With the help of hunters, Kentucky can keep its trophy deer ranking high. Kentucky deer hunting statistics for the 2022-23 season. He turned his head in my direction and turned it back straight. The county's largest non-typical on the Pope and Young record books measured 167 1/8, and Boone and Crockett's largest for the county measured 204 inches. The velvet monster, which had 48 scorable points as well as over 300 inches in length, was a major event in 2001. I want that to be a rack but must be brush or a pile of sticks, or something., Settle got out his Bushnell Powerview 7-1525 binoculars for a better look. Where to find Record size deer It was a solid season from start to finish, said Noelle Thompson, deer program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Ground Zero: Kentucky's Record Bucks - Game & Fish - Game & Fish Those who did not harvest an antlered deer with a statewide or youth deer permit may take one antlered deer and one anterless deer, or two antlerless deer with a deer management permit. It had run about 70 yards from where it was shot before it hit the dirt. Average white oak and red oak acorn production also played into hunters favor.. The next step is to investigate that states hunting regulations, unit breakdowns and tag options available for that area. During this season, hunters are allowed to use any weapon of their choice, including rifles, shotguns, pistols, and bows. The bag limit is two deer, and only one of those deer can be antlered. Derek Settle solo hunted a monster buck thats sure to make the record books and is quite possibly the biggest buck ever taken in Kentuckya state that is known for its booners. CountyOffice.org does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Settle was able to get an official SCI Green Score on the incredible buck, which came in at a whopping 311 2/8 inches. Then, on August 28, 2020, weeks before the archery season opened, the buck visited Settles property for the last time in a long while. "So it's productive habitat. The whitetails 27 scoreable points taped 230 1/8 inches non-typical Pope and Young (gross green score). "I love it when a plan comes together:" Thomas Allen may have missed a day-starting coffee and chill time, but his planning before a recent turkey hunt in Minnesota had him ready when gobblers showed up earlier than expected, and just before an April winter storm blew in. "We want every entry to have the most precise harvest or find location as possible," says Justin Spring, the Club's director of big game records. Likewise, five other counties on the top 20 deer-density list had fewer than 1,000 taken, but scored very well using that parameter as an measure of herd size. That got that bucks attention, recalls Settle. Rockcastle County is located in Zone 2. Using harvest numbers versus the number of square miles of habitat as an indicator, Logan County entered the top 20 counties for highest density, while Scott County dropped out. Send us your best photos for a chance to be featured. After a record season, the chances of topping it the very next year are normally slim. It may surprise you that hunters took nearly half those deer over the past seven seasons alone. The deer population has increased naturally, and the hunting opportunities provided by these counties have increased as well. Mooney called his father, waited 10 minutes, then climbed down and walked to the truck. Hunters got on track and took very nearly the minimum 125,000 deer that KDFWR biologists would like to see harvested each season. He was still in early velvet, but I could just tell he had a lot going on under all that fuzz., The deer returned to the mineral plot at different parts of the day for nearly six weeks. If you want to allow public hunting on your property, you should apply for a hunting permit. They offer extremely limited habitat, compared to other more rural counties in this region. From all indications, the 2007 season should give hunters the same opportunity to be successful, reach that magic mark and help keep the herd in balance and in check. Even with the buck in his sights, Mooney still had to make the shot. That makes the hunting tougher for with bow or gun. I never told a soul about him. I just kind of put him in the back of my mind. For one thing, the state doesn't limit buck tags in any way. During some periods of the season, that may mean no hunting of antlerless deer with a firearm, so be sure and check seasonal regulations for all the details. If youre interested in taking advantage of the states exceptional hunting opportunities, its simple to obtain a hunting license. He has worked for The Arizona Republic, The Associated Press and The South Florida Sun Sentinel in addition to working as a travel reporter in Central America and Southeast Asia. To prevent this from happening, the department encourages hunters to take does, especially in the higher density Zone 1 hunting areas. Still, it's worth asking: Does the biologist feel the top areas for bowhunting trophy bucks are likely to change any time soon? Big deer are a common sight in Kentucky, and the bluegrass region is a great place to hunt them. But overall, the Bluegrass Region was responsible for adding about 3,000 more animals to the total statewide harvest than was the Green River Region. The deer must enter the drying stage before the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife can post the official score. one lone county topped the 1,000 deer-per-county harvest minimum we use to help determine the better places to find numbers of whitetails. All Rights Reserved. The property hunted wellreally well. Even while juggling recent fatherhood and a hectic work schedule, Mooney managed to execute the perfect hunt. Overcrowding means less food and smaller antlers. All information obtained from KDFWR website. This record-breaker could also potentially rank as the number-three non-typical in the entire state. These Major League Fishing pros share the best tips and advice they've ever received. Read The Next Article: 22 Great Bucks from Deer Season 2022. There is no definitive answer to this question as the size of bucks can vary greatly depending on the area of Kentucky that you are looking at. Gordon Whittington goes home to central Texas armed with a modern flintlock rifle, with a twist. It's a question a lot of wildlife biologists and trophy hunters in other states probably have asked themselves. In 2013, the county set a new record for deer kills, with 4,069 being taken, which was more than any other.