I hunted Land Between the Lakes Kentucky 2 November 2013 - 6 November 2013. I stayed at Energy Lake Camp ground. I would highly recommend this place to anyone heading to LBL. The people there are really nice and helpful. They have firewood and ice on site. Firewood is 6 dollars a bundle and a 22 lb bag of ice is 4 dollars. They have concrete picnic tables and fire rings in the primitive camping areas. That is where I stayed.

When I arrived on Friday I got camp set up and went to scout a place i found by using topo maps and maps that can be found on lbls site. Here is what I found while scouting




This was a few hundred yards behind the corn field



In the corn field there was a low laying area where the deer could walk and not be detected








My view of the low laying spot





I chose to set up where i could see down the low laying area and hope to catch them walking through to feed. I woke up at 0430 sick a coughing up that nasty green stuff so I decided to cook breakfast and try and get all of that out I could. So I didn't get in there is about 0700 set up. I hunted until 11ish and had a doe blowing about 200 yards in the opposite direction from where the pics of the tracks are. I had a good wind so I am not sure what she was flowing at. That was about 0900.


That afternoon I decided to follow some advise from a guy that worked for the forest service. I got there at 1400 and got dressed and started to walk in at 1415 I jumped 3 does bedded on the side of a hill. I decided to set up near there in case they made there way back that way or maybe a buck would be cursing through looking for a hot doe. I did not seed anything from this stand.




On my way out that night I stopped and talked to a father and son that had been hunting the area. He told me that they had seen a few deer but nothing like in years pasted and he had been hunting there for 15 years. He asked me if I was gonna be here for a few days and I told him I was and he told me that I should hunt the area he just came from. He said there were scrapes and rubs all over this area and then he told me where to go. So the next morning that is where I sat. He was correct about the sign in that area good rub lines and scrapes found a cedar about 4 inches around with a fresh rub. But again I didn't see any deer.

My set that day




The far left marker is where I jumped the deer. The next one is where all the sign was. The fields are soybeans and there is a green field toward the top.




This afternoon I decided to put some miles on and get to a spot in between 2 ridges with for water and bedding close. No luck




The next day I decided I needed some meds so I slept in a little bit and went to the store and go some meds.I decided to go back to the corn and hunt some thicker stuff based on advise from some aldeer members. I got there and saw a guy walking back from doing some scouting. I talked to him for a while about what he had seen. He was a local and told me he had seen a few but nothing like years past. He showed me some pics from early season of a monster that was prob in the 160-170 class. He told me that picture was taken in the area I had hunted yesterday.


This is the second set from that day I sat from 1100 till 1400 in one spot and took some advice from alder members to move into something thicker. This is the thicker set.





The next morning I decided to move in the direction the deer came from. I got up early and go to where I wanted to park and realized I left my boots at camp... So after going back and getting them it was 0630ish by the time I got back and sat up.

Found this on the way in




My view for this set

[img]http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj576/Grizz4x4/null_zpsa51b5274.jpg[/img]


Left to right my sets. 1. 1100-1400. 2. 1430- 1730 3. Good deer trail 4. Day one hunt over corn looking at low laying spot.

[img]http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj576/Grizz4x4/null_zps9cf797de.png[/img]

I stayed that night but when I got up at 0430 the wether was calling for a storm to hit about 0800 so I decided that I better just get a little more sleep and get up and get camp packed up so that I could get home.

Over all I think this was a good trip I met some awesome people up there I got to see a 8pt a guy killed on his second day there it was a basket rack 2 year old. (my best guess anyway) But he was happy with it and I was happy for him.

His deer

[img]http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj576/Grizz4x4/null_zps1d68e85a.jpg[/img]

Lessons learned

From the guys that were seeing deer everyday they were in the hard woods on long fingers looking for deer using the military crest method. ( where you walk as close to the top without silhouetting yourself)

Kentucky hunting is as easy as I thought it would be.

It is really hard to be successful in a new area like that when you just have one person it is better to go with a decent size group so you can spread out and find the deer.


I hope that this helps someone that wants to go hunt lbl. It is a beautiful place and i will be back. If you were commenting on my LFTT Kentucky thread and trying to help me I really appreciate your trying to help me.

IDK why the last pics did that I tried to correct it with no luck

Sounds like you had fun even without killing a deer. That's what it is all about. Having said that...since you have paid your dues sort to speak, maybe the next trip will give up some meat for the freezer and some horns for the wall! Good luck and I enjoyed following your thread while you were there.

I've hunted LBL before, and can understand the frustration. That said, LBL is a beautiful place, and I'll hunt it several more times (hopefully) in my life. Successful hunting always requires some luck, even though we do our due diligence and prepare accordingly (hunting with the wind, etc.). You can't really fault yourself if you did everything the right way. Sometimes the deer just don't cooperate...

So, if you've still got the tag in your pocket, when are you going back this year to hunt again?!!?

Thanks for the story. I would love to go do that. the primitive camping and all. Maybe next year a group of us could get together and go. Ive heard stories of the ticks at LBL, did you have an issue?

Hate your trip didn't go better as far as getting on deer. I've had thoughts of going up there next year, but if I do, there are some other places I think I'll try first. I'll go to a bow ONLY place that don't have even a one or two week slaughtering with rifles or shotguns. I'm sure that place is crawling with trigger happy people those weeks and would affect the population over time. Also, if I go, it'll be to kill a BIG deer. If you put the miles in it sounds like you did, at this time of year, you should have found at least a few shownuf big rubs if it has enough big deer to come close to killing one on a 3-5 day hunt. Thanks for the detailed thread. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Good luck back here in ol bammy.

Thanks brother and I want to hunt Ft Campbell and season closes there on the 30 of Dec so if me and my buddy can get it together and I can get some leave ill go again maybe after christmas. If not then I will go and hunt LBL again in Jan. If you want to go get with me and well get a plan together




I am game! Glad you enjoyed the story




Thanks man. And I figured I would have too... But I guess it just wasn't in the cards for me this time. But All the locals I talked to said the same thing. No deer and the rut was late. The buck that was killed wasn't rutting yet. And if you want to go let me know and well get a trip together!

I had a great time. I love hunting because it is a challenge thats why I keep at it and I'll do it as long as the good lord allows me. I am glad you enjoyed it.

I'm up here now. As you know, zero phone service that's why no lftt. I've seen a small 5pt the first evening, 2 does the next morning and nothing this afternoon. But, I will say this, the flippin' coyotes cut loose dark every night so far. And I don't mean one either. I mean from every holler. I think it has the deer at bay. I really do.

That is a fact jack ever night when i climbed down I was surrounded which is why i swaped from what I normally carry (XDS 45) TO my XD 40 for more capacity.


But I did not think about that having an effect on deer movement but I would bet it is playing a role. Good luck man I hope you smack a monster!