State-Journal.com – The gift that keeps giving

By LEE MCCLELLAN/Kentucky Afield Magazine

Our family has a big Christmas celebration every year where everyone brings a gift, but doesn’t know who will get it. Some of the gifts are things you actually want; some of them are white elephants.You draw a number from a hat. Then, when they call your number, you pick a gift from the pile on a table. I’ve received a Chia Pet, a singing Christmas wreath and a ceramic pig. I choose terribly just about every year – and my gift picking ability is now a running joke.If you want to give someone who loves the outdoors a gift that he or she will actually like, then log on to fw.ky.gov – the website of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources – and click onto the Kentucky Afield Store tab.The “Kentucky Afield” television deer processing DVD is one of the most requested and popular items at the Kentucky Afield Store. This DVD shows you how to quickly and easily field dress, skin and debone your deer, and then convert your harvest into steaks and roasts.Now, in a unique holiday package, you get the deer processing DVD, a one-year subscription to Kentucky Afield magazine and the 2010 Kentucky Afield calendar all for just $15 – a savings of $8. This video alone costs $13 while a one-year subscription to Kentucky Afield magazine is $10.The Kentucky Afield calendar will include a list of Kentucky’s Top 100 typical and Top 100 non-typical deer. Log onto fw.ky.gov and click on the Kentucky Afield Store icon to purchase this special holiday package.There is an additional shipping and handling charge of $4.50 for the DVD. This offer is available only through the Kentucky Afield Store site.A unique stocking stuffer that will surprise the big game hunter in your family is an elk hunt lottery application. Each application costs $10, and may be purchased as a gift. Elk hunt lottery applications go on sale Tuesday, Dec. 1. Applications are available online only at fw.ky.gov.The resident Sportsman’s License is the perfect gift for the outdoors enthusiast who does everything. This license includes the combination hunting and fishing license, a trout permit, spring and fall turkey permits, statewide deer permit and the state waterfowl permit which also covers dove and other migratory bird hunting.This saves the purchaser $50 over buying each of these permits and licenses separately. This is one of the most appreciated gifts for the serious hunter and angler.A trip to the “Kentucky Afield” store at fw.ky.gov reveals other good stocking stuffers. Three caps featuring the Kentucky Afield logo superimposed upon the state of Kentucky are $16 apiece.The modern gun deer, rabbit or quail hunter in your family will appreciate the blaze orange hat, while the archery deer or waterfowl hunter will like the camouflage version. A plain version featuring the logo and state upon a tan background with a green bill is also for sale.Try some of these gifts for the hunter or angler in your family. These gifts will be used and appreciated throughout the year. Unlike a Chia Pet or a singing wreath.Hint, hint.

via State-Journal.com – The gift that keeps giving.

The stage is set for waterfowl – The Courier-Journal

Local conditions are great; now it’s all up to the weatherBy Gary Garth • Special to The Courier-Journal • November 21, 2009 Comments Waterfowl hunters won’t have to contend with drought conditions when goose season opens Monday throughout most of Kentucky and duck season opens statewide Thursday.The wetlands are wet this year. Foodstuffs are plentiful.What the birds will do, of course, is anyone’s guess. Ducks and geese are among the most unpredictable of all wild critters.At the Sloughs Wildlife Management Area in Henderson and Union counties, where veteran WMA manager Mike Morton has returned after a brief retirement, around 6,000 ducks and a couple thousand geese including about 700 Canada geese are already using the lush habitat.Related Kentucky waterfowl season dates and limits Kentucky waterfowl season dates and limits“We’ve picked up a lot of ducks recently,” said Morton, who expects a busy opening day for both ducks and geese. “Of course, a lot of what will happen during the season depends on what the Ohio river does and what Mother Nature gives us.”Weather and water are the most volatile variables in waterfowl hunting. What most hunters want nature to deliver is enough snow and freezing weather north of the Ohio River to drive birds south, and moderate weather locally to keep lakes, sloughs, creeks and swamps from turning into ice.Ducks and geese that have easy access to food and open water typically don’t wander up and down the flyway just to satisfy their curiosity.If the birds cooperate, the Sloughs WMA will provide varied hunting opportunities. The area allotted 34 waterfowl blinds by preseason draw; 26 of them were seasonlong assignments, and eight were for two- or three-day hunts. As in past seasons, any blinds not occupied by the permit holders at least one hour before sunrise become available to standby hunters.In a change for this season, buoys will mark six assigned blind locations in the Grassy Pond area. Hunters will be allowed to use boat blinds at these six spots. Boats must be within 25 yards of the buoy markers.“We had a lot of requests for hunters wanting to use their own stuff,” Morton said.About 5,000 acres at Sloughs are accessible for open hunting — no check-in, no standby. Blinds must be at least 200 yards apart, and all hunters must be off the property by 2 p.m. CST. Click link below for full story!

via The stage is set for waterfowl | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal.

