Looking for hunters in the northeastern part of Kentucky to talk shop. Interested in hearing everyone’s stories and experience with whitetail hunting in the area! Truth is I’ve been struggling but it may just be me. I’m hunting public land for the first time in my 15 years I’ve hunted. Grayson lake wma has not been kind to me this year lol so let’s hear it guys!

Well I'm not quite north eastern, I live in Louisville, I hunt some private land and actually have found great spots at taylorsville lake WMA, Knobs WMA and I have friends that say they always see deer at Twin Eagle WMA.

I have been drowning in deer this year, one of my best years ever. Every time I go out I see plenty of deer and have close encounter shooting opportunities. I hunt on the ground exclusively and public land deer are hypervigilant, meaning I get caught...still fun though.

What are your WMA haunts?

Just saw in the latest Kentucky Afield they opened a new WMA in Maysville, called Simon Kenton WMA. 981 acres. I don't hunt public, but if I did I think my strategy would be to hike into the spots no one else will. Most hunters around here seem to be pretty lazy. From the map I have it doesn't look very accessible by road, which is a good thing. I hunt private farms in Lewis, Bracken, and Campbell county. We see good numbers in Bracken and Campbell, not so much in Lewis. Just not as many deer down that way, Grayson is pretty close and would expect the deer numbers are pretty similar.

Just saw in the latest Kentucky Afield they opened a new WMA in Maysville, called Simon Kenton WMA. 981 acres. I don't hunt public, but if I did I think my strategy would be to hike into the spots no one else will. Most hunters around here seem to be pretty lazy. From the map I have it doesn't look very accessible by road, which is a good thing. I hunt private farms in Lewis, Bracken, and Campbell county. We see good numbers in Bracken and Campbell, not so much in Lewis. Just not as many deer down that way, Grayson is pretty close and would expect the deer numbers are pretty similar.

I have hunted the same farm since 1977. A few years ago the owner and good friend of mine passed on. The farm was sold and I found myself for the first time since I started hunting with no place to hunt. I have thought about Grayson wma but have not hunted it yet. What are you struggling with, is it no deer or is it a hard place to hunt??? Looks like I will be hunting public land also...opr8r

Though I live in Shepherdsville now, I lived in the Louisville area for most of my life. Haven't hunted much public land in years as I own property in Grayson county and that's where I hunt. I used to hunt Ft. Knox a lot back many years ago before it got so screwed up due to security issues after 9/11.Back then most of the post was wide open and we used to roam all over. Hunted the Yellowbank WMA a lot and had good luck there but you had to hike to good areas to get away from the crowds. The old Knob State Forest WMA was a good place to hunt that had lots of deer, it was about 4,000 acres of land the Fish and Wildlife dept. leased from BernHeim forest, but they closed it down after the roads and trails got torn up when the 4X4 craze hit in the late 70's, local 4X4 clubs would go in there wheeling after a good rain and they tore that place up.

Sammyg, do you still hunt in Knobs State Forest WMA? I love how beautiful the land is, but every time I have gone there I didn't see many deer. I am planning on going there this weekend because other WMAs are having quota hunts.

I am looking forward to the challenge. Such a beautiful place but hard to succeed in such a tough hunting environment.

No I've never hunted it. The Knobs State Forest you are talking about is the newer one that's been open for just a few years. The one I mentioned I hunted back in the mid 1970's and up till they closed it. The Knob State Forest I hunted was about 4,000 acres that was actually part of Bernheim Forest that fish and game leased from them to create the WMA. But it's been closed for close to 30 years I'd guess.As a matter of fact that was where I got my feet wet when I first started bowhunting. I can remember well hiking into parts of that place with my old Redwing Hunter in one hand and a Baker climbing stand on my back.

Eastern ky is tough. Central is much better, more open land and farm land. Mature forrest is just not good whitetail habbitat. They need edge. You may need to travel west a bit. Taylorsville has good densities, and Veterans has the best in the state. Ky river wma, kleber, rich, all good as well. These mentioned have the best harvest rates for their size as any in the state.

There can be edges in fully forested areas. Lots of them in the big woods of Pa but you need to know what to look for within the big woods itself. Creek beds, thick areas of undergrowth, old cuts, laurel patches, thick pine patches, oak groves. Best to spend some time there and learn those edges that you can't see otherwise.

I respectfully disagree. It statistical fact deer densities are lowest in eastern ky. 50/50 woods open fields has a much higher carrying capacity that 95/5 woods and open. The harvest numbers do not lie. KDFW also does nighttime thermal counts from helicopters, even if harvest rates dont tell the tale LBL is a classic example. 107,000 acres 95% forrested that has way lower densities than all the land surrounding it.

I respectfully disagree. It statistical fact deer densities are lowest in eastern ky. 50/50 woods open fields has a much higher carrying capacity that 95/5 woods and open. The harvest numbers do not lie. KDFW also does nighttime thermal counts from helicopters, even if harvest rates dont tell the tale LBL is a classic example. 107,000 acres 95% forrested that has way lower densities than all the land surrounding it.

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