A lot of people ask questions about Land Between the Lakes (LBL) each season. So here is some honest information.
LBL is 170,000 acres of land. It's around 90% forest with a lot of ridges.
How is the hunting and deer population in LBL ? There is some decent deer hunting in LBL if you scout and find the right places. But the truth is the deer population has declined over the years mostly do to an increased coyote population and maturing forest that no longer provide adequate food and cover. So in some areas you can hunt and see deer daily but in many other areas of LBL it's common to hunt all day or for two days just to see one or two deer. In some places it's even possible to hunt two days straight and never see a deer. Big mature forested ecosystems simply don't support a lot of deer.
Are there big Bucks in LBL ? Yes. But they are often scattered out onto a large amount of heavily forested land, so they can often be difficult to pattern and very difficult to get within range. The LBL deer often have smaller body sizes than most Kentucky deer. This is because many LBL deer are big woods deer that eat mostly natural food sources.
Which is better the Kentucky portion or the Tennessee portion of LBL ? Both portions have good areas and bad areas. The Kentucky portion is generally more pressured especially by Non Residents. The Tennessee portion is more rural and has larger areas of land in between the roads.
Which areas are best ? LBL is around 90% forest and ridges. So every single hunting area/unit is mostly forested with a lot of ridges. So most areas look relatively similar and offer the same hunting conditions.
Hopefully this provides answers to questions a lot of you may have. I live next to LBL and work there. It's a great place to enjoy nature and there are a lot of good camping areas. Hunters should understand while there is some good hunting and some large bucks, LBL is a public land that's mostly big woods and it does receive a good amount of hunting pressure so finding a place to consistently see deer can often be a challenge. If hunters understand this and have a good mindset they are going to likely have a more enjoyable time.
LBL is 170,000 acres of land. It's around 90% forest with a lot of ridges.
How is the hunting and deer population in LBL ? There is some decent deer hunting in LBL if you scout and find the right places. But the truth is the deer population has declined over the years mostly do to an increased coyote population and maturing forest that no longer provide adequate food and cover. So in some areas you can hunt and see deer daily but in many other areas of LBL it's common to hunt all day or for two days just to see one or two deer. In some places it's even possible to hunt two days straight and never see a deer. Big mature forested ecosystems simply don't support a lot of deer.
Are there big Bucks in LBL ? Yes. But they are often scattered out onto a large amount of heavily forested land, so they can often be difficult to pattern and very difficult to get within range. The LBL deer often have smaller body sizes than most Kentucky deer. This is because many LBL deer are big woods deer that eat mostly natural food sources.
Which is better the Kentucky portion or the Tennessee portion of LBL ? Both portions have good areas and bad areas. The Kentucky portion is generally more pressured especially by Non Residents. The Tennessee portion is more rural and has larger areas of land in between the roads.
Which areas are best ? LBL is around 90% forest and ridges. So every single hunting area/unit is mostly forested with a lot of ridges. So most areas look relatively similar and offer the same hunting conditions.
Hopefully this provides answers to questions a lot of you may have. I live next to LBL and work there. It's a great place to enjoy nature and there are a lot of good camping areas. Hunters should understand while there is some good hunting and some large bucks, LBL is a public land that's mostly big woods and it does receive a good amount of hunting pressure so finding a place to consistently see deer can often be a challenge. If hunters understand this and have a good mindset they are going to likely have a more enjoyable time.