Kentucky waterfowl season dates and limits | The Courier-Journal

Ducks, coots and mergansers: Statewide Nov.26-29 and Dec. 7-Jan.31. The daily duck limit is six, including no more than four mallards (one hen), three wood ducks, two redheads, one pintail and one black duck. The bag may include two scaup and one canvasback. The daily coot bag is 15. The daily merganser bag is five, including no more than two hooded mergansers. Possession for ducks, coots and mergansers is twice the daily bag.

Canada geese: Nov.23-Jan.31 statewide except in the Northeast zone, where the season is Nov.26-Jan.3 and Jan.19-31. Daily bag is two, possession limit four.

White-fronted geese and brant: Statewide Nov.23-Jan.31. Daily bag limit is two white-fronted geese and two brant. Possession limit four of each.

Snow geese (including Ross’ geese) regular season: Statewide Nov.23-Jan.31. Bag limit 20 per day. No possession limit.

Snow geese (conservation order season): Feb.1-5 and Feb.8-March21 in the Western, Pennyroyal/Coalfield and West-Central zones; Feb.1-March 31 in the Eastern zone. No limit.

Youth water hunt: Feb.6-7 in the Western zone. Regular bag and possession limits apply to all species.

Kentucky license and permit requirements

Resident hunters ages 16-64 must have an annual hunting ($20), combination hunting/fishing ($30) or one-day hunting ($7) license along with a Kentucky waterfowl permit ($15) and a federal migratory bird stamp ($15).

All hunters ages 12-15 need only an annual youth hunting license ($5).

Resident seniors 65 and older and disabled hunters of any age need a Kentucky senior/disabled license ($5) and a federal migratory bird stamp.

Nonresidents 16 and older need an annual ($130), one-day ($10) or five-day ($40) hunting license along with the state waterfowl and federal migratory bird stamps.

State hunting licenses and waterfowl permits are available at all license outlets and at www.fw.ky.gov. The federal migratory bird stamp is available at post offices.

Indiana waterfowl season dates and limits

Ducks, coots and mergansers: Ohio River zone, Nov.28-Jan.24. South zone, Nov.25-Jan.14. The daily duck bag is six, including no more than four mallards (two hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, two scaup, one black duck, one pintail, one canvasback and one mottled duck.

The coot limit is 15, and the merganser limit is five (two hooded mergansers).

Canada geese: Ohio River zone, open through Jan.31. South zone: Nov.25-Jan.28. Daily limit combined zones is two geese.

Snow geese, brant and Ross’ geese: Open in all zones through Jan.29. The daily limit is 20 for snow geese and Ross’ geese.

White-fronted geese: Open Jan.31. The daily limit is one.

via Kentucky waterfowl season dates and limits | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal.

