Several have shown intrest in our up coming hunt this fall, so I thought i'd throw this out, to give everyone time to schedule, and refresh on occaision to remind . Dont think im pushy, just hate to see anyone left out. This hunt is basically justa centralized camping event so we can all get together in the evenings, and midday, to share food, and lies ....er.., stories.
I plan to arrive on Monday, November 2, 2015 at the "Energy Lake Campground" and staying untill Nov 8. Most of us are trying to camp in the first loop on the right (A). This hunt is self guided, and everyone is responsible for their own arrangements, such as campsite reservations. Anyone of course is welcome to arrive, and leave at any date, im just throwing these dates out to let you know when most of us will be there. I may be able to help place a few of you in some good spots, and make some suggestions, but Im in no way a proffesional guide, or even pretend to know the best spots. Over the years i have managed to kill but 3 deer there, and have been skunked many times, so I would definately not be a great choice !
Everyone will need a valid KY state lic, and of course the LBL permit. For you KY boys this is 2 bonus deer on top of your statewide tag, only way in KY to kill 2 bucks.
LBL is vast, with 107,000 acres in KY alone, so crowded conditions are not a problem. Some tend to crowd the crop and food plot fields, so my reccomendation is, avoid them. The LBL website has good maps, and I would suggest downloading them, or stopping by one of the welcome stations and getting maps. They also color in the food plot areas, and this can help strategize pinch points for travel routes between food sources and bedding areas. My advice is hunt the white oak ridges at low lying ridge saddles, or where several ridges come together. A ridge saddle between two crop fields is an excellent choice.
LBL is not known for high deer densities, and make no mistake , it can be tough hunting, often requireing burning some boot leather to find what you want. Its not known for huge deer, due to it being 90% forrested, its just not big bodied fat farmland deer. No doubt there are some bruisers in there, smart old bucks that know how to utilize its vastness to escape the hordes of hunters, for the most part though it is smallish deer.
All this sounds pretty uninviting, I just dont want to project illusions of granduer, its no cake walk ,but during my personal adventures there I have encountered close calls on 4 different occaisions with Bobcats, numerous eagle sightings, pelicans, coyotes, beaver, squirrels by the millions, and even the last 10 years Armadillos have become prolific. There are even bigfoot sightings, alas , not by me. Maybe the campfire moonshine sessions will remedy that !
I guess I can become sentimental to a fault, me and my buds have shared some memorable experiences there, and its my favorite place to hunt. After last year, we just decided it should be an annual thing, as we have never officially done a KTBA hunt, and since the "B" in KTBA stands for "Bowhunter", we decided to rectify that problem. 3-D shoots alone just do not seem to be enough. Fred Bear himself hunted it, and took a fallow buck there in the '70's. There are still a few Fallows around, but off limits. Also the Elk and Bison prairie is a fun visit.
Fishing tackle may be a good choice as well. Personally I am in hunting mode when there, but would not be opposed to an impromptu fish fry.
Depending on my early season success rate I'll plan to bring venison, home grown green beans, and whatever else i can scrounge up. Everyone of course is welcome to pitch in food for my cause (an expanding waist line)
When I get a chance i will dig up some photos of the scenery and few kill photos from over the years.
Please feel free to pipe in, and offer any suggestions.
My 2011 buck. He is not huge , but very special, my second deer there, and the following year after my first LBL buck, also just 4 days after killing my best buck at my farm, both with a very special bow built for me by Mike Treadway.
I have not checked the license rates, but if you got that from the KDFW site then yes. You have to be a licensed KY deer hunter, plus the LBL permit. Best I remember the camp rates were about what you quote. For an extra $5 on the LBL permit you can backcountry camp about anywhere, just not in site of the major blacktop roads. I was thinking $25 got you that, but it may have gone up. I'll try and confirm these, but id say you allready have.
To verify;
KY state lic ; $140 (annual non-resident)
KY state tag; $120
LBL permit $20 (additional $5 for backcountry camping permit)
energy Lake Campground fees;
$22 per night 30 amp hookup
$12 per night no electric
So it would be $280 for lic and tags. That would be 1 buck and 1 doe , or 2 does in LBL, plus 1 buck and 1 doe, or two does anywhere else in the state of KY. There are close by WMA's that could be accessed for all of you guys that tag out in LBL. :) seriously though, that price can potentially get you 4 deer, two being bucks. Some of you may live close enough to the state border to utilize the state tags at a later date. northern KY along the Ohio river is lousy with deer, and has the highest harvest rates in the state, and several great public lands. I'd like to see a big crowd show up, I think it would be lots of fun !
There is actually a gathering of fellows there that call themselves West KY Trad Gang, Im going to work on them as well.
John looks like you can buy a one day non resident license for $15, or 7 days for $55. I can gurrantee you'll get some action with squirrel, they are constantly blowing my cover for me. I love squirrel hunting, but just never could cook one fit to eat, so I let them alone. They need a serious thinning there though.
I understand John, its why I only hunt in Kentucky. Out of state tags are pretty cost prohibitive, Colorado being the exception. The scenery there is worth the cost of admission. You can hog hunt in Texas, no license. I need to do that again. Am thinking about febuary.....
I figure that sign has been there since sometime in the 60's, It is marking public and private land boundaries, and as far as I know, it was all public by the 70's. I ever get a chance ill post more pics.
