Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747
Book Your Adventure 1-800-346-8747

Authentic Quail Hunting in Kentucky’s Heartland

James Zandstra
|  
Species: Quail
Location: Kentucky

If you’re looking for a genuine quail hunting experience paired with southern hospitality, our Kentucky operation delivers. Nestled in Bourbon Country in partnership with Worldwide Trophy Adventures, we’ve built an experience that honors upland hunting traditions while showcasing our stunning landscape.

Our historic property, once a cattle farm, has been carefully transformed into prime Bobwhite quail habitat. We aimed to create hunts that feel as close to wild as possible. The centerpiece is a fully restored pre-Civil War farmhouse, now a comfortable lodge accommodating up to 6 hunters.

Unlike confined shooting preserves, our hunting grounds span diverse terrain including ridges, hollows, and rolling hills. We’ve designed multiple routes across the property, ensuring each hunt feels unique and exciting. Guests often tell us that it’s the closest they’ve come to wild quail hunting in years.

We don’t impose bag limits. Arrivals are typically on Wednesdays, with two and a half days of hunting concluding on Saturday afternoon. Our philosophy is simple: create an authentic and enjoyable experience for all skill levels, free from the pressure of quotas.

Days begin with a hearty breakfast at the lodge. By mid-morning, you’re in the field with our skilled dog handlers and guides. We hunt until lunchtime, break for a meal, then head out for an afternoon session. Evenings bring cocktails, appetizers, and a delicious dinner followed by relaxation and camaraderie at the lodge.

We keep our group sizes intentionally small, usually two or three hunters, each paired with a handler and a guide. This ensures personalized attention and ample shooting opportunities. Our guides also will try to get some photos and videos for you to take home.

We take immense pride in our birds. Through an exclusive partnership with an experienced breeder, we offer mature, strong-flying quail that truly challenge hunters. Our dogs and handlers are also top-notch, crucial elements in creating memorable hunts.

A really cool added perk of our location is its proximity to Kentucky’s famed Bourbon Trail. Many of our guests combine their hunt with distillery visits. It’s the quintessential Kentucky experience. That’s also a great backup plan if weather disrupts hunting.

As another season approaches, we’re eager to share our creation with more bird hunters. With limited availability, now is the time to secure your spot. For details and bookings, contact us! Come experience Kentucky’s finest Bobwhite quail hunting!

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Apply for Alaska’s Most Coveted Tags

Apply for Alaska’s Most Coveted Tags

Most sportsmen don’t think of the draw when contemplating a hunt in Alaska. That’s because, for most of the big…
Against the Odds: Drawing Back-to-Back Sheep and Goat Tags 

Against the Odds: Drawing Back-to-Back Sheep and Goat Tags 

Drawing a sheep tag with 1-in-5,300 odds is amazing. Drawing a mountain goat tag the next year? That’s lottery luck. That’s why it didn’t seem real when my WTA consultant, Jordan Roche, called me two years in a row with that news!

I’d been working with Jordan at WTA TAGS for about five years, letting him manage my hunting applications in multiple states while I focused on staying in shape for whatever hunts might come through. When he called about the Tok Range Dall sheep tag (the only non-resident permit out of 10 total), I knew it was special.

After the excitement of drawing my tag settled in, it was time to find the right outfitter to make my hunt a success. WTA recommended one of their top partners for that area and handled every detail. My outfitter made it clear: this would be a backpack hunt in some of Alaska’s toughest sheep country. At 64, with two hip replacements, I can’t run anymore. But I can hike. So that’s how I prepared—I hiked mile after mile with a weighted pack, knowing the Tok doesn’t care about age or medical history.

We went in a day and a half before the season opened and spotted a band of 14 rams, including one heavy-horned giant that immediately caught our attention. Then Alaska did what Alaska does best. Weather rolled in, the rams vanished, and we spent the three days scouring valleys and ridges to find them again.

When we finally relocated them, we had to break camp and make a major move. After a full day’s work, we spotted six rams bedding down as evening fell. The next morning, we made our play.