The Morehead News – Respect landowners this modern gun deer season

One of the deer hunter’s common laments is not being able to find a place to hunt. Kentucky is roughly 95 percent privately owned, so finding an accommodating landowner can be the toughest part of the deer hunting equation.The challenge is even more daunting if you follow a rude, disrespectful hunter.“Respect the landowner and conduct yourself with class and you’ll be allowed to hunt again,” said Tina Brunjes, big game program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “If you treat their land disrespectfully, not only will you not be allowed back, but you’ve effectively barred others from hunting there in the future.”One of the easiest things to do is pack out what you brought with you. No landowner likes to walk across their property and see soda cans, wrappers from trail mix bars or spent brass laying near where you set up a tree stand.Always close any gate behind you. Cross fences at the post, not in the middle between posts. A landowner that spent several thousand dollars in new fencing will be hot if they happen upon a section broken down by a hunter crossing it. The best plan is to go through a gate if one is available, even if you have to walk a ways to use it.“Don’t drive across crop fields or through mudholes,” Brunjes said. “This is one of the things that can make a landowner really mad, especially driving across crop fields. Think about how you would want a visitor to treat your land and act accordingly.”Retrieving a deer from neighboring property can cause tremendous friction between the landowner and his or her neighbor. “Don’t set up your tree stand or hunt near the property line,” said David Yancy, deer biologist for Kentucky Fish and Wildlife. “You must have permission from the property owner to go onto their land to retrieve a deer or you are trespassing.”Disposing of the internal organs left over from field dressing a deer can be problematic. “Be discreet about where you dispose of it,” Yancy said. “Place it behind a tree or a log and away from any trails or roads. They disappear quickly. Raccoons and other wildlife eat them up.”Few landowners would enjoy having high-powered rifles fired near their home or other outbuildings, especially if they have children. Don’t hunt near these structures.Use a climbing or ladder stand for your hunting. Refrain from using devices that require drilling into a tree. Don’t nail steps to a tree to get up in a stand. Drilling or gouging trees causes stress and gives an entry port for parasites and diseases to attack the tree.Also, pay close attention to the location of cattle, horses or other livestock on the land. Always identify the target and look for what is behind it before you pull the trigger.Keep these things in mind this modern gun deer season and you will help keep private land open for all deer hunters. The modern gun deer season opens statewide this weekend, Nov. 14 statewide. Gun season closes Nov. 23 in Zones 3 and 4, while Zones 1 and 2 remain open to modern gun hunting through Nov. 29.For more information on deer hunting, consult the 2009-2010 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available free wherever hunting licenses are sold. The guide is also on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife web site at fw.ky.gov.

via The Morehead News – Respect landowners this modern gun deer season.

Kentucky Waterfowl Hunting- Kentucky Game And Fish

Our waterfowl seasons for widgeons, mallards, geese and more start just around the time when most folks are bellying-up to a plate full of turkey. (November 2009)

By Paul Moore

It’s almost that annual bird day again. That means Thanksgiving Day, and for most folks, it conjures up thoughts of pilgrims in funny hats, a house full of family and friends, and a luxurious feast of carved turkey with all the trimmings. However, for many others across Kentucky it puts images of other birds in mind, for Thanksgiving Day is the annual opening day of the state’s regular duck season. Soon thereafter is the opening of goose season. Can’t you feel the excitement?

The harvest results from last season are still being tallied, but early indications are that there was a lot of variation across the state. Some hunters had an excellent year, while others felt somewhat stymied by conditions and bird movement. The drought earlier in the year played a large part in hunters’ success.

Many areas where good waterfowl hunting normally occurs had water levels that were much lower than usual. In some cases, this concentrated birds in available water sources and led to great shooting for area hunters. In other areas, the birds simply were not present in good numbers, so hunters there generally fared poorly.

Early indications this year were that the resident goose population might be down some. If we get a good push of migrants, that might not be an issue. However, since resident birds make up a good percentage of our annual harvest, hunting success could be down some this fall. Duck numbers continue to be good, so if we have good water levels and a kiss from Mother Nature, this season should yield some good days for waterfowlers.

Although there are plenty of places across the state for waterfowling, it’s hard to know which one will be hot at a particular time. To help out, though, here’s a look at three spots to consider this season for ducks and geese. Click Link for Full Story!

via Kentucky Waterfowl Hunting- Kentucky Gamd and Fish.

Reward Offered For Information On Weekend Poaching Of Three Elk In Bell County

Frankfort, Ky. – Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officers are seeking information about the weekend poaching of three young bull elk in Bell County and are offering a reward for the information.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett has authorized a reward up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons who shot and killed the three elk Saturday on top of Redbird Mountain, located off KY 66.

State Fish and Wildlife officers say witnesses saw an elk fall, then spotted two more dead elk as they approached the first animal. The witnesses also saw two other persons approach the downed elk, then turn and leave the area.

The officers immediately opened an investigation and recovered several pieces of evidence, including ballistic evidence.

Persons with information are encouraged to contact Bell County state conservation officer Sgt. Ray Lawson at (606) 499-3520, or the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife poaching hotline at 1-800- 25-ALERT.

via Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources – Reward Offered For Information On Weekend Poaching Of Three Elk In Bell County.

Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources – Two Christian County Poachers Caught After Nearly A Year

Frankfort, Ky. – Resolute determination and a timely tip from a local citizen helped Christian County Conservation Sgt. James Nason close a deer poaching case last week, just three days before the statue of limitations on the charges would have expired.

Two Christian County men entered guilty pleas Monday, Nov. 16, in Christian District Court to charges related to killing a deer on the day prior to the 2008 firearms season opener and then Telechecking it one day later as if it were a legal kill.

