This week on Kentucky Afield, we'll wrap up our exciting 2023 bull elk hunt.

Next, we'll jump in the boat and head out on the Ohio River, in search of catfish.

Then, we're taking advantage of the fall turkey season.

It's all next on Kentucky Afield.

Hello, and welcome to Kentucky Afield.

I█m your host, Chad Miles.

Join us as we journey the commonwealth in search of outdoor adventure.

Last week we traveled to Eastern Kentucky and joined up with Cade Fredrick on his bull elk hunt.

Day one, we went scouting, saw a few bulls, and he heard his first bull bugle.

First day of hunting, we had a bull right there at 100 yards, but we elected to wait for something bigger.

Now let's tune in and see how day two went.

It's morning: day two.

We█re going from hill to hill glassing to see if we can find a bigger bull than what we saw yesterday.

I think it█s going to be a good morning.

The fog█s not near as bad and it looks like the conditions are great.

Well, this morning was one of the more incredible elk hunts, and I can't even tell you what we were looking at because we had a bull so incredibly close.

After hearing them bugle in the woods, we realized, you know what?

It's going to get hot.

They're going to stay in the woods and when we went in, we realized that the entire floor is covered in White Oak.

So these bulls are staying in here.

There's plenty of food.

Brandon made a couple of cow calls.

We heard a bugle.

We tried to cut the distance in half and that bull cut the distance in half and the next thing I know, that bull was making this chuckle grunt sound less than 15 yards right in our lap.

And you could feel it.

You could literally feel it in the air.

It was that close and we didn't get a shot.

But, you know, that's what hunting is all about.

These animals are smart.

They're in here taking advantage of this food and this cover, but we█re going to get back after it this afternoon.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

That█s you, buddy.

You must have put a good shot on it.

How cool of an experience to come out here and do this with your dad and your Pap█s gun that he built to elk hunt with.

Can't ask for anything better.

STW did it, didn█t it?

It did it.

Elk hunting in eastern Kentucky is not easy, is it?

No, it is not.

Sometimes the harder you work, the sweeter the reward is when it all comes together and we've been within 12 yards of bulls.

We've been within 100 yards of bulls.

And this is pretty similar, a little better than the one we had last night.

And you know what?

It was time for you to pull the trigger.

You're like, I'm on a good shooting rest, I've got a bull at 200 yards, pull the trigger.

I don't know where you hit it, but I know one thing: It didn't go anywhere.

No.

Wow.

No.

Wow.

I'm so happy for you, man.

I will let your dad get in here and spend time with you, because this is a cool experience for you two.

You got it done.

I got it done.

Was your heart beating?

Oh, gosh.

This literally has been the hunt of close encounters.

This morning, have you been much closer than what we got this morning?

This morning was crazy excitement.

When you can feel a chuckle, that█s something else.

He was 12 yards.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Just so thick you literally you couldn't see him.

It's been a fantastic experience the whole thing.

All four hunts we've put together, time you've had with your dad.

Low and behold, here we sit.

Awesome job, man.

Thank you all.

I know what's going to be above my fireplace one day.

Everyone has their favorite fishing location and for Captain Ben Goebel it's on the Ohio or the Mississippi River chasing giant catfish.

Well, today is a day that I have really been looking forward to.

This is actually my second time out fishing with Captain Ben Goebel and last time we smoked 'em.

Yep.

We absolutely crushed the fish.

So we're actually at the exact same location.

And I've been keeping up with your Facebook posts.

You have been catching some really big fish this year.

We've had a great year.

So far.

Really couldn't ask for a better year.

Our our numbers have really been good this year.

Well, I'll tell you what.

We like to showcase some different things.

We're going to fish similar styles than we did last time.

And it's called bumping.

That's right.

And bumping.

The best way you described it to me is if you're a bass fisherman, it's like reverse dragging a jig.

Right?

That's pretty much like it.

if you guys if people like to bass fish, usually my first question when I get customers aboat: Do you like the bass fish?

And they say, yeah.

So you're going to like the way we fish, its just backwards when you're retrieving a jig or worm or Texas rig and a worm back to you.

Instead of that.

It's it's reverse.

You're walking it down the river.

I fully expect that we're going to catch some fish and big quality fish.

I've been out with you one time.

And that's that's what I've that has been my experience.

And I've watched your Facebook page and it's like my God, he did it again.

There's another 50 pounder.

It's it's amazing how you locate big fish.

Well, let's- I say we- suns coming up here.

I say we've got a beautiful day.

It's going to be a hot day.

It's going to be hot.

