Man, it has been a busy few weeks for me, and I suddenly find myself with a lot to talk about. First and foremost is a little clarification on my last blog posting,
Another Big Kentucky Buck, which briefly told the story of the monster whitetail TV show host Gina Brunson arrowed in western Kentucky back in September. At the time, I was eager to get the post up and written, but didn't do the homework I should have on her hunting area. That spot is one of several farms owned/managed/for sale by
Big Buck Properties, which is a hunting property management outfit operated from Paducah, Kentucky. Basically, from what I understand, these folks buy land, "flip" it into well-managed pieces of hunting paradise, and sell it. Looks to me like their management practices are effective. According to their web site, they currently have more than 30,000 acres of property in five states in the program.
Now, for the reason I was side-tracked the weekend I learned about Gina's big buck. My dad, Jim Brantley, drew an elk tag for Kentucky. If you aren't familiar with the Commonwealth's elk restoration program, it's been in place for more than a decade, and they now sport a herd in the eastern portion of the state (up in mountain/coal mine country) of nearly 8,000 animals--the largest herd east of the Mississippi River. Limited hunting has been allowed for several years, and Dad drew a bull tag, one of only 100 available, this fall. He shot a nice 6x6 (I'm still having a hard time not just saying 12-pointer) the first morning. An upcoming magazine assignment for
Southern Sporting Journal will keep me from saying too much about the hunt just yet, but rest assured it was quite an experience for two southern whitetail hunters.
Next in line, there's been another giant whitetail felled in Mississippi. I don't have many solid details just yet, other than the hunter, Michael Burke of Natchez, Miss., shot the animal Oct. 4, and that the green score is probably going to be in the 190-inch range. Hopefully, I'll be able to share a little more on this buck real soon. There's a photo of it above, along with a shot of Dad's elk.
Finally, my wife, Michelle, and I have finally drawn tags for the two-day quota hunt in Pennyrile Forest. This is a big-woods area in west-central Kentucky, near where we both grew up. The deer densities are low, but there are some dandies roaming those white oak ridges. We've been putting in for this hunt for three years now, and finally accumulated enough points to get drawn this year. Here's hoping for cool weather the first weekend of November. That's all for now.
-Will in Tennessee
