50 years in Colorado- Relocated to Kentucky not a joke for real

[Lab]

Grew up and lived my whole life in Colorado. Moved to Kentucky for love. No haters here, HAHA!
Elk hunted my whole life and have taken some decent bulls but excited about the possibility of a 350-400 class bull here in Kentucky.
Now that I am a resident what are my odds? I have heard that each county gets so many allotted tags. Also its a 90/10 resident to non tag allocation.
Any kentucky hunters out there that have some insights.

 

[HighDesertSage]

My sister and her family left CA for KY, and couldn't be happier. I left CO for Iowa a few years ago. I think we will continue to see a trend of people chasing a more reasonable cost of living. Good luck to you, I know my sis really likes KY.

 

[rmyoung1]

Best of luck with life in Kentucky. Odds of getting a bull elk tag in their draw is really tough though. Statewide, I think they only gave out like 350 bull tags in 2022. Over 50,000 residents applied, I believe, so… You’ll probably still have a better chance of killing a Colorado bull.

I believe Kentucky does have some landowner-type tags available, but I don’t know anything about that. I’m sure they’re spendy.

 

[Lab]

My sister and her family left CA for KY, and couldn't be happier. I left CO for Iowa a few years ago. I think we will continue to see a trend of people chasing a more reasonable cost of living. Good luck to you, I know my sis really likes KY.

Kentucky has been wonderful- The best thing about moving is it opens your eyes to all the great places out there. Tunnel vision for sure in Colorado. The cost of living here is 25-35% less than Colorado. I can now afford to hunt out west in multiple states when I want. I live 50 miles north of Nashville- Nashville is the coolest big city I have ever been to. Hippest too. Amazing city!

 

[flatcoat]

My favorite bumper sticker reads "I'll bet you were cool in Colorado". Good luck on the elk draws!

 

[rmyoung1]

Kentucky has been wonderful- The best thing about moving is it opens your eyes to all the great places out there. Tunnel vision for sure in Colorado. The cost of living here is 25-35% less than Colorado. I can now afford to hunt out west in multiple states when I want. I live 50 miles north of Nashville- Nashville is the coolest big city I have ever been to. Hippest too. Amazing city!

My grandparents retired to a small horse farm in central KY back in the late-80s. I have a lot of pleasant childhood memories from that place. There’s a lot of pretty places there. Enjoy!

 

[Phaseolus]

Grew up and lived my whole life in Colorado. Moved to Kentucky for love. No haters here, HAHA!
Elk hunted my whole life and have taken some decent bulls but excited about the possibility of a 350-400 class bull here in Kentucky.
Now that I am a resident what are my odds? I have heard that each county gets so many allotted tags. Also its a 90/10 resident to non tag allocation.
Any kentucky hunters out there that have some insights.

I grew up on Harmony Road

 

[Cornbread]

Being a UK grad, GO WILDCATS!!! Univ of Kentucky is a great school. Unfortunately the Law school also claims the likes of Mitch McConnell as one of it's grads.

 

[noharleyyet]

I'm not aware if this source is a faux pas of the magnitude of the SLC Expo lynching...so here's a little 2022 info. I'll add that Kentucky is gorgeous country but price of living ups is headed everywhere.

Kentucky Elk Hunting 2022 | Draw Odds, Tags, Season Info, Deadlines, and Results

We're experts on Kentucky Elk Hunts and we have all the information you need to draw a tag, research specific units, or find a guide service to chase that big bull in KY.

www.huntinfool.com

 

[LCH]

You'll probably never draw a Kentucky elk tag.

Kentucky has great whitetail hunting though. Being close to Tennessee you could probably get a tag in each state and double-dip.

There are lots of neat places we've enjoyed visiting in Kentucky - LBL, Red River Gorge, Mammoth Cave. Also lots to do on the Tennessee side.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Great untaxed, flavored moonshine is made down in Kentucky. Not that I have ever gotten any across the border here in Indiana. Heard that from a friend of a friend of a friend!

 

[JohnCushman]

Congrats for getting out of Colorado for whatever reason it was. I'm stuck here another couple of years until my youngest graduates High School. He's a freshman ugh

 

[Lab]

I grew up on Harmony Road

Lived last 30 years off Drake and Lemay
Graduated from Loveland High Lived on Rist Benson Lake

 

[Phaseolus]

Lived last 30 years off Drake and Lemay
Graduated from Loveland High Lived on Rist Benson Lake

Rocky Mtn 78

 

[Sheltowee]

Slightly old data, but odds are tough: https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Documents/ElkDrawingOdds.pdf

Good news is you will have fantastic OTC whitetail and turkey hunting on quite a bit of public land, especially if you are a bowhunter.

 

[Beignet]

I lived in Nashville for a minute. Never got into waterfowling, but believe that it is/was supposed to be good just to the west of where I think you’re at in KY.

Not sure if you fish at all, but the tailwaters in east TN are supposed to be good for trout. Just be sure to check the dam release schedule as the TVA used them to generate electricity as opposed to the pleasure of the public. Those rivers are incredibly dangerous when they’re generating.

I personally preferred to head into the backcountry around the Smokies, which is a bit of a drive for you, but highly recommended.

 

[jpcoll01]

Lifelong KY resident here, don't plan on getting to hunt elk here but apply each year and be thrilled when/if you do draw. Use the money you saved on your house to hunt out west in the fall and learn to like Whitetail hunting. I've said it 1000 times in the spring and fall there is no place on earth as beautiful as KY (at least Eastern KY where I live) but in the summer and winter...you can have it Welcome to the state.

 

[Sheltowee]

I lived in Nashville for a minute. Never got into waterfowling, but believe that it is/was supposed to be good just to the west of where I think you’re at in KY.

Not sure if you fish at all, but the tailwaters in east TN are supposed to be good for trout. Just be sure to check the dam release schedule as the TVA used them to generate electricity as opposed to the pleasure of the public. Those rivers are incredibly dangerous when they’re generating.

I personally preferred to head into the backcountry around the Smokies, which is a bit of a drive for you, but highly recommended.

Great eastern trout fishing in SE Kentucky, particularly parts of DBNF and the Cumberland River below Lake Cumberland. Also a pretty good chance of tying into a slob striper in the Cumberland tailwaters.

 

[Lab]

Rocky Mtn 78

Loveland 90'

 

[schmalts]

Really like what I see driving through there. Looked online at land in the past as it was reasonable. It is just hard to get a real feel of what a place will be like without spending more than a couple days there though. All I can say is Wisconsin isn't so bad in the spring-fall but when I retire I would like milder winters as I just never took to any winter sports.