Next month will be a first for me on a few different levels. The 2nd half of September will be spent chasing bugles on a tough to draw tag in Idaho. This hunt has been a lifelong dream. But before I embark on that, I'm going to try and tackle some public ground in Kentucky the first 4 days of their archery deer season. Any pointers on what you guys key in on? Illinois always opens Oct 1st, and it's green fields and acorns, but this will be the earliest I've ever chased whitetails....and public land to boot. Open to any and all suggestions. I'll be internet scouting and arriving a day early to put boots on the ground. Should be fun (and hot) regardless!!!! Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk
What public land are you planning to try and what are your goals? I assume that you aren't just trying to get meat for the freezer. I can tell you what I key in on but it may do you zero good depending on where you are going.
We'll likely be in the NW portion of the state, along the Ohio River. There are a few options, and it makes the most sense for us travel wise. Goals are just to have a fun hunt. I've never shot a velvet buck, so that obviously would be the top goal, but I'd honestly probably still take a doe if it felt right to me. Sent from my LGLS992 using Tapatalk
If you are going to take a boat.... take a look at the Livingston WMA. There is some private land AG nearby which you might be able to key in on if as I hope and suspect the acorn crop is weak. We've had a lease the last few years just down the river from that and there are some good deer there. You'd have a decent chance of seeing deer 130"-150". Hunt green fields or CRP edges or AG edges in the afternoons and stay around water if you can. I wouldn't normally hunt mornings but in your circumstance it wouldn't make sense to skip them. Try to slip in and hunt near suspected feeding areas and don't expect the deer to travel to far from food back to bed. They probably won't travel more than a few hundred yards. If the area you are hunting allows it throw out 100 lbs of corn in a spot with the best deer sign that you find and then hunt it for your afternoon sits and stay away from it in the mornings.
I don' hunt KY but I do hunt NJ in early September. I hunt travel corridors between bedding and feed sources, usually soy beans or corn on the public ground I hunt, especially in he evening. Mid day I hunt near water sources.
I'd say travel corridors in between bedding and food sources. Also, if you can find an area where white oaks are dropping heavily you can key in on that. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
