KENTUCKY – If you are like me and don’t have a 300 acre farm or a family farm, or an expensive land leased to hunt and fish on, you have to make the best out of using Kentucky’s public land to enjoy all your outdoor experiences, such as deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunting and camping.
Think of it this way, Kentucky has a lot to offer in public recreation and boating. In the Western Kentucky region, Land between the Lakes area has some of the best of both worlds when it comes to hunting, fishing, boating and even camping or trail hiking. Kentucky also has several Wildlife Management Areas (WMA’s) that offer extremely good deer and turkey hunting opportunities, along with fishing options.
Fort Campbell Military Reservation, near Hopkinsville, has some great turkey hunting, plus they offer a bonus turkey tag that doesn’t count towards your regular Kentucky tag limit. For more info on this hot spot, you can contact them at the Hunting Shack at 270-798-2175, for all the requirements to enter the post area. There is a permit fee and several rules to follow due to the fact that it is an army base, but it might just be worth the extra effort for some.
Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area can be contacted at 270-924-2065 at the Golden Pond Check-in Center for further details and information.
I have personally hunted both of these areas and they are excellent for exploring great hunting or fishing possibilities.
The most popular fish to go for during the spring or summer season are Bass, Crappie, Bluegill, Catfish and/or Striped Bass. Also, in the far Western Kentucky area, the Ballard County Wildlife Management Area is excellent, and all-around a good Sportsman’s Paradise. Located just West of Paducah, it is a drive worth taking just to visit the waterfowl refuge there, and to witness thousands of Ducks and geese. It’s a trip to take on any given day for the family.
Near the Greenville and Central City area, the Peabody WMA area is also one of my favorite spots to hunt and fish, due to the fact that the roads are accessible to most of the nearly 50,000 acres of old strip mine land. There is excellent deer, turkey, rabbit and coyote hunting opportunities there all year. Several small lakes are accessible by gravel maintained roads, but use caution while entering the areas due to rough terrain. Some areas may be very rocky due to the strip mine land that has not been reclaimed.
You will need a permit to enter the Peabody WMA and all the info can be attained by checking it out in the Hunting and Fishing guide, or the website of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife at fw.ky.gov .
If you want a place to get out and enjoy the great outdoors, there are no other places that may compare to Kentucky, other than Alaska. But, there are no turkeys in Alaska. We have Whitetail Deer, turkeys, elk, small game and hundreds of fish species. Kentucky is your sportsman’s paradise, from Ashland to Bardwell. We have it all right here in the Bluegrass State.
If recommend that if you are planning a trip to the outdoors of Kentucky, make arrangements and plan early for your event, as a lot of campsites are already booked up for the year. Make a difference this year and enjoy Kentucky’s great outdoors.
Fish of the Week – This big bass, pictured here, was caught by Rod Decker of Rockport, KY on Guntersville Lake in Alabama last weekend. Rod told Big Country that it was cold, but that he had a great time.
If you would like your fish to be featured as Big Country’s fish of the week, send photos and information to Randy Adams at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Until next week, I’ll see you on the water or in the woods.
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