The wind that day was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It sounded like a freight train roaring up the mountain; gusting, dying, gusting again. At 320 yards, I had to time my shot during the lulls. My first shot went wide in the wind. The second shot dropped him—a beautiful 39″ ram. Honestly, I didn’t care about the number. That’s not why I hunt. I’m in it for the experience and a good animal. This ram was both.

The pack-out was its own adventure. We crossed the glacier-fed Tok River multiple times before Matt showed up with a Korean War-era military vehicle that could go just about anywhere. After nine days in the mountains, that slow, bumpy ride was a step up from travelling another 10 miles on foot. This was a trip I’ll never forget.

When Jordan called me in February 2025 to tell me I’d drawn a mountain goat tag, I actually laughed. “Figure out something for next year,” I told him, knowing the odds of a three-peat were one in a million. But first, it was time to prepare for my goat hunt.

I flew into Homer at the end of August, expecting to start hunting on Tuesday. By Monday evening, my outfitter, Paul, was warning me about the incoming weather. “We might not get you in until Friday,” he said. He wasn’t kidding. We sat through three days of howling wind, driving rain, and zero visibility before finally getting our chance.

Paul operates from a landing craft that serves as a mobile base camp. But getting from sea level to where the goats live? That was the hardest climb I’ve ever done, and I’ve completed five sheep hunts.

It was only 1,500 vertical feet, but every step came wrapped in devil’s club thorns, soaking brush, deadfall, and rain-slicked cliff bands. We hiked for what seemed like an eternity before stopping for the night to set up camp.

The next morning changed everything. Once above that coastal jungle, the alpine opened up to reveal why we’d suffered through that brutal climb. There were mountain goats everywhere. Good billies. The kind that makes you forget about devil’s club and exhaustion.

I took my billy on August 30, the first day of actual hunting after being sidelined due to weather. While packing him out, we witnessed something I’d never seen: ravens harassing a billy goat. They would swoop within inches of his head, and he’d swing his horns, trying to knock them away. Paul had told me about this strange relationship between ravens and goats, but seeing it firsthand was incredible.

The trip down gave us one more show. A black bear, fat from gorging on berries, army-crawled through the blueberry patches, entertained us from 400 yards away. I had a bear tag, but watching him was worth more than any trophy. Crossing salmon-choked streams on the way out completed the full Alaskan experience.

Both hunts worked because of solid preparation and connections with the right team. Jordan, my WTA consultant, had been helping me strategically build points and select units for years. When the draw results came through, WTA’s network meant proven outfitters were ready and handled every detail. They provided thorough gear lists, arranged logistics, and coordinated air charters. Everything was dialed in.

Some guys chase record books. Others chase hunting milestones. I finished my slam in 2019 with a desert ram, but what excites me most these days is the experience—the hunts that test you, humble you, and stay with you long after the pack is unloaded. When you work with the right people and put in the preparation, amazing things can happen. Jordan’s already working on my applications for 2026, so we’ll see what adventure comes through next.

Contact WTA TAGS to learn more about drawing the tags of your dreams: 1-800-755-8247

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Wyoming’s Preference Point Deadline Is Approaching: October 31

Wyoming’s Preference Point Deadline Is Approaching: October 31

Preference Point Deadline: October 31, 2025

The deadline to purchase Wyoming preference points is October 31. If WTA is already managing your TAGS applications, you’re all set. If not, don’t miss the chance to secure points this year. It’s the perfect time to talk with a TAGS consultant to start a new portfolio or grow your existing one.

Wyoming’s system is unique. Unlike other states, you don’t automatically receive a preference point if you’re unsuccessful in the draw. Instead, you must log in after July 1 and purchase your points separately. Building points is critical if you want a shot at drawing a Wyoming tag. Over-the-counter opportunities are a thing of the past. Today, only 25% of non-resident tags are issued randomly. The other 75% go to applicants with the highest point totals.

If you want to hunt big game in Wyoming, building preference points isn’t optional…it’s essential.

Watch Wyoming Video

While preference points are an investment in the future, don’t let that keep you from starting now. While Wyoming has units that require 18+ points, there are also good opportunities to hunt sooner. There are elk, deer, and antelope hunts that can be drawn with 0–3 points. Think about it this way—the more points you have, the more options you have.

View Wyoming TAGS Hunts

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