Contact: Dave Baker (800) 858-1549

October 4, 2004

Apparent New State Record Highlights
2004 Bull Elk Quota Hunt

Frankfort, KY, (October 4, 2004) - Eleven-year-old Stephanie Gavin of Butler, and Rita Tharp of Bedford were already in the spotlight as the only two women participating when Kentucky's 4th bull elk quota hunt began Saturday morning and by the day's end, they had written themselves into the state record book.

Gavin, the youngest person ever to participate in Kentucky's quota elk hunts, took an impressive bull early Saturday evening at Begley Wildlife Management Area in Bell County.

The Phillip Sharp Middle School student from Pendleton County, took a 6 x 8 bull whose unofficial score of just under 300 challenged the current state record.

Tharp appears to have unseated Terry Ratliff of Floyd County as state record holder. Ratliff's bull, taken last year, scored 304 2/8. Tharp's bull, taken Saturday evening at Starfire Limited Entry Area in Breathitt County, scored unofficially in excess of 320, the largest since Kentucky's modern day elk hunting began in 2001.

"It was the best hunt we've ever had," said Jon Gassett, wildlife division director for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. "It looks like we may have a new state record - it was a pretty impressive elk." Don Wackerman, a Wyoming-based elk guide who helped Gavin with her hunt, predicts Kentucky's reputation as an elk hunting destination will continue to grow. "I think in a few years, you'll see a world record elk come out of here," he said.

Kentucky began its elk restoration program in 1997. Limited hunting began in 2001. Thirty-nine hunters were drawn for this year's hunt, while two more hunters purchased elk permits at auctions to benefit Kentucky's elk program. Kentucky's elk herd currently numbers around 4,500.

This year's hunts were divided into limited entry areas, and at-large hunts in the Eastern Kentucky elk zone. This week's limited entry bull hunts were held at Starfire Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Breathitt, Perry and Knott counties, and Begley WMA, located in Bell, Harlan and Leslie counties. Thirteen hunters participated and filled their tags within three days. Eleven of the hunters took their bulls Saturday.

Gavin was hunting along a high, forested ridge when Wackerman called the 6x8 bull within 20 yards. (A 6x8 means the bull has six tines on one side of its antlers, and eight tines on the other side.) Gavin downed the bull with a single shot from her 30-06 rifle. She cried with joy afterwards. LaGrange resident Steve Mettling took a 7x7 bull less than an hour later. "Out of nowhere, he just appeared," he said. "He was about 80 yards away when I took the shot."

Mettling's bull also challenged the current state record.

Julian Gander of Stanford also took a large bull on opening day. Although Gander is an experienced deer hunter, he had never tried elk hunting before. "I hadn't even seen an elk in the wild until last weekend," he said Saturday.

Ronnie Preston of Paintsville, William Earnhart III of Louisville, Carl Smith of Booneville, Steve Tucker of Nancy, Bill Deaton of London, Randall Dotson of Paw Paw, Lindsey Teague, of Granite Falls, N.C., Bob Stakler of Huntington, NY, and Marvin Dixion of Spring City, Pa., also were successful in taking bulls.

Elk season for the 15 remaining at-large hunters also began Oct. 4 and will continue through Jan. 17, 2005. The limited-entry cow elk hunt is scheduled for December.

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The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. KDFWR, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, has an economic impact to the state of $4.8 billion annually. For more information on KDFWR, visit our web site at fw.ky.gov.

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