Guided or self guided KY elk hunt???
Kentucky
Finally got drawn for a KY elk tag. Have been told that the archery cow tag is the hardest tag to fill. Would love to do it on my own. I do know a guide would make it easier. If anyone has experience with KY elk or the areas in the restoration zone, please give some feedback. Would love to have success, especially in my home state.
I drew a non resident archery bull tag last year. My wife and I went DIY and scored on a really nice 6X6 on the second morning and it was my first chance to hunt elk. The KDFW should send you a CD that will give you a lot of information on how to hunt there, but most importantly the locals know how hard it is to draw a tag and they were more than happy to give advice on where to go and where they had been seeing elk in the area we were in.
The area we hunted was very open and what we did the first afternoon was get up on a high hill before dark and watched the elk come out of the timber.They would feed through the night and would move back into the timber next morning close to where they came out. (we actually learned this from two KSU students that were tracking and studying the elk and just happened to end up on the same hill we were on that afternoon to watch the elk. They said we were in a good place and we should hunt there the next morning.) With a little stalking and some calling from me on the bugle and my wife behind me with push type cow call I arrowed him at 38 yds at about 8:30 am.
If you can, take a trailer and plenty of heavy duty rope, a come-a-long or 4 wheeler winch and you may be able to get it loaded without cutting it up.(two game wardens actually helped us do that and they provided the rope.)
We saw plenty of elk without paying the high price for a guide.
Good luck and have fun!
the hunting success rates are real good so i would go unguided as long as you have a plan to get the elk out. if you have enough time to scout before season you should do just fine.
