Newbie friendly hunt around Lexington, KY? (2024)

FAQs

Where is the best place to hunt deer in Kentucky? ›

Hunting in Kentucky

Here in the land of Daniel Boone, hunters can roam beautiful forests, rolling open fields, and spectacular mountains in search of deer, bear, elk, and turkeys. Kentucky boasts the largest elk herd east of the Mississippi River.

“Every county in Kentucky has produced trophy whitetails and continues to do so annually,” said Kyle Sams, deer and elk program biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. “However, I would focus on the Green River Region counties, where we typically get more trophy whitetails.

Since 2000, Hart County has emerged as the top producer of trophy deer. Kentucky's other top areas for big bucks over the past seven seasons include Casey, Henderson, Lewis, and Grayson counties.

Target the point where the deer's body lines intersect, just behind the front shoulder. Landmarks on the deer – like the lung area, shoulder blade, and heart – are your keys for a successful shot. You're aiming through the deer, targeting an exit through the opposite shoulder, this maximizes damage to the vitals.

Everyone knows the Bluegrass is famous for horse racing, but there are so many other ways to satisfy your sports cravings while in the region. Home to the University of Kentucky, collegiate football and basketball attract nationwide attention.

Hunters may take up to one antlered deer and three antlerless deer, or four antlerless deer using the statewide deer permit or youth deer permit. A hunter may take as many deer as allowed for each zone. In order to take more than four deer statewide, an additional deer permit must be purchased.

1947-1976: Bear Bryant and Fran Curci

Went to the Orange, Sugar, and Cotton Bowls in '50, '51, and '52: the three most prestigious bowls UK has been to. They won the latter two, defeating #1 Oklahoma 13-7 & #11 TCU 20-7. Defeated North Carolina 21-0 in the 1976 Peach Bowl, which was not a prestigious as it is now.

Do I need a license to hunt my own land? If you are a Kentucky resident hunting on your own property, then neither you, your spouse nor your dependent children need a license or statewide deer permit to harvest a deer.

How do I start hunting in Kentucky? ›

Hunter Education Law

​In order to hunt in Kentucky, anyone born on our afte​r January 1, 1975 and age 12 or older must carry a Hunter Education card in their possession while hunting. The KDFWR now has a permit that allows someone to hunt without a Hunter Education card for up to one year.

Baiting with corn is always a highly recommended source for whitetails and remains as one of the best product choices out there.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife owns, leases or manages more than 85 wildlife management areas (WMAs) for public use. In some areas, a user permit is required. It also has agreements to provide public access on certain privately owned lands, known as Hunting Access Areas.

The 2020 statewide estimate is 933,089 deer at the start of the 2020-21 hunting season, which is <1% increase from 2019-20 (930,613). However, the 2020 population estimate was 13.6% above the 10-year average (821,608).

Some hunters in eastern Kentucky counties have reported seeing fewer deer during the 2020 deer season. Additionally, public observations of telecheck data have further raised concerns among some stakeholders about a possible decline in the deer population in these mountain counties.