2023 Kentucky Elk Draw

[Beaglegun]

Getting a good regulated area is everything

 

[Buffalo0922]

The words Kentucky Elk Draw just sound like a scam

Seriously awesome how opportunities are opening up in the south!

 

[Beaglegun]

The words Kentucky Elk Draw just sound like a scam

Seriously awesome how opportunities are opening up in the south!

It's hard for someone out west to believe but, these strip mines are massive and if properly reclaimed, are awesome for elk and very similar to western hunting. Problem is, after a mountain is completely scalped, there is very little existing soil. Mostly rock and poor subsoil. It becomes totally vulnerable to evasive trees and plants that can thrive where natives cannot. Autumn olive and sericia lespedeza dominate and grow very rapidly and drop gazillions of seeds with no way to control it. Great elk habitat soon turns into a growed up hog mess that is impenetrable and wont carry a flame and if they do burn, people freak out cause they are scared they will loose timber money.

 

[TravisIN]

It's hard for someone out west to believe but, these strip mines are massive and if properly reclaimed, are awesome for elk and very similar to western hunting. Problem is, after a mountain is completely scalped, there is very little existing soil. Mostly rock and poor subsoil. It becomes totally vulnerable to evasive trees and plants that can thrive where natives cannot. Autumn olive and sericia lespedeza dominate and grow very rapidly and drop gazillions of seeds with no way to control it. Great elk habitat soon turns into a growed up hog mess that is impenetrable and wont carry a flame and if they do burn, people freak out cause they are scared they will loose timber money.

All the reclaimed stuff around me is the same way. There are pockets of great habitat but mostly void of nutrients for critters. You can tell the ones that did things the right way and it’s spectacular, but if not it’s useless. Coming from a pro coal and former coal
Miner so not hating on the mining but if they strip mine they better be held accountable for reclamation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[badbowtie15]

Is there even anywhere legit to hunt in Kentucky now, outside of using outfitters? I didnt apply this year as it seemed like it would be tough to access any decent ground with any real chance of success as DIY>

I hunted KY elk last year. The outfitters hunt 95% public ground with the same access that you or I could.

 

[badbowtie15]

The draw was yesterday was anyone else successful?

I’m very excited my son drew a youth elk tag. He’s 15 so this is his last year of youth eligibility and there are only 25 youth tags given out.

I drew a cow archery tag here when he was 8 years old and he was by my side for that entire hunt. We had a blast back then and now I can’t wait for him to get a shot at a big bull.

I hunted KY elk last year. All i can say is that you should reset your expectations from 7 years ago. The KY elk herd has drastically changed. The guides and outfitters are beyond frustrated with the management of the herd and decreasing opportunities. The harvest statistics from the last 5 years reflect this tremendously. Opportunities are few and far between. Everyone just walks around and mumbles about how good it 'used to be'

 

[KHNC]

I hunted KY elk last year. The outfitters hunt 95% public ground with the same access that you or I could.

The outfitter you hunted with may have hunted accessible ground, However, MOST do not. They hunt leased property mostly. Typically they hunt the areas where the coal mines were. I have hunted KY for whitetail since 2001. There is not a lot of good public elk ground in Eastern KY. Nearly all is leased. How did your hunt go? What outfitter?

 

[FlinGrin75]

New to the forum and am guilty of lurking. I have lived in KY for 15 years and have applied for all 4 tags (used to be archery was separate for bull/cow) every year. This year I drew a cow tag second week, I'm very excited.

I'll be honest. I have read multiple threads and forums on the KY elk hunts. I am really trying to figure out if it is that bad (management, access, herd location, etc.) or something else. I had a friend draw a bull elk tag a few years back and we spend a few weekends scouting and a full week hunting (unsuccessful). But, it was freakin awesome! We saw elk (IN KY) and had bugle wars, and smelled elk, etc. etc.

I'll post back after the hunt and maybe my tune will change. If those of you who wouldn't mind sharing info, I'd love to hear your take.

 

[Beaglegun]

I hunted KY elk last year. The outfitters hunt 95% public ground with the same access that you or I could.

