Kentucky 1st week bull rifle unit 3 diy rookie elk hunter

[Jimru]

Hi, my name is Jim. I am primarily an eastern whitetail and turkey hunter from pennsylvania who has always dreamed of hunting elk. But long story short i am a father raising my 5 young kids and the amount of money it would take to get me out west for a elk hunt is just more than can be justified right now. So i have hung my only hope of hunting elk on putting in for the Pennsylvania and Kentucky elk drawings. Amazingly this year i drew a 1st week firearm bull tag in kentucky and i have since been placed in unit 3. It is a unit that had a 48% success rate for week 1 bull last year, it receives the most bull hunters per unit there are 21
1st wk bull hunters (with a few other youth, landowner and commision tag holders), the unit that im hunting has a good amount of public land it has more than other units ,it will be a diy public land hunt, the elk are more than likely fairly skittish they have been hunting them for around 20 years there now(locals and local guides say numbers are down but the ky f&g disagrees and they point to an ariel infared study in january and claim 13,000 elk) ,most of the area i will be hunting is reclaim strip mine(top of mountains were stripped and are replanted in a mix of grasses, autumn olive etc timber is on hillsides and in valleys) and there appears to be a good network of roads and atv access on the tops. This will be my first elk hunt and the only contact i have had with any elk is in the northcentral part of pa where i deer, bear, shed hunt and camp a few times a year there is a small herd of about 1000 elk in that area. I havent seen the area in ky i will be hunting yet so by using google earth only i have picked out 6 or 7 locations that i want to investigate further. It is a 5 day hunt that starts on saturday Sept 26th. I plan on getting there and getting checked in on tuesday and having 3 full days to scout. I dont really know what to expect about hunter pressure on the public land and i am very curious about that. From what i have read there is alot of recreation atv traffic during the season. If there is anyone out there that has any advice, sugestions, criticism, advice on what i should look for during scouting and what type of areas may hold elk. Anything this being my first elk hunt i am sure im missing some things. Also if there is anyone that has done this hunt before i would love to hear your experience. I feel extremely blessed and flat out lucky to have drawn this tag.
Thank you!!! to all who take the time to read and respond

 

[Roughwater]

Jimru,

You are one lucky person to have drew that tag. With just 21 people in a unit I doubt there could be a lot of pressure. You will be the envy of many here at this forum. I don't know whether you realize it or not but this is a tag of a lifetime. A 48% success rate is about as good as it gets. 3 days of scouting could put you in Elk for sure. I take it this is a rifle hunt? Having 6 or 7 locations to scout is a good start. You might talk to locals as well.

Keeping track of the wind is critical. Get one of those little bottles of powder to test the with direction with (windicator). Good luck.

 

[Ridgerunner6901]

Congrats on the tag, I have no experience with Kentucky elk other than several failed attempts to draw, so im no help. I'd spend as much time as I could in your unit prior to the hunt and really swing for the fence come opening day. This is the tag of a lifetime. Enjoy it, wear the soles off your boots and get your bull. Good luck

 

[Pucky Freak]

Welcome to the forum

 

[3855WIN]

They should be bugling. That’ll tell you where the bulls are. Sounds like you have a good plan. Best of luck.

 

[EastTNHunter]

I quit putting in for the KY elk draw when I found out how long the odds were for out of staters... very low numbers of tags to out of state hunters. You, indeed, are very fortunate.

I’m hoping to someday draw an elk tag for my home state of TN. I’m trying to wrap my brain around how the eastern terrain and vegetation can be related to the western terrain and vegetation in relation to elk hunting. The east and west are just so different.

I’d try calling a local game and fish office for some pointers for sure, and hopefully they can also point you to some locals. I’d focus on scouting for sign, feed, and cover, and how they use the terrain to get from point a to b. Spot and stalk will be very difficult in that area, I’d imagine, so you’ll have to get in the timber with them.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes and what you learn!