Chris Brown, 28, of Hopkinsville, and his father-in-law, Sammy Gilliam, 55, of Pembroke, pleaded guilty in the poaching of a Boone and Crockett Club trophy class white-tailed buck. Brown admitted poaching the deer out of season and then illegally Telechecking it a day later, while Gilliam pleaded guilty to assisting Brown after the kill.

Telecheck is a system used by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife for hunters to report their game harvest by telephone.

Nason said he had been aware of the poaching for quite some time. But it was information he received from a community member during last month’s muzzleloader deer season that allowed him to seek arrest warrants for Brown and Gilliam.

Brown and Gilliam each paid fines and court costs of $409. In addition, Brown received a 30-day jail sentence that was probated for two years. He also forfeited his deer rifle, the mounted deer and was stripped of his hunting privileges for two years. Gilliam lost his hunting privileges for one year.

via Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources – Two Christian County Poachers Caught After Nearly A Year.

The Most Dangerous Game

The Most Dangerous Game

By Steve Miller Outdoor columnist

I remember reading an article in Outdoor Life magazine about the most deadly animal. I expected it to be grizzly bears or some exotic African safari animal like a rhinoceros, however, I was quite surprised when it was revealed to be the whitetail deer.

With the masses planning on hitting the woods and fields tomorrow for the first weekend of rifle season, it is important to remember the dangers associated with hunting.

The injuries and deaths resulting from deer hunting are not directly from deer themselves, but the large population of hunters seeking deer.

Tree stand accidents and vehicle collisions are the main culprits, while weapon-related incidents, starvation, dehydration and stress resulting from getting lost and deer attacks add to the statistics.

It is no surprise tree stand injuries and fatalities top the list.

Hunters climbing trees, most often under the cover of darkness, hampered by gear and exposed to the elements are asking for trouble if caution is not used. Once in the stand, hunters perch on a small bench seat and rest their feet on a small platform.

Here are some tips for staying safe in your tree stand:

•Wear a safety harness. This is your only insurance to avoid a 15-20 foot fall if you make a wrong step in a tree. They are inexpensive, stay out of the way and give peace of mind when you get in position to take a shot, allowing you to focus on your aim rather than your balance.

•Have a good way to get in and out of your stand. Most accidents occur while climbing the tree. Do not skimp on adequate footholds along the way. Always keep three limbs anchored as you climb. A stand easy to get in and out of will allow for quieter entering and exiting.

•Do not fall asleep. This is common sense, but often hard to do when you get in a stand in the early hours before dawn. Nodding off while waiting for safe shooting light or deer to stir is common, but it is also when most falls from the tree occur.

•Always check the stability of the stand and climbing mechanisms. A number of hunters will go to their stand Saturday for the first time since last season. Normal weather conditions can weaken trees and limbs. Last year’s ice storm could have damaged the strength of your perch, too. Frequently inspect the integrity of all components of the tree stand and the tree itself. It only takes one piece of the system to fail and cause a ripple effect which could result in a fall.

Some other things to remember: Never climb with your weapon. After you are secured in your harness and in the stand, pull up your bow or gun with a tether. Tell people where your stand is located, so if you fail to return, they will know where to look. Carry a cell phone and make sure you can get to it if you do fall. In some cases, an injury leaving you unable to walk will result.

Tree stands are not the only hazards hunters face. Firearm safety, forest navigation and general first aid are all factors hunters should be well aware of.

You often forget the risks associated with deer hunting, especially if you only do it once or twice a year. Sometimes you get caught up in the tactics of taking a big deer and forget about your own safety.

Deer also are a threat to non-hunters outside of the woods this time of year. Vehicle collisions increase as the rut gets closer.

You can expect deer to be chasing at all hours of the day. Slow down, keep a watch on the roadway sides and if you see a deer, expect it to run out in front of you and anticipate more in the area.

Often injuries to you and damages to your car result from rash swerving to avoid a collision.

While the deaths and injuries inflicted from deer and deer hunting are not a product of the animal itself, there are plenty of ways to injure yourself and spoil a good hunt. ­­

Contact Miller at steven.miller@murraystate.edu.

via The Murray State News – The Great Outdoors 11-13-09.

The Murray State News – The Great Outdoors 11-6-09

Putting down the rod

By Steve Miller Outdoor columnist

The woods of Kentucky are on the brink of explosion.

