Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Elk Hunting In Kentucky

I was lucky enough to draw a cow tag in 2010. Shot a 500 lb. cow with a .308 at a little over 100 yds. She went about 20 yds. and went down. The hunt was in Knott Co. on reclaimed strip mine land. We located a small herd and stalked to within range, much like in the West. Very enjoyable hunt and not too strenuous.

By the way, the hunt area covers a 16 county area and in 2010 there were 800 permits issued out of a little over 60,000 applications. Last year, the announced number was again 800 permits, so good luck to those who apply.

Was your hunt on public or private land and did you hire a guide?

Private land, and yes I hired a very knowledgable guide. Rates vary a lot so be careful there. If you get drawn, pm me and I'll be glad to share info.

I appreciate that.

I have been applying the last several years but no luck to date. If you need a gunbearer or skinner give me a call!

From the F&G Website there will be 900 tags this year (2012). I got drawn for a cow tag several years ago and haven't drawn since. The herd is very healthy. But I agree it is probably the easiest elk hunt you will ever do if you get drawn.

Well TN only is issuing 5 (yes five total) tags per year, and one of those goes to an auction. Of course our herd is still an infant. But it has 5 tags/yr since the hunting was started 3yrs (I think) ago.

As mentioned above, most of the good KY habitat is on or near strip mine reclaim. I missed a church mission trip a few years ago, but our hosts took the rest of the group out in the evening. Late June, they saw 30 to 40 elk grazing in the evening within 200 to 300 yards of the vehicles on multiple evenings.

AS stated above, difficult part is drawing a tag. I have applied most years (including years when they only drew 10 tags total). Still have not been drawn.

Feeling lucky ? If you are deer hunting in any of the non-elk-zone counties, you can legally shoot any elk that has escaped the elk-zone, provided you have a valid deer tag. Might be higher probability than being drawn.

Having hunted both Eastern KY, and Colorado, for sure the mountains are taller and the air is thinner in Colorado. But, in KY, the hills can be just as steep. And in warmer weather the humidity will melt those who are unaccustomed to it. "Easy" is always relative...

Good luck to all who have applied in both KY and CO !

That is good to know about the deer tag for the "escaped" elk.

I think I saw an article posted here a while back about a guy who did just that. He killed a 5x5ish bull with his deer tag.

Regarding taking an elk with a deer tag, according to the regulations and I am copying " Hunters must follow deer season and equipment regulations to take elk from any county not included in the 16-county elk restoration zone and must have an out-of-zone elk permit." By the way, the State requirement on firearms is .270 caliber or larger for elk. Just a little more info.... Cost of resident elk permits is $30.00 and for non-resident it is $365.00 whether in-zone or out. Good luck guys. I'll be trying again too.

lastround is correct iirc you use to be able to take stray elk outside of the zoned counties pretty freely early on but that has changed in the past couple of years so if you don't have one spotted( as it is frequenting your cattle feeder on a county just outside of the zone)it would be a long shot on locating one and shooting it . Having said that they do travel quite a distance outside of the zoned counties and stray individuals have shown up in odd places on occasion. I have seen some of the elk and previous poster are correct in that they are concentrated largely on controlled strip mine sites in the eastern KY mountains and yes they are steep. I have not developed too much excitement for the elk project as most of the hunting is pretty controlled and mostly like shooting park deer. On the strip mines they are quite use to vehicles and human activity from the mining that often is still going on and you can generally drive to within 50-100 yds and get out and observe them with little reaction from the elk. Also the terrain on the mines is rolling enough that a man on foot can usually stalk to within a short distance and then peek over the crest of the ridge and have a good chance at a close shot. I do know of one area golf course that has electric fences around the greens to keep the elk away.

Just applied today....good luck to all. No luck yet, maybe that'll change this year.

I am a Kentuckian. I have hunted WY, CO, MT and ID. Kentucky hunting is the easiest of the 5.

I participated in the first 7 or 8 KY seasons as an observer. The available of harvestable game was astounding from the beginning. 300 class 6x were common.

At the time I understand there are a number of 6x7 to be found, and an occasional 7x8. One biologist supposed had four 7x7 named.

The hunt is definitely worth the trip. Unfortunately I am no longer hunting, and have no current knowledge of good locations on public land. Historically the reclaimed strip mines have been very good to the hunters.

Sounds like Kentucky not only has plenty of elk but plenty of BIG elk.

They are big. On one trip I made the biologist actually talked about how big the elk grew on the abundance of forage that is available and the relative light winters compared to the west. IIRC he indicated that they averaged a good 10% larger than their Rocky mtn cousins. he also told me that they wanted to maintain the herd at about 12000 animals. with a life expectancy of 7 yrs. and a herd conception rate of 90% and a 90% survival rate to maturity for the calves you can see that to maintain their herd #'s they will be having to harvest quite a few elk a year. A good idea of the terrain etc can be seen on you-tube just key in Ky elk hunting.

Here are some pic's from the last couple of years...These Elk moved in on the property I deer hunt.

Those are some nice critters. Are you in the elk zone or could you go the out of zone permit route?

Yes I'm in the Elk zone...I put in every year,but haven't been lucky enough to draw a tag yet.

Here is a picture that I like.