 

[OleRedbeard]

I live on the border of unit 3 on the Virginia side... you quite literally won the lottery with that tag. Secondly you should have a good time and as long as your willing to put the time in you will more than likely have a good opportunity at a shot.
Most of the elk around here stay in the timber for the most part in the areas that get hunted and come out into the strips at night and early morning. Most of the locals that draw a tag simply road hunt on a ATV or in their truck until they see one and pop it from just off the road.
If you want to see some of the bigger bulls that the area has to offer try to get away from the ATV trails and on the older strips that are slightly grown up that you can look down into. You cant see it from eye level but getting above the older strips you can see the trails and open areas really well. Get Onx since you will probably have spotty service and download your unit so it is offline on high resolution youll be able to see the heavily used ATV trails and the older ones that are not that traveled (look for the ones less traveled and walk them.
If you deer hunt with a 06 or 270 or 7mm mag that is all the rifle you need. No reason unless your just wanting to go out and buy a new rifle to bring anything else. Most of your shots will be under 250 to 300 yards at the most and more than likely significantly less than that. Be up on top way before daylight so you can look down into the strip benches. When they were cut they are cut in a terraced pattern and are around 40 yards wide on the flats then drop off around 60 to the next flat.
You will be hunting late September so it will still be pretty thick. Wear some gaiters and spray down with a good tick spray. They are thick on many of the strip jobs.
If you decide to camp to save money you have plenty of choices. Just be wary of the huge bear population around this area and take precautions. Your from Pa so you guys have them yourself.
These mountains are steep and nasty. I will try to find some photos on my phone sometime today to give you an idea. You can stay on top and hope to shoot something on top or you can hunt down in the lower areas where most do not go and just plan on a heavy and steep pack out. They are not tall by western standards but tall enough to kick your butt if you are not prepared for it. Most of it ranges between 2 and 4 thousand feet on that side and reminds you of hunting Roosevelt elk in Oregon or Washington with the way the terrain looks once you step off the strip jobs and actually down into the sides of the ridges and into the valleys.
I have attached a few photos below showing the terrain and stuff. Some of these are right across the border in Virginia but its still pretty much the same. The one with the fog and brush I think was taken in early September and on one of the strips in your unit. The elk were also either in Harlan or Perry county last deer season. I have some pics of a few dandy bulls somewhere on one of my old trail cameras in that unit but it was from a few years ago. The spring photo of the bench flat is sort of what it looks like where many of the elk hang out during the day if they are pestered since you cant see it from above and its thick all around it. There are lots off tender grass growing in them and they get pounded by about everything depending on the time of year.
Most of the trails you will see coming in and out of the strip job fields will be used by both elk deer and even bear if its thick enough around them and their are autumn olives in the field. So look closely if you see deer tracks to see if there are elk using it too.
A good set of 8x42 binos is all you need as long as they are clear just something to pick apart the terrain.
Weather should be really good during that time. Should not be too hot during the days
You will need to bring at least 3 full sized coolers with you 4 if you dont plan on boning the meat out. There is not really many places locally that will ship the meat and it would cost you a arm and a leg. The Walgreens and the Food City both usually carry dry ice to keep the meat on if you go that route or I would freeze a couple of cases of bottled water and stick them in the coolers and tape them shut the day you head down.
If you have a pickup truck try to borrow a camper top to keep your stuff in. There are just enough idiots around here to make stuff that is easily reached disappear.
I have several cameras up over that way so if I get any pics you might be interested in I will send them your way. They elk for the most part do not have a set pattern so they probably wont do you much good but will give you an idea of what is around.
well... lol.. having typed this on my phone it probably is hard to read but hopefully it helped. If you have any questions or want some more info just let me know. I will be heading to Wyoming the first of October or last of September so if I am around I may be able to show you a few places to camp and such via OnX. or in person if Im over that way pulling cards.
Man am I envious!!

 

[OleRedbeard]

Jimru,
Heres another photo of a thicker older strip bench and sort of what your looking for in Unit 3. This is later in the season however so it will be thicker when your there. I guess I might as well make the most out of my morning since I am spending it in a waiting room.

 

[JohnCushman]

Congrats on the tag!! You better buy a few lotto tickets and a powerball with that sort of luck!

 

[OleRedbeard]

Here's a smaller shed from up in that unit from a couple of years ago. This is pretty much what it will look like where you will be hunting if you stay on top.
Once you drop off the top however it turns into pine and deciduous forest pretty much exactly like Pa.