Let's hope the Fish are as hot as- The sunscreens on sunglasses are in the boat, I'm wearing some long sleeves try to keep the sun off me.

We got we got fresh skipjack so I say we go get after it.

let's do it.

The way I like to hook these skipjack there's a little- Yeah.

Lip right there.

Just come up there.

Come right out the nose.

All right.

What type of flow you think we got today?

Miles per hour?

We're.

We're looking here pretty good.

You want me to go on ahead and give her- make it happen?

Yeah just drop straight down.

All right.

How deep are we fishing today?

We're going to be enough.

30 to 60.

All right, now.

I just felt the bottom.

Yep.

And then.

And then remember when you want to let it out, you just let it out as you're coming up with your bump.

Something just tapped my- Yeah, I got one tap on mine too.

Got a fish on?

Think it came off.

Now he might still be.

most important fish of the day.

That's right.

Number one.

He found him a little treat today didn't he?

Kind've a little morning pop tart this morning.

He found a trick, and a treat.

Here he is.

There you go.

Five pounder.

I'll tell you what- Right there Nice fish.

That's what you want to take home and eat right there.

That's perfect eater fish right there.

And then you can range from 5 lbs on that big of a piece of bait to 100 huh?

Yeah, he just this one, this little guy is just get going.

So, going back, and get our bait on them Starting to hit that bottom.

It's just like knocking on the door.

Yep.

You're using six ounces of lead.

You'd think it would happen really quick and easy, but when you got a flow like we got.

Yeah.

It's like you think you find it right away, but when you- You do feel it, there's no doubt.

Okay, there you go.

There we go.

Good job.

Uh oh, here we go.

You got one, too?

Oh, now it's on.

I don't think he's there, its a small bite.

We about made her a double.

Yep.

It was a small bite.

This one might be more like eight or eight or nine pounder.

Yeah, right there.

There you go.

You get more fish than you get the bait.

Tell you what, still such a huge fight.

You think you want to come out here everybody goes "I want to catch a 50 pounder."

You might change your mind when you get him hooked up.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, he's probably six.

he's eight 8 lbs?

Yeah.

You start looking at the length of that fish and you go, well, okay, that fish probably what do you think, 28 inches long or..?

Probably not quite that.

He's probably 24, probably 24 or 21.

I'll tell you what now, maybe I'm getting the hang of it.

Maybe I'll get another one here real quick.

I tell you what, being a rookie of this or only my second time doing it.

It's amazing with a little extra weight you can really.

Really, really feel it.

Oh, in reality, you know, we like to get them baits back there, but you can still catch fish up here, close to the boat.

The main thing is in order to catch fish.

You have to feel it.

Yeah.

You got to be able to feel that bottom at all times as you start getting better at it than we like- When I run trips and stuff and we lighten up your sinker as the day goes on.

Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.

There he is.

I guess what I'm all about down here at the boat ramp.

Yeah, i see him way out there.

Oh yeah, yeah.

This kind of fishing, you got all kinds of time to get the net.

Yeah.

Lollygag around, come back here.

Still 100 yards out.

We got him now.

Gave you a workout, huh?

It is.

I mean, that is a really solid quality fish.

Good and healthy.

That's a that's a really nice fish, though.

Yeah.

We're gonna get this dude back.

Here we go.

Yeah, yeah.

Right, right there.

See him right there on top of the water.

Yeah.

Oh, yeah.

He's 8, 18.

That's nice.

Got him?

Nice.

That's why you do it.

good job.

Look at that fish.

What do you notice about that fish?

Look at its eye.

Yeah.

I'll be dang.

There aint an eyeball In there.

Yeah.

He been hurt probably before.

Look, no eyeball.

It's probably been- I have.

I've only seen that one time.

That fish has been that fish has been hooked and or something the eye has been removed and it's literally healed over.

And there is no eye.

there's a skin.

Just skin.

But you know what?

These fish, they work so much on scent and smell.

this fish is still very healthy and living his life.

No eyeball.

check that out.

Oh, one eyed fish.

The one eyed fish.

You got a fish?

Yeah, that a good one?

I don't know.

He's staying down.

Oh, yeah.

We got a little drag here.

No, he's not wanting me to see him.

he's going to be a nice fish.

There you go.

Let's see here.

Oh, you got him.

Nice fish.

Upper upper 20.

That's the ones we're after, right there.

Yeah.

That's right.

Right there.

Beautiful fish.

Man.

Look how much when they once they get about the length of the last one they just for a while start getting really thick, look how wide and thick that fish is.

All right, let's see what he weighs.

Right at 28, 28 lbs.

I mean, that's just a typical trophy blue cat right there.

