Kentucky’s ‘Muy Grande’ Of The Year – North American Whitetail Magazine

After he and his hunting companions got a trail camera photo of a giant non-typical, Robert Taylor thought that he would never see the buck again. But strange things often happen in the deer woods, and Robert ended up shooting a true BlueGrass megabuck.By Bill CooperEvery year, hundreds of whitetail hunters across the country make decisions to join or organize a hunt club, to acquire a new hunting lease, or to request permission to hunt a particular farm site or tract of timber. They may even book a guided or semi-guided hunt, or apply for a license drawing in a special hunt unit. Reasons vary, but there is always the underlying hope that the new location or experience might provide the opportunity to take a true trophy-class buck.It was a windy, rainy afternoon in Butler County, Kentucky, last Nov. 14 when Tennessean Robert Taylor encountered the huge buck that his group had nicknamed “Muy.” The 29-point whitetail scored 249 6/8 non-typical B&C points, ranking fourth on the state’s all-time non-typical list and making him the third-largest buck ever taken by a hunter.To some degree, nearly everyone is affected by the old adage “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence,” and there is no denying that part of the whitetail mystique is tied to the intrigue of hunting new and different locations. So last year, when Tennessee resident Robert Taylor was invited to join several friends on a Kentucky hunting lease, he readily accepted for a variety of reasons.NEW HORIZONS”I knew the group had hunted the lease for two years,” Robert said. “Although there wasn’t a single deer killed the first year, they reported seeing a number of impressive-looking young bucks, and during the 2007 season one of the guys shot a deer that grossed over 150. It seemed like a good situation and I really enjoy hunting different areas. And knowing all of the other hunters in the group made the decision pretty easy.”continue article In August, several weeks after placing trail cameras at various sites on the property, the group received its first inkling that the upcoming deer season might be something special.One of the cameras had recorded a photo of a buck with antlers the size of which defied description. In fact, from that time on, the buck was referred to as “Muy,” a shortened term for Muy Grande.”It would be an understatement to say that Muy was the subject of a lot of campfire discussions,” Robert said. “However, that single instance provided the only photo we had of the buck prior to the opening of bow season, so we naturally assumed the big deer just happened to be passing through the property. I honestly don’t think any of us really believed there was much chance of actually getting a shot at a buck that big.” Click link Below for full story!

via Kentucky Trophy Buck.

Tree Stands Improve Hunting Success, But Demand Safety

Nov 05, 2009

Frankfort, Ky. – Tree stands can give deer hunters an edge. Fifteen feet off the ground, it’s easier to see a deer and more difficult for them to see or smell you. But hunters need to take precautions whenever they use a tree stand.

“Tree stand falls are a substantial percentage of our hunting incidents every year,” said Will Connelly, a hunter training officer with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

Eight hunting incidents have been reported to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife this year. Two involved falls from tree stands. Neither of the injured hunters was using a safety harness. Most falls can be avoided if hunters attach themselves to the stand with a harness, especially while they are climbing up and down.

“The number one thing hunters need to do is use that full-body harness – bottom to top and top back down again,” Connelly said. “For ladder and lock-on stands, there are methods to do that, but that’s where a lot of people take chances.”

Hunters should also observe the three-point rule: Keep three points of your body in contact with the ladder at all times. This means while climbing, move one hand or one foot at a time, but never two at once.

“Don’t carry anything up, make sure your hands are free,” Connelly said. “That means no heavy backpacks that could knock you off-balance. Use a haul line going up and down.”

Haul lines are attached to the tree stand or a sturdy nearby limb. Hunters secure their bow, pack or unloaded gun to the line, climb the stand and then pull up their equipment. Using a haul line can help prevent falls and ensure that, if a fall does occur, the hunter doesn’t fall on his or her gun or bow.

Tree stands that are put up at the beginning of the season and taken down at the end are far safer than permanent stands. Nails loosen, wood rots and time takes its toll on stands left up permanently.

“My recommendation is don’t use permanent stands at all,” said Connelly. “But if somebody’s going to get in one, they need to be very careful. Take a ladder and double-check the steps without having to actually get on them.”

Finally, tree stands aren’t the only way to hunt successfully. Hunters, especially those who are afraid of heights or have trouble physically climbing into a stand, can use a ground blind instead.

Kentucky’s modern gun deer season opens Nov. 14 statewide and closes Nov. 23 in deer zones 3 and 4, and Nov. 29 in deer zones 1 and 2. For complete hunting regulations, pick up a copy of the 2009-10 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available online at fw.ky.gov and wherever hunting licenses are sold. Hunters who plan to hunt wildlife management areas should be sure to review public land tree stand use regulations on page 17 of the guide.

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