Is there really any difference in the two?

Ky ,of course

Because kY manages the herd for big bucks,get the Ky DNR mag,they say it,no aplogies,and ,the best county in Ky is very near there,why wouldnt it be.I only consider Ky great in big buck production,but on this forum,thats all that counts,at least to me.

Please tell me your being sarcastic.

ky fish and wildlife doesnt manage lbl.

lbl is surrounded by water so the nearby co. thing flys out the window as well.

The ky side of lbl doesnt even stack with the surrounding counties as far as the way it set up. crops v timber

For years I would have picked KY side, not only because I knew it better but I saw more big bucks on that side all the time plus the two guys that used to farm most of LBL also told me several times that the KY side held more big bucks from what they saw everytime they was working the crops.

Don't know if you're talking about Mike & Kerry (the current guys who farm the most of LBL), but they'd probably tell you they're now seeing similarly on both sides of the state line.

For many years, the KY side of LBL had less gun hunting than the TN side, resulting in a little better age structure in KY, at least that's my take. Although what was there and what was killed were two different things. Both sides have a little better buck age structure today than either had a few years ago. But like most WMA's, relatively few bucks live past 3 1/2 years of age, and you can probably count on one hand the number of 5 1/2's that are usually killed on both the KY & TN sides combined.

Or put it this way:

A weekend archery hunt at relatively tiny President's Island WMA can produce more 5 1/2-yr-old bucks than all the annual gun hunting at the 173,000-acre LBL. Deer-hunting-wise, main thing LBL has going for me is it's "convenient" for when I want a change of scenery. In terms of hunting "opportunity" per hour afield, LBL may not hold a candle to several other WMA's where hunter success is much greater (per hour afield), such as Ft. Campbell WMA, Oak Ridge WMA, etc. As I'm often asked, "Why you want to go hunt LBL with a bow, when you can hunt Campbell with a gun?" More "convenient" for me to hunt LBL.

I don't mean to sound as though I don't appreciate the hunting opportunity at LBL, as I actually believe it's better at LBL than most WMA's in Tennessee, and "most" (LBL included) have in fact gotten a little better over the past few years. Compared to when I started deer hunting in TN, we are truly blessed to have so many decent public WMA's from which to choose, and nearly all are less crowded with deer hunters today than they were in the 1970's and 80's.

So my question is, have you seen lbl's harvest numbers or are you just guessing?

Which side is better for quality bucks TN or KY?

I enjoy studying the harvest numbers, but they are just a part, and progressively a less significant part, of my opinion. (Yes, I have and have seen the harvest numbers.)

Let's say the KY side of LBL had one weekend of hunting, while the TN side had two weekends of hunting (with same number of hunters per sq. mile both TN & KY per hunt). The harvest data may show more bucks of any particular class are "harvested" on the TN side, but as a hunter, on which side would YOU have the greater opportunity per hour of hunting?

As hunters have become and are becoming more "selective", harvest data is becoming less reliable in terms of its relationship to the actual deer numbers. This is even further complicated by my OPINION that the hunters on the TN side of LBL are generally more accomplished and experienced deer hunters than the hunters on the KY side of LBL.

By the way, I've often found a farmer's observations far more valuable than ANY "harvest data".
Harvest data tells what was killed, not what's still walking around.

Do you have any ages of those deer?

why does twra collect age data if its so worthless?

These numbers are probably slightly higher due to the gap between mid dec. and the closing date on Jan 18. Not much though.

I would bet less than 15 deer on both sides.

MY TN Archery deer was Aged.....I got pics to prove it, LOL.


Carry on.

I'll make a deal with you, you can hunt the KY side and I'll hunt the TN side

About that one permit, both sides. It's not up to LBL but up to TWRA and KDFWR, state law and hunting rules state you need that states license to hunt each side.

Fort Campbell is different. It is MILITARY land, diffrerent set of rules. Other states that have large military bases that overlap other states has the same deal.

One other note: You are only allowed two deer from LBL. If you kill two in KY, you are done, if you kill two in TN, you are done and if you kill one in each state, you are done. Only one of the two can be antlered.

They are combining the limit but not the permit. Nothing like a Federally run outfit.





Both FEDERAL though. I wonder why Military is different when talking about hunting whitetail deer?

how is a surrounding county gonna assist when its surrounded by water on all of the KY sides?

Im not real sure what your getting at.

Just because christian, trigg, graves and some of those co. produce big deer, it doesnt mean squat. its like comparing apples to oranges.

Sorry if I'm repeating (I'm sure I am), but everyone knows that Kentucky has bigger deer than Tennessee. DUH!!!

The deer don't cross that state line. It's like Thermocell for "big" deer!

I for one do NOT want LBL to ever go to either license covering the entire LBL, hunt on either side.

Once they did that then we will have more than double the number of archery hunters in there all over the place. Think about it. Hunters from BOTH STATES will now have a chance to hunt the other side for FREE (one license and one permit), they didn't have that before and now it becomes more worth the drive.

Also LBL will have to keep or lower the number of gun hunters. LBL averages 10,000 aplications every year for it's gun hunts. Those same "NEW" archery hunters will not start to apply with everybody else.

Fort Cambell could have more hunters but there are certain rules and ways to get a area to hunt that to a lot of people it's not worth the trouble. Some of the older hunters do not have a hunter safely card, they didn't need one if born after certain dates, but Fort Campbell requires it as does ALL military bases. It might have changed but years ago I saw people drive all night, stand in line and when drawn did not get what they wanted so they went home. I also see on here about the phone calling and to some people that is just too much bother.

deer can swim LOL

LBL licenses are ONLY for LBL as it is now and nobody will be hunting anywhere on LBL for free. Everyone has to buy a LBL Hunter Use Permit to hunt and this money ONLY goes to LBL.

LBL can keep their quota hunts the same. Why would they have to change just because of archery hunters?


"Once they did that then we will have more than double the number of archery hunters in there all over the place."

I doubt it would be double. The increased number of hunters from both sides would generate more income for BOTH sides and that would be a good thing.

I'm pretty sure anyone knows deer can swim, but how many people have actually seen a deer swim a lake like that, much less a mature deer.

I rest my case.

Theres no need in pretending lbl is holding mature deer becuase they all swam from surrounding counties. 99.99% of lbls deer are home grown.

You are 100% right.

Not only that but drive across the bridge from LBL to Lake Barkely State Park in Kentucky. Look at the size of the deer. They are SMALL, very small. Ask Ruger how much the TWO does he shot there weighted together. That is small deer.

I'm pretty sure anyone knows deer can swim, but how many people have actually seen a deer swim a lake like that, much less a mature deer.

I rest my case.

Theres no need in pretending lbl is holding mature deer becuase they all swam from surrounding counties. 99.99% of lbls deer are home grown.