I mean.

What a beautiful, beautiful fish.

We're gonna we're going to get him.

Get him released here.

You got him?

Same old size today.

12, 13 pounder.

That's the slot today.

Seems like.

just a beautiful fun fish that will for most for most people unless you are an avid cat fisherman that sized fish believe it or not in this current.

Oh yeah.

Will absolutely give you all the fight you want.

Yeah.

12 lbs And if you hook into a 40 or 50 pounder, you might be done for the day.

Yeah.

So, wow, I'll tell you what, you, you, you've.

You've never let me down.

I've been down here and done this with you twice.

And every single time we come down here, we get plenty of bites.

Obviously.

Yeah, there's bigger fish.

Obviously we catch bigger fish, but some days it's just tough.

You know, today we got a big south wind, if you know what you're doing.

And you know, from April all the way through October, November, a guy can come out here and catch fish.

No doubt about it.

Just about everyone has eaten a turkey in the fall for Thanksgiving but this time of year is also a great time to hit the woods and chase turkeys.

We█re setup here in a blind.

There are literally turkeys everywhere.

They're all around us right now.

Perfect situation is, a couple of these turkeys fly down and we get a chance at a big gobbler.

They could be pitching down, out of the limbs, at any second.

When they come down, they're probably going to land right in this field.

It's about to go down.

Here they come.

They█re pitching down.

They█re literally flying over the blind and landing right on our decoys.

We█ve got turkeys coming in all around us, on both sides.

There█s a gobbler.

There's gobbler here to our left.

He seems very interested in our decoys there.

We█ve got our jake decoy up there, and he's checking it out.

The hardest thing about this is going to be getting a clean shot at that gobbler without having other turkeys in the line of fire.

Man they are all over us.

It█s pretty exciting.

He's getting out there in the open.

There█s turkeys all around him.

I need to try to get a shot the next little bit because he█s starting to walk away.

And here we go.

Put your head up there.

I've never had so much trouble getting a clean shot.

These turkeys pitched down on us, we had them everywhere.

And there was only one long beard out of all of them.

We watched them and watched them, and they kept coming and they kept coming.

And I had so many eyes on me.

I was worried about getting spun around to take that gobbler.

But he started making his way out there probably about 35 yards.

Finally got a clean shot.

What a good time.

Oh what a pretty bird.

I love the color in these turkeys.

Nice, big, healthy, mature bird.

Beautiful, beautiful feathers on it.

Got a nice beard.

Pretty good spurs on it.

Pretty nice hooks there.

This was the craziest turkey hunt.

It was so much fun.

We got in here, before we even got the blind zipped up we could hear them, and it just got louder and louder and more intense.

And when they started pitching in, they were walking in from the woods, flying in over the blind, all coming in and landing around our decoys.

Then after a minute or two, here came a gobbler.

As soon as we spotted him we said, okay, that would be the bird we like to try to take out of this group.

There were so many turkeys.

I was really getting concerned if I was going to get a shot clear of other birds on the area.

But it worked out that we got a good shot on the bird went down straight right there.

What an awesome hunt.

Let's get this bird and get it to the truck.

Now let's check in and see who else has been out having fun ind this week's Ones that Didn't get away.

Check out the size of this deer taken by 13 year old Luke Hoover of Shepardsville.

This is his biggest buck to date.

Congratulations.

Here we have 94 year old Joann Ho.

She loves to fish, and she went fishing with her son, grandson and great grandson at Loyd, WMA in Crittendon.

Nice job.

Here we have Tim fiddling with his dad, Matt, with this nice 24 inch catfish that he caught in Campbell County.

Nice job.

Here we have a nice nine point buck that was taken by Ian O'Neill.

This deer was a nine pointer taken in Morgan County, Kentucky.

Congratulations.

Here we have a nice buck taken by Autumn Hare.

This is her biggest buck, and she took this deer in McClain County.

Nice job.

Check out this giant buck taken by Brandon Epperson.

This buck a 28 scorable points.

It was taken on the opening weekend of archery season.

Nice job.

Check out this bass that was caught by Cameron.

This is a four and a half pound fish that was caught on Rough River Lake.

Congratulations.

Here we have identical twins, Jake and Jared Wilson.

Both of them took their very first deer in Adair County.

Nice job.

There are plenty of hunting and fishing opportunities available this time of year in Kentucky.

Hopefully you're making plans to get outdoors.

And remember hunting and fishing on private property is a privilege.

Always ask permission and thank the landowner.

Until next week.

I'm your host, Chad Miles, and I hope to see you in the woods or on the water.