 

[Jimru]

I live on the border of unit 3 on the Virginia side... you quite literally won the lottery with that tag. Secondly you should have a good time and as long as your willing to put the time in you will more than likely have a good opportunity at a shot.
Most of the elk around here stay in the timber for the most part in the areas that get hunted and come out into the strips at night and early morning. Most of the locals that draw a tag simply road hunt on a ATV or in their truck until they see one and pop it from just off the road.
If you want to see some of the bigger bulls that the area has to offer try to get away from the ATV trails and on the older strips that are slightly grown up that you can look down into. You cant see it from eye level but getting above the older strips you can see the trails and open areas really well. Get Onx since you will probably have spotty service and download your unit so it is offline on high resolution youll be able to see the heavily used ATV trails and the older ones that are not that traveled (look for the ones less traveled and walk them.
If you deer hunt with a 06 or 270 or 7mm mag that is all the rifle you need. No reason unless your just wanting to go out and buy a new rifle to bring anything else. Most of your shots will be under 250 to 300 yards at the most and more than likely significantly less than that. Be up on top way before daylight so you can look down into the strip benches. When they were cut they are cut in a terraced pattern and are around 40 yards wide on the flats then drop off around 60 to the next flat.
You will be hunting late September so it will still be pretty thick. Wear some gaiters and spray down with a good tick spray. They are thick on many of the strip jobs.
If you decide to camp to save money you have plenty of choices. Just be wary of the huge bear population around this area and take precautions. Your from Pa so you guys have them yourself.
These mountains are steep and nasty. I will try to find some photos on my phone sometime today to give you an idea. You can stay on top and hope to shoot something on top or you can hunt down in the lower areas where most do not go and just plan on a heavy and steep pack out. They are not tall by western standards but tall enough to kick your butt if you are not prepared for it. Most of it ranges between 2 and 4 thousand feet on that side and reminds you of hunting Roosevelt elk in Oregon or Washington with the way the terrain looks once you step off the strip jobs and actually down into the sides of the ridges and into the valleys.
I have attached a few photos below showing the terrain and stuff. Some of these are right across the border in Virginia but its still pretty much the same. The one with the fog and brush I think was taken in early September and on one of the strips in your unit. The elk were also either in Harlan or Perry county last deer season. I have some pics of a few dandy bulls somewhere on one of my old trail cameras in that unit but it was from a few years ago. The spring photo of the bench flat is sort of what it looks like where many of the elk hang out during the day if they are pestered since you cant see it from above and its thick all around it. There are lots off tender grass growing in them and they get pounded by about everything depending on the time of year.
Most of the trails you will see coming in and out of the strip job fields will be used by both elk deer and even bear if its thick enough around them and their are autumn olives in the field. So look closely if you see deer tracks to see if there are elk using it too.
A good set of 8x42 binos is all you need as long as they are clear just something to pick apart the terrain.
Weather should be really good during that time. Should not be too hot during the days
You will need to bring at least 3 full sized coolers with you 4 if you dont plan on boning the meat out. There is not really many places locally that will ship the meat and it would cost you a arm and a leg. The Walgreens and the Food City both usually carry dry ice to keep the meat on if you go that route or I would freeze a couple of cases of bottled water and stick them in the coolers and tape them shut the day you head down.
If you have a pickup truck try to borrow a camper top to keep your stuff in. There are just enough idiots around here to make stuff that is easily reached disappear.
I have several cameras up over that way so if I get any pics you might be interested in I will send them your way. They elk for the most part do not have a set pattern so they probably wont do you much good but will give you an idea of what is around.
well... lol.. having typed this on my phone it probably is hard to read but hopefully it helped. If you have any questions or want some more info just let me know. I will be heading to Wyoming the first of October or last of September so if I am around I may be able to show you a few places to camp and such via OnX. or in person if Im over that way pulling cards.
Man am I envious!!

OleRedBeard
Wow thank you that is exactly the type of information i was hoping to get. I would love to meet if you are close by when im there but I do have OnX too and recently upgraded to include ky in my membership. I will be staying in a rented cabin at harlan county campground and rv park. I am going to get there on
22 september and plan on scouting, then hunting until the end of the season on the 30th. Thank you for the pictures the country looks beautiful and it gives me a small idea of what to expect. One of the areas i want to check out is just outside the city of harlan it is to the northeast and is labeled asher hunting access area on the arcgis map ky f&g but i was unsure of elk numbers in that area. My thinking was that area may be over looked by other hunters who will be heading to hunt off of 221 in straight creek area. But with all the reclaim areas over there i plan on checking out that area between stony fork rd and 421 also and i have about 3 or 4 spots i would like to look at there. I have wondered about redbird wma and elk numbers. There was only 1 elk killed in there last year but where it is located i would think there would be some elk in there but redbird looks like mostly timber so im not sure how to take that. I would love to see trail cam pics if you get any. I am limited to escouting for now and would be thrilled to see some of the possibilities. I was wondering about snakes that time of year and your gaiter suggestion cleared that up for me. Thank you so much....

