-- Guest Experience: Daniel E. Schmidt --

Tim,

I just wanted to take a moment to let you know how much I enjoyed hunting whitetails at Deer Creek Lodge last week.

This hunt was my first ever in Kentucky. I have now hunted whitetails in 14 states and three Canadian provinces. That being said, I can honestly state that Deer Creek Lodge ranks in the upper 5 percent of all the deer hunting destinations I have visited. I was thoroughly impressed by many aspects of your operation, but five stood out above all the others:

1. The habitat. Few whitetail destinations have the diversified ground that I witnessed at Deer Creek. From the impressive hardwood forests to the crop fields, set aside ground/sanctuaries and hunting food plots, your habitat provides deer with ample nutrition and security cover. One scan of the property reassured me that I stood a decent chance of seeing some quality deer.

2. The deer. We drew the unlucky straw when it came to the weather. It was hot during our stay (daytime temps over 80), but I still managed to see a total of 31 deer (14 antlered bucks) during my five tree stand vigils before I shot my buck. I can’t imagine what our sightings would have been like had we had some cooler weather.

3. The guides. Each guide that I worked with was knowledgeable, attentive, courteous and accommodating. I was impressed with their knowledge of deer behavior and, as a result, their rationale for hunting certain spots at various times of the day. These guides did not cut corners to make their jobs easier. They went the extra mile (literally) to improve our chances of seeing mature deer.

4. The hospitality/accommodations. Deer Creek is one of the finest deer hunting facilities I’ve ever visited. Bedrooms are spacious, comfortable and kept clean. What I liked most, however, is the lodge is designed for bowhunters. I especially enjoyed having access to the elevated deck for keeping my clothing and boots scent-free and for archery practice (which included broadhead targets!). The large living room area was tailor made for fellowship and sharing stories at the end of each day.

5. The food. Hunting mature bucks can be physically and mentally taxing. Words alone cannot express how much easier that job becomes when you can return to a five-star meal.

I would like to add that I felt no preferential treatment during my stay. Every person in camp was treated the same: like royalty! That’s why I would recommend this lodge to any serious whitetail bow hunter who is looking for a legitimate opportunity to see some record-class bucks while hunting.

Sincerely,

Daniel E. Schmidt
Editor in Chief
Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine