Ft Campbell

[Scoony]

I thinking about giving Ft. Campbell a try this year. I've never hunted there before. Any sugestions on locations to try?

I am currently at Ft. Knox and know some good locations here that have lots of turkeys (if I can get drawn), just like to try a new location. I will have my two sons up for their spring break and would love to get them on some turkeys for their first turkey hunt.

Also, does anyone have a trick for getting ticks off of a turkey prior to plucking? The turkey I got last year was so full of ticks that I just skinned it.

[ril7572]

Unless your active or retired military, you'll have a hard time getting a decent area to hunt at FT Campbell this year. Almost all of the 101st. has returned home. I'm sure alot of them are ready for some well deserved time in the woods.
There are alot of turkeys there, and it is a bonus bird, but if you are a civilian you won't see the good areas. If you go be sure to follow the rules, it is an active military reservation and rules and regulations are strictly enforced. I used to hunt there, but for me it got to be more trouble than it was worth. too many hoops to jump through.

[Scoony]

I am active duty. I called theie hunt control up and found out what I need to do to get signed up to hunt.

I just don't know the areas to hunt.

[Valley Station]

Scoony,
There's pretty good turkey huntin' in most of the areas at Campbell.
The last time down there , shot a bird in area 26. Hunt the north end around North Impact area, like areas 48, 49,51. Good luck.

[ril7572]

I agree the far west areas are good 47,48,51 also areas 10,11,13. Good luck.

[Scoony]

Thanks Valley Station,

For those that want to give Ft. Campbell a try, call (270) 798-2175.
Yeah it may be a long shot, and a pain, but you will never get a chance if you don't give it try.

[ril7572]

scooney, what area did you get??

[Scoony]

I haven't got an area yet. I will get more info from Campbell's Hunt Control next week. Seems thay have a call-in system for area assignments. Once I get my big game permit from them, they will give me a pin number. Not sure how that will work out, but will figure out the system as I try to use it.
I plan on hunting here at Ft. Knox for the first weekend (If I can get drawn), then try Ft. Campbell later in the season.
I will be out next week trying to do some scouting on Knox. I've been to busy these past few weeks to get out there.

[turk2di]

Don't pick area 14[:I]Parachute drop zone[:o)]Turkeys were kinda scarce[8D]. I too gave up on the place, way to much hassle for the hour 1/2 drive[;)]

what u get out, is what u put in

[snareman]

Scooney,

First of all, you don't pluck or skin a turkey. I'm not a know it all, I've learned from experience, trust me. The first bird I killed I took home and immediately told my wife to start boiling some water. Growing up as a kid we always killed chicken and dunked them in boiling water then plucked them. This was done because you utilize all the meat in a chicken. this is not the case in a turkey. You only eat the breast on a turkey because the rest is too tough. Back to my 1st bird. I dunked and plucked him which was quite a job only to discover that two simple cuts was all needed to remove the breast. Lay bird on back, find breast bone on chest, make a cut into bird on either side of breastbone and fillet the two breast halves out. 5 minutes max. I live 10 min from ft. campbell, tried today to sign in and system told me I had an invalid id #. I was not happy. Try 3, 4, 10, 11, 20, 22-24, most all the 40's. You really can' go wrong.

[joekat46]

Best way to hunt Ft. C is to go about 12 noon and hunt until sunset. You'll have plenty of open areas that have been vacated and little activity from other hunters. It nice to go in rested without the usual two hours sleep.

Hey "VS" I took one last year in area 26 also. April 10th.

Hope they figured out a way to stop all the cheaters using the phone system. It was a bad joke. A lot of guys were bragging how they "beat the system" to get an area every time.[V][:(!]. Good luck, I never saw so many hens.

[skin_dog1]

I'm trying ft campbell for the first time this year and it's turning into a real headache! It took forever to actually get a permit, then I called saturday at 10 am for an area on monday and they were all full! Plus you must have a parking permit and you have to pick it up in person(they don't open til 7 am). I'm 1 1/2 hours from campbell and to go all the way down the day before to pick up a permit is a bit too much. I did meet an army guy there who told me he will pick up my permit for me the day before. He killed a bird at 1pm on sat and had one by 6:15 this morning. I'm gonna still try and hunt tomorrow afternoon.

[snareman]

I called on Friday for a spot on Sunday. Tried to get thru for 20 minutes and finally gave up. Later that night I got thru only for the system to tell me that my id number was not valid. Went down to the office today and the girl never activated the id card when she gave it to me 3 weeks ago. I'm glad I don't live hours away!! I would have really been hot.

[skin_dog1]

The girls in the reatil store are not very friendly or helpful! The guys next door that work with asigning areas are awesome! They go out of their way to get everyone waiting an area. A friend and I went down yesterday to hunt for the first time. Other than picking up our permits we had never set foot on the place. We got an area assignment by 0830 and were out hunting by alittle after 0900. By 1017 I had a message on my phone that said he had shot 2 longneards! The area he was in was small and had been hunted sat, sun, and mon morning! I saw lots of birds including 5 or 6 longbirds but was unable to get any to work. I only heard a couple gobbles that were forced by some real aggressive calling. I tried to get a response from sweet talking and they would strut forever, when I got aggressive they would gobble then disappear in the opposite direction. They have a good deal down there but need to change the way areas are assigned. If you are fortunate enough to get through on the phone and get an assignment you still have to go down and pick up a hard copy parking permit. The bad thing about this is they don't open til 0700 so you better go the day before if you want to be out by first light. That's real hard for me since I'm 1 1/2 hours away.

[joekat46]

One of the few places you can legally shoot a double. If you have the time and a camper spend a couple of days down there. The campground is cheap and within 2 minutes of the check station. Good luck.

The girls in the retail store take a lot of crap. They are usually helpful when they haven't been overly sexual harassed that day.[;)].

[snareman]

joek@46,

You're absolutely right about the sexual harassment. they get it 8 hours a day.

[ftcky101]

For those of you interested in more info on Hunting at Fort Campbell check out my web site. I have the stats posted for 2002 and 2003 seasons, Spring, Fall and Winter (Yes Ft. Campbell had a winter hunt).
My web address is www.geocities.com/ftcky101

FTCKY101

FTCKY101

[ril7572]

Thanks for the link, alot of good info.

Now if you could tell me how to get a great area without the hassle.[:)]

[skin_dog1]

Steve, thanks for posting. For those that don't know him, Steve is one of the guys that works at fort Campbell and does a h3!! of a job! Thanks again!

[Valley Station]

Steve,
Great site. Many Thanks.[^]

[Scoony]

That is a great site. The info will be a real help and answered many of my questions.
I am hoping on getting drawn tomorrow at Ft. knox. I had heard that not many areas will be open, but will see tonight on my way home.
Plan on giving Ft. Campbell a try next week.

[ftcky101]

Glad to be of help! Sorry about the hassle of getting an area, I have no control of this. FYI...I have to do the same thing all of you do to get an area.

Can you believe I give this info out when it just makes it harder for myself to get an area??? I don't hunt Turkey yet, maybe next year, but I did have fun hunting Deer with little Dear. A pic of our best of the day is on my web site http://webpages.charter.net/steves-place

FTCKY101

[skin_dog1]

http://img11.photobucket.com/albums/v34/skin_dog1/turkeymammothcave.jpg

Here is a pic of my buddies birds. They were shot in 26 at about 10 am last monday

[skin_dog1]

http://img11.photobucket.com/albums/v34/skin_dog1/jodyphoto2.bmp

Wrong picture

[ftcky101]

Skin Dog1,
When I saw the first pic I was about to ask how the fence got into the pic. I knew we did not have a fence like that, maybe birds but not a fence.......

FTCKY101

[skin_dog1]

That first pic was taken a couple years ago at mammoth cave national park. NO HUNTING!!! There were 5 big longbeards and this old boy had a paint brush and some major hooks!