While I have been on the water more than in the woods during the last few weeks, the deer have taunted me with all the activity that accompanies the rut.

Every morning, like clockwork, it never failed. With the boat behind me on the way to the lake, I saw all the signs that the full throttle action of the rut is here: bucks shadowing does along the roads, sparring on field edges in the evening and making rare midday appearances out in the open and away from protected sanctuaries.

As the climax of the rut nears, deer will become more and more unpredictable. Their preoccupation with mating will make them to drop their guard.

Bucks will chase mates around the woods with no daily routine or pattern. During the weeks or days before the peak, however, deer are still vulnerable to unpredictable movements. Setting up a stand over good rubs or scrapes is the closest thing to a sure bet in the first phases of the rut.

The dominant bucks believe they have some breeding ownership over the females in their neck of the woods. A buck marks his territory by rubbing his antlers against trees along the boundaries of “his” area. With a mature buck, the marks on a tree look more like he used a chainsaw and not his antlers. This is a clear sign to other bucks: No trespassing!

Scrapes are areas on the ground where bucks paw the soil with their hooves. They vary in size from as small as a foot-and-a-half wide to sometimes seven or eight feet. During the first phases of the rut, deer visit their rub or scrape lines at least once a day. They prefer to mark routes from bedding areas to food sources.

Therefore it is logical to assume they will stop and tend to scrapes and rubs on their way back to bedding areas in the morning and on the way to feeding areas in the evening.

Setting up a stand over these buck territories makes sense, but it’s not as simple as just picking a tree and waiting for a mature deer to walk by.

First of all, bucks will approach the area from the downwind side because they may not even need to come close but will smell the scrapes from a distance to interpret the activity.

Secondly, the deer will be vigilant to signs of competition moving into their area, so a grunt call can bring a deer lingering on the edge of safety into shooting range.

The buck’s sense of smell also heightens from checking the scrapes and rubs for the presence of hormones from does or other bucks.

Twenty years ago, research claimed scrapes were used for bucks to be able to find out when a doe was in estrus or getting close to estrus.

Recent research I have studied claims this is not the case. Many still believe does will urinate on a scrape and pheromones in the urine communicate breeding readiness.

Whatever school of thought you choose to believe, scent concealment is important. A good tool to use is doe-in-heat and dominant buck scents. They will not only cover your scent, but will also serve as an attractant.

I consider these first phases of the rut the best time to shoot a mature deer worth adorning your wall.

Right now, deer are easier to pattern than they will be during the peak of the rut when they may travel miles in search of a mate.

I can no longer ignore all the signs telling me it is time to put down the fishing rod and pick up my bow.

A full moon, cooler temperatures and fallen leaves send clear signals to the deer and the deer hunter. It’s that time of year and buck fever has hit me full bore.

The lake will just have to wait until I get some relief in the way of climbing a tree stand and watching the magic of fall abound in the theater of the woods.

Contact Miller at steven.miller@murraystate.edu.

via The Murray State News – The Great Outdoors 11-6-09.

Kentucky’s modern-gun deer-hunting season opens Saturday | The Courier-Journal

Modern-gun season for deer set to open By Gary Garth • Special to The Courier-Journal •
Deer season has been open since September, and archers, crossbow hunters, muzzleloader hunters and youngsters who participated in the October youth hunt have already bagged about 20,000 whitetails.That’s a good start and one that’s put a smile on Tina Brunjes’ face.“It’s been an average harvest so far, but I’ll take that,” she said.Brunjes is the large-game program coordinator for the state game agency. Part of her job is to guide the policies that keep deer numbers under control while offering hunters optimum hunting opportunities.Deer action will ramp up across the state around sunrise Saturday, which is when the modern-gun season opens. Gun season will run through Nov.29 in zones 1 and 2 but closes Nov.23 in zones 3 and 4.State game officials expect about 252,000 or so hunters to swarm the woods this month. Brunjes said that number is based on license sales and the knowledge that about 90 percent of Kentucky’s deer hunters gun hunt the rest are assumed to be archery purists.How many deer the hunters will sack is unknown, but Brunjes expects about 82,000.“That would be about average, but I’d take more. Especially more does.”Most of the action will happen opening weekend. Hunter success or lack thereof will largely hinge on a couple of factors: Weather and the availability of hard oak mast acorns. Click link below for full story!

via Kentucky’s modern-gun deer-hunting season opens Saturday | courier-journal.com | The Courier-Journal.

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