Western Kentucky Outdoors

Submitted by: Curt Rogers

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Review Submitted: Oct 27, 2013

Hunt Date: Nov 10, 2012

Species Hunted:

Days Hunted: 5

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 1000-1999

Great Hunt for a Great Price

I booked a whitetail hunt with Bill Cartwright for the first 5 days of the 2012 Kentucky gun season. I picked Kentucky because of the size of the deer is great while the prices seem to be a little better than areas farther north. I found him online and couldn't believe the prices for his hunts. He doesn't advertise a 5 day whitetail rifle hunt but I explained that I was travelling from Alaska for the hunt and wanted as many days as I could get to harvest the right deer. I flew into St. Louis and drove the 4 hours to Henderson. I bought my tags and checked into the hotel. Bill made contact with me and another hunter at the hotel. He explained the basics of our hunt. He told us since it was the start of the rut, we would be hunting stands of timber surrounded by fields of cut corn and food plots. He said bucks would be chasing does through these bedding areas. He asked us what we were looking for. He took the time to find out what kind of deer we were looking for. Pickup was 4 am. (Egads!) I was placed with one of Bill's guides, a gentleman named Jeff. Two hunters from Pittsburgh and I went with Jeff and were in our stands 30 minutes before sun up. It worked just like Bill said. Within an hour of getting in the stand I saw my first buck. I spent the morning watching bucks chase does and each other around my stand. Over the next two days I saw more of the same, though the action wasn't as intense as the first day. I was holding out for a larger buck while the people I was hunting with killed nice deer in the 110-125 range. I saw lots of decent deer. Bill said that each of his leases have 140-160 potential and on the 4th day I got my chance. What happened next is just funny. I was hunting a strip of timber between two large been fields. I watched two does walk under my stand. 10 minutes later three bucks ran in after the does. One was a big, 150 plus eight pointer. I ignored the other two and zoned in on the big bodied 8. I watched him chase for several minutes and he came out of the brush towards me. He plunged into a thick stand of brush. I watched him go through the thicket and emerge on the other side. He came out and I pulled the trigger . . . on a six pointer. One deer went in and another came out. Oops. The upside was that my deer turned out to be a stocky 3 1/2 year old that would never be better than a six. Bill and his staff took the goof in stride. After kicking myself for awhile I was happy with the hunt and my buck. Bill's operation is down home but professional. They don't offer lodging or meals. Henderson offers many places for reasonably priced meals and lodging. Their business is hunting and Bill and his guides simply know what they are doing. He has enough land with enough stands that he can make decisions about hunter placement the morning of the hunt. This allows him to place all hunters appropriately for wind conditions. Bottom line: Great price, great deer population and great hunting conditions. I had a trip booked for 2013 I had to cancel. I'll be back in 2013.

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Submitted by: David Collum

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Review Submitted: Dec 7, 2011

Hunt Date: Nov 12, 2011

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 1000-1999

Quality at an affordable price

3rd trip with Western Kentucky Outdoors, again didn't leave disappointed. Saw 9 bucks (3 shooters) in a day and a morning on stand, should have killed a 160 class but can't do much when he runs after a doe three feet from your tree and doesn't stop. Next morning, saw a shooter 8, passed on it and ended up killing a high tined 9 pointer -as always, Bill puts you in position to kill a quality whitetail at an affordable price. His stand placements are excellent, he knows what's in the area and he specializes in putting you in the best spot. Like I said, you can't find a better quality whitetail hunt for the price, realistic shot at a 120-140 for far less than you'd pay elsewhere.

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Submitted by: David Collum

Review Submitted: Feb 16, 2011

Hunt Date: Nov 13, 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 3

Hunt Type: Semi-Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Rifle

Price Range: 1000-1999

Excellent Overall

This was my second time back with Bill at WKO. Quality land, guides and whitetails -Bill puts a lot of time into scouting and putting you in likely locations. Highly recommend -was able to shoot a nice 8pt -really too small for Bill's areas but unfortunately hunting a heavy brush area sometimes fools you -either way-you can't go wrong with WKO -heading back in 2011

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note: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.

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outfitter review submitted by: David Collum on Oct 21 2008

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality: Local Motel

Camp Condition: Excellent

Food Quality: Local Resteraunts

Guide Experience: Outstanding

Other Personal Experience: Excellent

Overall Impression: Outstanding

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: We did a (2) day early Muzzleloader Hunt in October, we did not harvest any bucks. However, it's evident from the properties and work ethic of the owner that your potential to shoot a solid 120-140 class buck are there. Between the three in our party we saw over 14 bucks, three of which were definite shooters in the 120 class, our choice to not shoot. Excellent stands in quality locations, big bodied deer. I have no doubt that if Kentucky had a longer muzzleloader season we would have killed some deer. Bill and his crew work hard, scouting and videoing the bucks that are around -the properties are excellent-the stands are placed in the proper locations. We'll be back -if you're looking for a quality, affordable hunt with a good chance at a quality buck this is your place. It was a pleasure to to hunt with them and experience excellent midwest hunting.

