Higginson Henry WMA

I will be bowhunting in Kentucky November 7-12. Looking for any advice I can receive on this management area. Thanks in advance.

Get ready for a crowd

I've got 2 buddies that will be there at the same time. I've been once. It's very hilly but I think you hunt north Alabama so it'll be similar to mountain hunting. Don't get excited about the sign you see cause it's gonna look like a buck war zone up there. Giant rubs and scrapes everywhere so don't stop at the first scrape you see. I liked hunting thick funnels where multiple ridges came together. If you think it's too thick it's not. In my experience once you got high enough in the tree you could see good down in it. There are a lot of horse trails that will lead you far off the main roads. These are great access points. Also don't be discouraged if you have people walk in on you during your hunts cause it's gonna happen! All the pressure seems to keep the deer moving all day.

Thanks for the info. Yes I heard about the crowd, until gun season opens then it thins out big time. I also heard they have a ton of ticks?

Ticks should not be an issue, that's mainly early-season and turkey season. Crowds will still be bad even after the gun opener.

Don't get caught up thinking that there will be tons of people up there. We were up there last week of Oct and first week of nov and we never ran into one person. We saw some trucks but never saw one hunter in the woods. All we had ever been told was that there would be tons of people and we would be walked in on all day, so it doesn't necessarily mean you will be wrapped up with people. Enjoy it, it's a really nice piece of property.

Are things as packed as usual this week? Any rutting activity?

I’m headed that way in the morning. I will let you know.

Good luck JD. I really liked the place. You won't know what to think up there. You're use to hunting Bankhead where you'll see a deer once every four hunts. You shouldn't have any problem finding deer up there.

No acorns and deer not rutting yet. I got some scouting in this afternoon. Try to hunt and scout tomorrow. They are moving like crazy before dark. I believe some of these deer are pets. Lol. I did see a 140” fifty yards off the road eating green grass right out of the WMA. This place is different hunting, due to they will bed anywhere.

Glad they aren't hot just yet. Hopefully they'll get going for you. We'll be there next week.

The rut is happening, just may not be evident yet. The peak conception dates for most of KY is the very middle of November, so just a week out. Bucks should really be on their feet right now picking up those first few does. It's as predictable as the sunrise every morning.

And yeah those deer will bed down wherever they are and whenever they feel like it. I've watched them drop and bed anywhere they please.

I got $50 bucks on Joey, any wagers?

I'll put up $50 says he gets one before Nighthunter does!!

My opinion on this management area so far. It’s over run with deer and is a big ass man drive all day. If you kill a big buck it’s not because you figured him out and killed him. This is not my kind of hunting, but I’m going to make the best of it and put together a plan today. Or better yet 3 plans.Lol. I’m seeing does with little ones, and no bucks pushing them. The browse line is noticeable in places and it’s November. I have met pissed off people. I have seen more people than squirrels. I have seen loc ons from years past. I have seen deer bedded in ditches. Dead deer all along the sides of the roads from Nashville to here. With all this said, if I kill a buck it will be pure luck and won’t mean much to me. If they allowed guns, someone would get shot by accident. This place is 10 times better than Cades Cove! I may have a different perspective on this place by tomorrow, but as for now it sucks. Oh one last thing 40 vehicles x 3 people per vehicle= 120 humans on 5500 acres that love to walk around.

Dang you have no faith in Jerremy.

You do know him right? You could try spoon feeding him a B&C and it would miss his mouth.

Lol

Told you. I'll be honest I haven't been back in a couple years because of this. I had a guy walk in on me in jeans, red flannel shirt, a cooler, and a crossbow. He would sit down on his cooler drink one beer and move 100 yards, drink another beer and move 100 yards, and on and on.

Sent you a PM JD

Maybe I need to try that drank and stalk. I’m going scouting now. We will see what I come up with.

I’m betting H&H goes to the extended rut quota hunt like is being experimented in KY on another WMA. I have a good source that said it’s being discussed, or at least it was.

It needs to happen. The only push back may be some of the local businesses around Morganfield.

I've heard the same from some KY staff.



You know the only reason I go on hunting trips is to smoke, drank and rejoice...

We may decide to hunt IN if it's that bad again. Last year sucked too.

I got walked in on twice in 4 days. Different wma, but slightly less crowded. You absolutely will not find a spot that someone is not willing to walk to. Not these places I got to with a kayak. In a straight line, the closer place measured 2.13 miles from the parking spot.... Smdh. I know what you're going through.

The best thing you can do is find a pinch point and sit daylight to dark.

Everyone is going deep, so I have decided to hunt right on the hi-ways. Driving slow finding main crossings, jump in the woods 40 yards. We will see what happens? I’m finding beds 30 yards off the main paved roads and jumped some also. These pet deer may be smarter than I give them credit.

Those deer get hunted the whole season as if it was an Alabama wma gun hunt. They are definitely smarter than you're giving them credit for. The defining difference is that a 3yr old up there will be 130"+, so it makes the likelihood of running into a goodun much better.

Few does are coming in. I just seen a decent buck chasing a doe. Guy in our group killed a small 8pt chasing a doe yesterday morning and we seen a hoss chasing a doe last night headed to the camp.

Nighthunter, Have you hunted Indiana? I'm really thinking of trying to make that dream come true and take an out of state hunt next year.

I have several years ago but not in the area we are discussing now. I hunted private land not too far from Salem IN. It was great hunting but too far to drive very often.

We are looking at hunting some land right across the river due N of H&H.

The times i been there you get back to the motel and have these grown men bragging on a lil 1 year old buck they killed that at the time should have put them in the slammer . The potential is unreal there , i saw a 170 inch buck that was much of a deer a guy killed with a crossbow .

Good luck Joey! Hope you smoke a bruiser!

Report I'm getting is it's going off right now. Buddy killed a smallish 10pt this afternoon, and said they've been seeing more deer than the last 3 years, bucks chasing does everywhere

Yes we are seeing chasing. Just no shooters have got close enough to shoot.

Yea my buddies hunting Kentucky are saying they are covered up in bucks the last few days.

Wounded a 130” when he hit my wind he stopped on a dime, with only the back half visible at 30 yards and me in a panic. I tried to put one right through the center of his body in front of his hind quarter. Well I was off by 2” and hit the front part dead center of his hindquarter. Sounded like I shot a .22 when it hit that bone. I Only got 2” penetration and tracked him 70 yards. I didn’t get in his body. Oh well I still have a buck tag! Maybe tomorrow will bring better luck.

I know all too well how you feel

Skipped hunting this morning for some scouting. Scouted so much I got a blister on my heal and got lucky and caught a ride back to the truck with an Aldeer member. I’m back where I pissed off the big one from yesterday morning. It’s a good spot, but not for the lazy hunters.

Finally heard a deer grunting while chasing, but couldn’t see him. You got to get lucky and be in the right tree.

This is my last hunt. The crowd has thinned out also. Just had a 6 pt. Trailing a doe, but she would not let him get close. I have found a few places to get away from people and that’s where I started seeing most of my deer. I done way more scouting than hunting so next year I won’t be so lost. Going to sit one more hour before I get out of here and go load up.