 

[Jimru]

Here's a smaller shed from up in that unit from a couple of years ago. This is pretty much what it will look like where you will be hunting if you stay on top.
Once you drop off the top however it turns into pine and deciduous forest pretty much exactly like Pa.
View attachment 149762View attachment 149763

Ok what is your suggestion am i best to find sign on top then drop off to a bench on north side and still hunt into the wind?

 

[Jimru]

Welcome to the forum

Thank you! I have lurked around for a lil while but i never had much worth sharing about elk until now.

 

[OleRedbeard]

Most of the elk you will see will be on the strips which are the mined areas. They are in the timber but you pretty much have to stumble upon them. Go ahead and forget about the wind. There is no way you can tell what direction it will blow from one minute to the next around here due to the mountains turning it around and swirling it up down left right north south and out the back of your pants pocket. Your best bet is to check the wind after you spot them and see what its doing. Where you will be hunting if you spot them as long as your not carrying a snubnose 38 your going to have a shot. If you do happen to glass some up and its out of range check the wind before you start your stalk and then check it every chance you get between the time you start and before you take the shot.
There is no hunting the wind here. Its a little more predictable on top but even then not a constant.
Couple of quick questions... Will you be bringing a side by side? or ATV? What rifle will you be using and what is your comfortable range? Do you plan on doing a lot of walking? or are you willing to walk?

 

[Jimru]

Most of the elk you will see will be on the strips which are the mined areas. They are in the timber but you pretty much have to stumble upon them. Go ahead and forget about the wind. There is no way you can tell what direction it will blow from one minute to the next around here due to the mountains turning it around and swirling it up down left right north south and out the back of your pants pocket. Your best bet is to check the wind after you spot them and see what its doing. Where you will be hunting if you spot them as long as your not carrying a snubnose 38 your going to have a shot. If you do happen to glass some up and its out of range check the wind before you start your stalk and then check it every chance you get between the time you start and before you take the shot.
There is no hunting the wind here. Its a little more predictable on top but even then not a constant.
Couple of quick questions... Will you be bringing a side by side? or ATV? What rifle will you be using and what is your comfortable range? Do you plan on doing a lot of walking? or are you willing to walk?

Ok thanks i got ya.....I will have a side by side to use for the hunt. I have 325wsm and a 300win mag and i am comfortable taking shots out to 500 yards with either of those. I do not mind walking and i will walk as far as i have too to find elk.

 

[OleRedbeard]

Ok thanks i got ya.....I will have a side by side to use for the hunt. I have 325wsm and a 300win mag and i am comfortable taking shots out to 500 yards with either of those. I do not mind walking and i will walk as far as i have too to find elk.

ok sounds good. I dont think you will need to shoot that far so you should be good to go. That hunt isnt a slam dunk at all but you really should bring an elk out of the hills if you put in some time. If your willing to leave the side by side for a few hours and get up or down into some steeper places I can show you a few areas if I am not on the road by then. Depending on the weather and such it would be wise to have your coolers already prepped. It will spoil fast if were having a warm fall.
Do you have good game bags? and a decent frame pack?

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Welcome aboard! You sure have some amazing luck! Congratulations!

 

[TriStar Hunt]

Congratulations!! You’ve got some serious luck on your side. Again way to go!!!

 

[seeth07]

@OleRedbeard awesome information shared in your post here, very nice of you to get that detailed. Matches up to all the information I've personally gathered for my own elk hunt this year in unit 3

 

[rustednuts]

You’re on the end of the rut, elk should be bugling. You need to find cows to find the bulls. That means finding the best food. Checkout Randy’s escouting series on YouTube. Then make a plan for scouting. You need a plan to use your scouting time effectively. Then use that information to have plan a b c d e & f for the hunt.