Outdoors

By Lee McClellan

Ky. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources

After downing a limit of doves at the opening day dove hunt, you feel confident you'll get another limit this coming weekend.

After setting up in a favorite spot near a dead tree in the early afternoon, you wait for groups of doves to come into the field. Instead, a swift gray bird comes in from behind at a 45-degree angle. You raise your barrel, swing and fire, not puffing a single feather on the dove that quickly swerves away, out of danger.

Would you believe that only 40 years ago there were only a few thousand whitetail deer in the state of Kentucky? State, not one county.  It is hard to believe with the number being in the hundreds of thousands across the Bluegrass today. The growth is truly a testament to the hard work of many to make such a growth in population occur. 

Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources report

Wildlife watchers can help researchers track and monitor the health of Kentucky’s deer herd.

“For years, the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study Group has tracked outbreaks of EHD – or epizootic hemorrhagic disease – in deer,” said Tina Brunjes, deer and elk program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “The public can assist researchers by reporting sick animals and pinpointing locations.”

By Art Lander, Jr.

Ky. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

Establishing small plots of clover throughout your hunting area can pay big dividends during deer and wild turkey seasons.

Summer is a good time to start preparations for an initial planting in the fall.