ORIGINAL: bigcountry
ORIGINAL: madvilledoc
I can definitely understand why some people want to gun hunt there. If they don't bow hunt, that may be the only way they can get a chance at a big buck. Of coarse their chance would only last one year. After that the big bucks will be gone and hunting in those counties will be similar to hunting in the rest of the state except you have a much lower deer population.
Pike and Martin county, ky doesn't seem to have an issue right across the border. Big deer are killed with bow and gun. 70's were a different time. Poaching was standard operation.Lots of peoplehad 4 wheelers with 4 spot lights on them. Things had to change. Still poaching is a huge issue in those counties.
I don't really thing you are comparing apples with apples. Despite the proximity, people in Kentucky have a much different outlook than West Virginians. They are more likely to let the little ones go. Kentucky has different rules, different lengths of season and a different mentality. If you really want to compare what these counties would be like if you open a gun season, look more towards the neighboring counties of Wayne, Lincoln, or Boone counties, and I think you will have your answer.