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outfitter review submitted by: Brian Miller on Dec 4 2006

Species Hunted: Whitetail deer

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality: Self provided

Camp Condition: New treestands-perfect

Food Quality: Self provided

Guide Experience: VERY knowledgeable

Other Personal Experience: I only dealt with the owner.

Overall Impression: Totally satisfied

Recommend: Most definitely

Reviewer Comments: I hunted with Western Kentucky Outdoors Sept. 06 I didn't have any prior knowledge of them and just decided to "wing it" off my findings on the internet. From my very first conversation with the owner Bill I could tell he was an honest straight shooting outfitter. I did end up shooting a nice 3 1/2 year old buck but that is not why I am giving them such a good review. I feel that Western Kentucky Outdoors worked hard to put me in the right stand at the right time. After scoring I hung out for the day with the owner (Bill) and saw just how passionate he is to make each hunter successful and how hard he works to make your hunt enjoyable. During mid day and when the hunters are in the woods he is non-stop on the go scouting and setting new stands accordingly. They take a very limited number of hunters per week to ensure unpressured deer. I know this for a fact because I tried to squeeze in on a week that was full but Bill wasn't going for it. As far as there property goes they had some big tracts of land in the middle of no where and they had some suburban properties. I shot mine in a suburban area where the bucks had some age on them and they weren't that freaked out by human presence. Bottom line...you can't beat the value of this outfitter considering the price, quanity and quality of deer and willingness to work hard for the customer!! Please contact me if you have any questions at all. I have no affiliation to this outfitter. I'm just a hard working hunter from Michigan who appreciates an honest, hard working outfitter.

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outfitter review submitted by: Fred Howard on Nov 30 2006

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Very good

Accommodation Quality: Provided my own

Camp Condition: None used

Food Quality: Provided my own

Guide Experience: Good

Other Personal Experience: Knew what the deer were doing

Overall Impression: Satisfied

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: My archery hunt took place during the first week of November. When I arrived the report had been hunting was tough. The rut did seem to be slow while I was there, but I seen deer each time on stand and a couple bucks that I felt were 140 class. Others hunting were seeing deer and I know one hunter missed on a nice buck. The Guide/Outfitter provided hotel pickup and transportation to and from hunting areas and put you in your stand. Stands were all in good shape and I found them to be setup properly. They were good about getting you in other areas or on different properties. Over 4 days I hunted 6 different farms. They knew what the deer were doing. I killed a doe on afternoon #2 that traveled as I was told they would. I took a decent 2 1/2 year old 8pt the following morning as it made its way to a bedding area. I didn't find anything I was told when booking the hunt to not be true when I arrived. Guides were very personable and any time you have the owner invloved it is a plus. I didn't take the buck I was after, but he was very close to being my biggest to date.

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outfitter review submitted by: Greg Blake on Oct 30 2006

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: poor

Accommodation Quality: motel

Camp Condition: not used

Food Quality: self provided

Guide Experience: only took us to stands

Other Personal Experience: only took us to stands

Overall Impression: disappointing

Recommend: no

Reviewer Comments: the itinerary; picks you up at the motel. in 20 minutes you leave the asphalt and proceed between 30 and 100 yards and exit the vehicle. You walk from between 5 and 10 minutes to a 15' high loc-on stand. The proximity to houses on the farm allows a hunter to hear voices, traffic,car doors,dogs and let me not forget the music.Some stands were so close to the highway, your ability to hear a deer was greatly diminished.

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outfitter review submitted by: Gary Wood on Dec 1 2005

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Good

Accommodation Quality: Self provided

Camp Condition: Great

Food Quality: Self provided

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience: Excellent

Overall Impression: Very Enjoyable

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: The owner/operator was my guide and very knowledgable of his properties and how the deer used them. First morning I passed on a 120 class buck and seen 2 other smaller bucks. 2nd day I seen 9 does. By the third day, day time temps were 97 degrees. On my last day (3rd), I took a nice 2 1/2 year old 8pt. The buck did just as Bill said he would. Only 2 other hunters in camp at the same time and both tagged their bucks. 7 deer were killed between the 3 of us, 3 bucks and 4 does. Great hunt, great properties and a number of P&Y bucks were seen. Owner went out of his way to help me fill an archery tag as well during the day at no extra cost. Highly recommend. I will be back.

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