We have talked about this for a long time, but never actually did it, so here it is, Oct 31-Nov 4 some of the KTBA gang will be camping at "Energy Lake Campground" in Land Between the Lakes. In Kentucky alone this is 107,000 acres of mostly oak woodlands. there are some food plots as well as corn soybean crops, but probably 95 % wooded.
For those that have never been, deer densities are decent, but not high, good turkey populations, Bobcat, coyotes, bald eagles are frequent sightings, with armadillos become more common. Even though deer densities are not fantastic, the contours of the land and travel routes to the crop/foodplots usually make for ample sightings and some good hunting. For those squirrel hunters in the bunch, this trip is worth it for that alone.
Google "Land Between the Lakes" for their regs. For you KY residents this is a bonus two deer (Bonus buck !) I cant personally help everyone to a hotspot, but can give you a few pointers. Maps are available on their website, with topos and food plots. Motels in Grand Rivers, but the campground is nice.
Im not saying this is the best deer hunting location in the world, but its pretty nice, and my personal favorite . You can hunt easy access, or hike back in away from everyone else, whichever you prefer. Hunting pressure is fairly light. Close to energy is a population of Fallow deer (sorry, off limits) and an elk and bison prairie (also off limits) . You cant hunt 'em, but they are fun to view. Early nov is a great rut activity time, i expect lots of buck sightings.
Chime in anyone intrested, just for curiousity, but this is a dutch hunt, nothing provided but each others campfire entertainment.
Yep, and electric, and shower houses/toilets. Thought about doing primitive out in the woods, but if we get a big gathering we should have facilities. You would enjoy the squawks if nothing else John, grays to yer hearts content.
randy, dave here, i would be very interested in coming down and hunting and camping. what section of the campground will you kentucks be staying at ? and should i make reservations ? it sounds like a very good time.
im not sure that I will even make reservations, not sure exactly when I can get there, but there is plenty of room, and few campers there this time of year. worse comes to worse if they did be full I could camp at Hillman's ferry, or wranglers, or backwoods camp. We will all find each other though.
Thats right John, its a pretty campground, looking over Energy lake, which spills into Barkley. I am not real familiar with the area close to it, but know areas 8 and 10 (south of there) real well.I also am real familiar with areas 1 and 2 (North). all my hunting except for just a couple times has been on the east side, but its all pretty similar terrain, maybe slightly steeper on the west side.
The hunt was a blast, you guys missed out. had trouble getting there with a tire on the camper delaminating (for lasck of a better word, it still held air!) after replacing it, and while examining the others...., yeah, wound up buying a whole set. On to LBL and lots of high winds, all the way through saturday, finnally laying down late in the evening hunt. Sunday morning was frosty and no wind. Dead calm, and you could hear a mouse in the oak leaf litter froma hundred yards. Im sitting this ridge between two corn bottom, and came across a well used trail. Setting up with 10 yards of it im feeling good about this spot. Once the sun starts warming things up the frosted tree leaves begin dripping, now I cant hear anything approaching, untill a spike buck is spitting distance from me. Im texting my co-hunters, so i pocket the phone, stand while grabbing my Crooked Stik longbow, when the bucks head passes behind a tree trunk and some leafy limbs. He hits a small opening, and i draw,anchor, and release in an instant. I see the chartruese fletchings bury tight behind the shoulder and pass on through, completely spent, while the little buck fires his boilers full blast, making maybe 100 yards in a half loop that lets me watch the whole way. He begins to falter, as his "Boiler" has two holes in it, attemptsd to jump a small ditch, but cant hardly pull it off, falling off the far bank and landing on his back. A couple kicks, and he's done. I text my two buddies, and the work begins. Aprox 1/2 hour, or an hour at the most Scott textx me and said "4 does come by, i took out the lead doe. she ran 50 yards and piled up, the other three does not leaving her." He stayed in the stand for about an hour trying to coax them back up the hill for another shot, but cant quite pull it off. Kevin also had some action hitting a basket racked buck, but the results were not as good, high hit and poor penetration. No blood trail, no arrow, no buck. Cant wait to do it again next year, and possibly even in January. We ate my backstraps the next night. Nothing taste better than grilled back straps outside, looking over a lake.
One of the many iron ore mines I have found near where I like to hunt near Mamoth Furnace Bay. LBL back in the mid 1800's was a leading iron producer. Of course then, it was known as land between the rivers. (Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers) . Theres a lot of history there, and it fascinates me to find old homesites, iron furnaces and such. Even found an old abandoned school bus one time.
that's the exit wound, I was pleased. After some bad luck this year its good to have taken my second deer this season with a good hit. Took out the top of his heart. It still amazes me that a dead deer can run almost a hundred yards. They are tough critters for sure.
The entry is close to the string silencer. Its good to watch 'em drop, I hate a long worrisome tracking job. Im never convinced its a good shot until I find them.
Shortly after Scott texted he had a doe down. We neglected to take pics until after the field dressing job, but she was covered in fat. A great shot too, Good job Scott !
we went ahead and deboned the meat in camp to be iced down and brought home. Wound up eating the backstraps off mine the next night. I already got some in the freezer, and expect grandson to add some come gun season. Never can tell, I might get lucky again too !