The only "private land" that will hold elk, is just other strip mines not open to public hunting. You are only gonna find elk on strip mines from my experiance. I believe mining companies hold on to some of these reclaimed mines to allow "voucher tag" hunts for employees or people of higher importance and $$$

 

[FlinGrin75]

Ok, I said I'd revisit after my hunt. Here goes... (reminder this was Dec 30-Jan 3 cow elk hunt)
1st: I was not successful.
2nd: I'd do it all over again. For sure now with the knowledge I've gained by scouting and hunting for a few weeks.
3rd: As someone stated above, "reset expectations" might be a good way to put it, but in my experience what is most important is the location of where you are looking for them. Importantly, the amount of elk sign (and presumably elk) that I observed actually on a mine was almost zero (none). I saw elk, beds, rubs, piles of poop, etc. etc. (even fresh poop in my day-old footsteps), but it wasn't on a mine. It was in the forest. Remote, limited access (meaning public but you have to walk to get there), and hard to hunt locations (lots of cover on all sides, hunting wind difficult, elevation between points A and B). My first scouting trip in November included several days of glassing and walking several ages of reclaimed mine sites. I was very discouraged. I cut one set of tracks that had scat that looked weeks old at best. I really wanted to see elk here because I felt like they'd be easier hunt in open ground. Likely the case but no dice.

Granted, I did not shoot one. But, I did get within 60 yards of elk, unfortunately this was while I was scouting just before the hunt. So, unless you find a mine that has managed a sweet cover crop, I wouldn't spend any time there. These mines do offer an advantage in terms of logistics for access to public lands and in some cases might shorten distances for packouts if you were successful. But, unless you want to watch feral horses frolick, they don't offer much in my experience. Maybe elk use these more in early season when forage is greener and mast is not available? Perhaps I am the fool for thinking you can kill one of these E. KY elk in the forest. But, I did get the jump on many deer, several bears, turkeys, a bobcat and some coyotes and in hindsight I probably hunted too hard in a limited area and these elk were just too savvy for me to kill.

The hunt was difficult. I camped in a remote location, hunted all 5 days strait (except for last 1.5 hours of last day when I found myself closer to camp than unhunted ground) and hiked too many miles to count. I lost 10 lbs and don't regret one second of it. I am now more stoked to shoot an elk and will bide my time until I can apply again.

 

[The Mahcanik]

Ok, I said I'd revisit after my hunt. Here goes... (reminder this was Dec 30-Jan 3 cow elk hunt)
1st: I was not successful.
2nd: I'd do it all over again. For sure now with the knowledge I've gained by scouting and hunting for a few weeks.
3rd: As someone stated above, "reset expectations" might be a good way to put it, but in my experience what is most important is the location of where you are looking for them. Importantly, the amount of elk sign (and presumably elk) that I observed actually on a mine was almost zero (none). I saw elk, beds, rubs, piles of poop, etc. etc. (even fresh poop in my day-old footsteps), but it wasn't on a mine. It was in the forest. Remote, limited access (meaning public but you have to walk to get there), and hard to hunt locations (lots of cover on all sides, hunting wind difficult, elevation between points A and B). My first scouting trip in November included several days of glassing and walking several ages of reclaimed mine sites. I was very discouraged. I cut one set of tracks that had scat that looked weeks old at best. I really wanted to see elk here because I felt like they'd be easier hunt in open ground. Likely the case but no dice.

Granted, I did not shoot one. But, I did get within 60 yards of elk, unfortunately this was while I was scouting just before the hunt. So, unless you find a mine that has managed a sweet cover crop, I wouldn't spend any time there. These mines do offer an advantage in terms of logistics for access to public lands and in some cases might shorten distances for packouts if you were successful. But, unless you want to watch feral horses frolick, they don't offer much in my experience. Maybe elk use these more in early season when forage is greener and mast is not available? Perhaps I am the fool for thinking you can kill one of these E. KY elk in the forest. But, I did get the jump on many deer, several bears, turkeys, a bobcat and some coyotes and in hindsight I probably hunted too hard in a limited area and these elk were just too savvy for me to kill.

The hunt was difficult. I camped in a remote location, hunted all 5 days strait (except for last 1.5 hours of last day when I found myself closer to camp than unhunted ground) and hiked too many miles to count. I lost 10 lbs and don't regret one second of it. I am now more stoked to shoot an elk and will bide my time until I can apply again.

I was contemplating putting for next year. Living in VA its the closest opportunity I have. Your hunt and the replies in other threads arent very encouraging.