ABOUT THE HUNTERS

1. Of the 103 surveyed, 90% reside in Kentucky. KY(93), TN(3), OH(3), IN(2), MO(1), VT(1), IL(1)

2. Five out of the 103 chose not to hunt.  Two did not hunt due to health reason and two because they did not draw a bull tag.

3. Twenty-one of the 103 had hunted elk before. CO(17), MX(2), WY(2), ID(2), MT(1)

4. Twenty-two had never seen an elk before being drawn for the hunt.

SCOUTING

1. Fifty-three of the 98 who actually participated in the hunt scouted 1 to as many as 20 days before the actual hunt with the average number of days being 2.3 days.  Seventy-one percent (53 of the 98 hunters) scouted with at least one other person with a few bringing as many as four people to scout with them.  Twenty of the hunters did not scout at all before the hunt.    

2. Hunters spent 86 total nights in the area while they were scouting.  This does not include those hunters who actually live in East Kentucky. The majority of them stayed in hotels.  

Hotels:  Days Inn in Hazard (7), Super 8 (3), Hampton Inn in Hazard (3), Super 8 in Prestonsburg (2), Motel in Hazard (1), Motel 8 in
London (1), Best Western in Middleboro (1), Holiday Inn in Harlan (1), Holiday Inn in Middleboro (2), Motel 6 (1), Paul’s in Jackson (1),
New hotel in Prestonsburg (1), Best Western in Barbourville (1), Boone Trail in Middlesboro (1), Best Western in Prestonsburg (1).

State Parks: Jenny Wiley (2), Buckhorn (1), Pine Mountain (1), State Park (1). Camped on private property (3) or in the back
country (3). Stayed at home or in someone else’s home (16)

An estimated $23,723.00 was spent by those who scouted.

1. $6,165 was spent on food
2. $8,730 was spent on gas
3. $8,828 was spent on new equipment

HUNTING

1. A total of $11,090 was spent on food while on the actual hunt, the majority $8,200 (74%) was spent in Southeast Kentucky.
2. Nearly 100% of the $7,833 spent on lodging was spent in Southeast Kentucky.
3. Thirty-seven percent of the 98 hunters stayed at a hotel for at least one night
Hotels: Hampton Inn in Hazard (3), Best Western (3), Super 8 (5), Super 8 in Hazard (2), Motel in Hazard (2), Hwy 80 in Hindman
(2), Holiday Inn Express (2), Days Inn in Hazard (2), Super 8 in Prestonsburg (2), Motel (2), Motel 8 in London (1), Best Western in
Middlesboro (1), Days Inn (1), Holiday Inn Express in Middlesboro (1), Combs (1), Motel 6 (1), Daniel Boone Motor Inn (1), Comfort
Suites (1), Paul’s in Jackson (1), Day’s Inn in Hazard (1), Hampton Inn (1), Microtel (1), Prestonsburg Inn (1), Jackson Hotel (1).
State Parks: Jenny Wiley (8), Pine Mountain (2)
Camped: Camped in the back country (7), private camping area (2), private property (2), Begley property (1), Blue Diamond (1),
Jenny Wiley State Park (1)

Twenty-five noted they stayed at home or with friends/relative and three slept in an RV or in their truck.

4. Hunters spent a total of $11,267 on transportation during the hunt with over half (58%) of this amount being spent in Southeast Kentucky.
5. Only 19 of the 98 hunters hired a guide with five paying guides anywhere from $40 to $600.  
6. Sixty-four noted they hunted on public lands.  Twenty-six noting they hunted on private land.  Only one person paid an access fee ($100) to hunt on public land.  Five people spent between $40 and $500 to hunt on private land. 
7. Fifty-three of the 98 hunters surveyed who actually hunted were assisted by KDFWR biologists or conservation agents during the hunt. 
8. Eighty-seven of the 98 hunters who hunted responded that they were successful in getting an elk.   Six responded that they were not.  

EQUIPMENT EXPENSES

1. $28,603 was spent on taxidermy and processing of which $7,095 was spent in Southeast Kentucky.
2. $714 was spent on books and magazines, $324 in Southeast Kentucky.
3. $2,674 was spent on dues or contributions to National, state and local organizations.
4. $1,414 was spent on other expenditures not noted before.

OVERALL EXPERIENCE

1. Only one person said they did not plan to apply for an elk tag in 2007. 
2. Eighty-four people said they would come back to the area to view elk, hunt turkey or other game, view the scenery or visit friends they made during the hunt.
3. Nine people were members of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation before the hunt.   Thirty-one are now members or have sent in their application to become members.  

Over 26,000 hunters paid $10 each to participate in the 2006 Elk Hunt Lottery and 200(+) names were drawn.* Once selected, out-of-state hunters paid an additional $300 to purchase their elk permit. In-state hunters pay only $30 for the elk permit. Thirteen individuals who were drawn never picked up their elk tags. (see below for details)

*A few additional tags were given out to landowners who provided 5,000 acres or more where people could hunt.

Of those 200 drawn, five were never located and five out-of-state and three in-state hunters never purchased their cow tags and therefore did not participate in the hunt. All bull tags were purchased.