Kentucky Hunting Outfitters - Top 10 Tools

When I think of some of the favorite implements or tools of Kentucky outfitters, I might have to simply describe all of the basic tools.  To have a favorite implement that we use to make a Kentucky deer hunt successful is possible, but we sort of need all of them!

#1) Tractor – Topping the list for a Kentucky deer hunting outfitter is the basic tool that makes everything else come together.  40+ horsepower is usually needed for a tractor to pull a set of disc without bogging it down to much.  Don’t expect to pull a plow vey deep though with this type of horsepower.  A front-end loader attachment should be considered in any tractor purchase.

Discs – If you’re going to put in food plots to create the perfect Kentucky deer hunting environment, a set of discs are needed.  You will likely go through phases of buying any old piece of junk, then spend $1,000 for a good set that will allow you to break up the ground good after a few passes.  Make sure you tighten your discs prior to every use or else you’ll destroy all of them and it gets expensive quick!  Also, you need to pick up disc prior to turn your tractor – another expensive lesson. -

Bush hog – When groom your paradise, you need a way to cut down broadleaf weeds every so often.  If you’re reading this, there is a chance you don’t know you need to bus hog a field prior trying to disc it.

Bulldozer – This was a great purchase, but not absolutely necessary.  You can always pay someone to bulldoze a bunch of trails and food plots for you at the rate of $125 per hour.  Excellent Kentucky deer hunting just doesn’t happen.  Successful Kentucky deer hunts require  the extra steps to make your property that much more appealing compared to your neighbors.

Backhoe – If you want to create some stagnant water ponds w/ a drainage system to make sure it keeps full, this is required.  Other than that, I really don’t see a need for a backhoe purchase.  They are fun to use and you can create anything you like on your hunting ground, but I only owned one for a few years and sold it off.  I haven’t really needed it since.

Cultipacker / Log Drag – Despite all the Kentucky deer hunting outfitters claiming you can’t use a disc to help cover up the broadcasted see, you really can.  The key is you need to make to double or triple over seed the spread rate.  Before you do that, just chain up some logs or create your own drag.  A cultipacker is over-rated in all the magazines and articles!  It really can only be used if the dirt is crushed and pulverized perfectly.  This isn’t realistic for most food plotters.  However, if you have a tiller, a cultipacker is amazing!  Any Kentucky deer hunting property could use a cultipacker and a tiller.

Harrow/Rake–  These really fall under the same category as a cultipacker and drag.  They are used to pull a little dirt over your seed.  The harrow is good for a 4-wheeler and the other things really need to be used by a tractor.

Spreader – We all have spread oats out by hand if you still are using the little small handheld spreaders!  Running a Kentucky deer hunting outfitter ranch requires a larger seed bag, especially when spreading larger quantities of seed such as cereal rye and wheat.  I still use the small Lowes/Home Depot Spreaders for my rape, clovers and brassicas.

ATV – These are not only essential tools for your Kentucky deer hunting property, but they make everything so much more fun!  From checking cameras to filling up the corn in auto-feeders, they are important.

Chainsaw  - Everyone needs a chainsaw to help cut shooting lanes or at the very least to clean up trails after a storm.

Kentucky Deer Hunts Offered over Turnips (not Brassicas)

Why are Kentucky Hunting Guides not planted Brassica’s in Kill Plots?

Going deer hunting in Kentucky starts in early September and it is super hot!  The weather Kentucky deals with plays a key role when deer managers in Kentucky are deciding what they plant is their seasonal and year-round food plot. 

In Kentucky, we can’t count on cold weather with snow every season.  Most know that brassicas (turnips) turn starches into sugars when we get a frost and this becomes more desirable for the deer.  The problem with planting brassicas in Kentucky has several fronts.  The on and off again cold in Kentucky can cause those turnips to prematurely sour and rot.  You’ll read articles about Kentucky deer hunting is at it’s finest when the deer have decided to eat on the sugar-rich turnips in the ground that the brassicas have produced.  You’ll also hear about some Kentucky deer herds needing a few seasons to realize these turnips are edible and they slowly will get used to eating them.  Kentucky just doesn’t have the weather to count on the growing of brassicas

Now brassicas do produce wonderful leafy vegetation the deer love!  I have planted brassicas in several food plots year and year because the deer do in fact love the leaves.  However, year after year I’m disappointed when they just haven’t acquired the taste for turnips and leave 1,000’s and 1000’s in the ground untouched.  I believe this is in part due to the rotting effect the drastic cold then the drastic heat from Kentucky produces. 

Kentucky hunting guides, like myself, are choosing to go to the “rape” species of turnip.  Rape creates a much smaller bulb in the ground, but still produces the big leafy greens like the brassicas.  Instead of having that rotting turnip causes problem with your soil, the rape will use less nutrients to put into the bulb and focus the nutrient up to the green vegetation.  For those who Kentucky bow hunt, this is a great food plot that comes up great in early September and will last on into late November to cover all those Kentucky deer hunts as well.