiring it to fund supplemental environmental mitigation projects. Crounse Corporation, an industry leader in river transportation, contributed $50,000.

“What is unique about this project is the size of the acquisition and the number of public and private partners that had to successfully work together to permanently protect this incredibly beautiful part of Kentucky,” said Terry Cook, state director for The Nature Conservancy. “Public and private monies are limited, but by working together, we still can have incredible success.”

State Forestry utilized $1 million of its Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Funds. These funds are derived from nature license plate sales, environmental fines and a portion of the unmined minerals tax.

The Indiana Bat Conservation Fund supplied $580,000 because this forested tract provides valuable habitat for this federally-endangered species. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife paid the various administrative fees.

“The Division of Forestry is very excited about this new wildlife management area and state forest,” said State Forestry Director Leah MacSwords. “This joint venture conserves a valuable forest ecosystem and showcases the importance of a well-managed forest.”

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett said the acquisition is an example of groups working together to benefit the public. “We have partnered closely with The Conservation Fund almost a quarter-century to help secure lands in Kentucky for public outdoor recreation,” he said. “They have protected nearly seven million acres across the country, and they were instrumental in helping us protect such Kentucky lands that are now Peabody, Obion and Sloughs WMAs.”

Ray Herndon is director of the Lower Mississippi Region for The Conservation Fund. “This project demonstrates a relatively new but growing model for conservation where forest management organizations – like The Forestland Group – are helping to conserve land for public outdoor recreation,” he said. “The success of this partnership has facilitated the protection of a property that is a true natural gem for the Commonwealth. The new WMA is a win-win for Kentucky because it will support and create outdoor recreation related jobs and provide new hunting and fishing opportunities for sportsmen and women.”

The property will be jointly managed as a wildlife management area and a state forest, using the same goals as the Knobs and Marrowbone areas. State forest properties use the ecosystem management approach to ensure biological diversity and sustainable use. These areas are working forests with demonstration areas to promote good forestry practices.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and the Kentucky Division of Forestry are developing a management plan for this area that will include the necessary regulations. The area will be officially open to the public later this year.

Photo Courtesy of USFWS

FRANKFORT, Ky. - Larry Dreamis Hill failed in his quest to take a bird during Kentucky’s inaugural sandhill crane hunting season – but says it wasn’t for lack of effort.

“These birds were extremely challenging and seemed to change their patterns a little every day. I really enjoyed the challenge and look forward to future seasons of pursuing this bird. I remember when the first sandhill cranes showed up in Cecilia (in Hardin County) years ago – now I have the opportunity to hunt them. It’s very exciting,” said Hill, Cecilia’s retired fire chief.

Kentucky’s first modern hunting season for sandhill cranes came to a close Sunday, Jan. 15. The month-long season marked the first time in nearly 100 years that Kentucky sportsmen and sportswomen had the opportunity to hunt sandhill cranes in the Commonwealth. By closing day, hunters had harvested 50 birds. Kentucky had allowed for a maximum harvest of 400 sandhill cranes.

“The harvest number was not surprising to us because Kentucky does not have a tradition of sandhill crane hunting,” said Rocky Pritchert, Migratory Bird Program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “These are extremely wary birds and are a challenge to hunt. Sandhill cranes are hunted in a fashion similar to geese, using decoys in fields. Sandhill cranes are hunted for their meat. They are generally regarded as the finest table fare among migratory birds.”

Kentucky was the first state to allow sandhill crane hunting on the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes. The Mid-Continent Population of sandhill cranes has been hunted for more than 50 years in the United States.

Last fall, a survey coordinated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service counted a minimum of 72,000 sandhill cranes in the Eastern Population. “This population has experienced significant growth over the last decade and has reached a point where we can allow a limited harvest without impacting the population,” said Pritchert. “As a biologist it is my responsibility to ensure harvest does not negatively impact the population and this season will not harm the Eastern Population of sandhill cranes.”

This season, most of the cranes were harvested in Hardin and Barren counties. These are traditional wintering areas for sandhill cranes in Kentucky.

Hunters had to pass an online identification course before being issued a permit. Hunters will have to complete a post-season survey as well.

“The information obtained from these surveys helps us better understand how the season went,” said Pritchert. “The information obtained from this hunt will help us manage future hunts of sandhill hunts in Kentucky and other states that might potentially hunt sandhill cranes.”