Kentucky WMA's

[PoorMansWrangler]

Hey everyone,
Decided to try my first out of state hunt this year, planning on heading to Kentucky from Ohio. Went down to a couple WMA's this past Monday and did some scouting. Heard a few birds, saw a few, and found some sign. Was hoping to bounce a couple of questions off people if possible.

Any ideas on the pressure these WMA's get, particularly on opener? We have a decent drive, and will get there as early as needed, but if there are going to be 20 trucks in the lot behind us, we may re think our strategy. We targeted one area that seems to have limited spots for vehicles, and a gate at the entrance, but there are other access points that could make it get western.

Also, this is my first time hunting hill country of any kind. Terrain at these WMA's seems to be primarily ridges that are more open, with thicker bottoms. Bottoms seem to thick for turkeys to use, but not sure. Typically will the turkeys roost on the ridges and pitch down to the bottoms, or vice versa?

Finally, there is an unmaintained road/logging trail that cuts lengthwise alongside of one of the areas we looked at. We found some tracks alongside the road, will turkeys walk these roads? We were thinking about trying to get close to a roosted bird but setting up alongside the road since it is more open, and we found tracks on on the road.

Appreciate all the help, and I am sure I will have more questions as season comes closer. Feel free to pm me as well if that's easier, not trying to burn any spots up 

[RemingtonRules]

I would rethink your strategy

[ScottTaulbee]

Probably not the answer you're looking for but I'm in KY. Our WMA's have seen such an increase of OOS pressure the past 2 years that it pretty much isn't even worth fighting the crowd and going. WMA I grew up hunting, this was last year, after 9 am on a Thursday, 6 days in to our season. 1 of 4 gates on this place


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[deadbuck]

That is nasty, worse than Mississippi

[ScottTaulbee]

Hunted KY since the 80s.  Lived near LBL from 95 to 2004.  Go east and try and find something in the Daniel Boone.  My knees can no longer do the DB but if mid season and weekdays you can't find someplace to hunt you're not looking hard enough.  Good luck.

As you can tell from the above photo, we don't have nearly enough hunters here and I believe in hunting local populations of turkeys in to extinction as much as the next guy until the local hunters have nothing to chase but 49 and the memories of turkey feathers. With that being said, from my understanding you're in Florida?. Would you mind to drop a couple spots around your house on a public forum that you'd like to see void of turkey in the next few years?. Me and 200 of my closest neighbors would love to take in your local WMA's scenery.


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[kytrkyhntr]

Put me down for a ky turkey pin even swap for a Florida pin... since we're all making deals here

[runngun]

Messed up part is YOU know that someone has ALREADY sent him a message!!! BET!

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[Tom Threetoes]

Get there plenty early and be prepared for someone to come in on you!

[Kylongspur88]

We're out of turkeys. Sorry.

[countryboy3006]

Every time I have hunted on a WMA here it looks like it has more trucks than turkeys and I try to hunt midweek.

[PoorMansWrangler]

Appreciate the help! We are going to swing the bat at see what happens, may get lucky and stumble upon one

[kytrkyhntr]

Good luck. If you're going where I think you're going.. half of Ohio is there so you should see plenty of familiar faces.

[Kylongspur88]

Where in the 708,000 acres available in the DB would that be?  Just curious.  I'm a curious guy.

There's a lot of the forest that isn't huntable. It's either landlocked on all sides by private property or just inaccessible because of terrain. It's also not a game rich area because of terrain and the lack of habitat diversity. There were only 1153 deer killed there last year and 627 male turkeys. That's less than were killed in several individual counties. But if you do go to the forest it's good to know Wolfe county search and rescue is the absolute best in the business.

[kytrkyhntr]

Hey Joey, hilarious once again... but I will be willing to bet you that Daniel Boone is not what is being inquired about.... You've done enough help dropping county names.

[Kylongspur88]

Always glad to oblidge.   When someone is willing to research these landlock areas they aren't really inaccessible.  Unlike BLM land most NF land has easements.  A gate and No Trespassing sign is often phoney.  OnX really has changed the game.

That's simply not true. I don't know how it works where ever you're from but people would do well not to go poking around on posted property in Eastern Kentucky. In other words don't come up my holler.