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By Vernon Summerlin
 Within a hour drive of Williamsburg, Kentucky, site of the October Jeep Jamboree in the area once known for elk, deer, and buffalo in Daniel Boone's day, and the pioneers' gateway from Virginia to the vast West, you can find satisfying angling and hunting opportunities.
First, follow these steps:
1. Lay out a map of Kentucky.
2. Place the point of a compass (the instrument used for drawing circles) at Williamsburg.
3. Circumscribe the city with a 50-mile radius.
Look at all those areas shaded in green representing National Forests and the blue for lakes and rivers. Here are those outdoor opportunities within about an hour's drive of Williamsburg.
Williamsburg is 11miles north of the Kentucky-Tennessee border, and with it as the center, we'll use the state line as the base running from nine o'clock to three o'clock.
Nine O'clock: Williamsburg is on the eastern edge of the Daniel Boone National Forest that runs from the Tennessee state line north and northeast nearly to Ohio. The National Forest covers 672,000 acres in 21 counties and has steep forested ridges, natural arches, streams, abundant wildlife and lush vegetation. You can also enjoy the whole spectrum of outdoor activities like camping, hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, boating, fishing, hunting, canoeing, and whitewater rafting.
The forest contains two large lakes and many streams, including six Kentucky Wild Rivers. Wildlife in the forest includes more than 100 species of birds, 46 kinds of mammals, and 67 types of amphibians and reptiles. White-tailed deer, wild turkey, grey and fox squirrels, ruffed grouse, bobwhite quail, red and gray foxes, ducks, muskrats, rabbit, mink, and raccoon are present. Four endangered species live in the forest including Virginia big eared bat, Indiana bat, red-cockaded woodpecker, and bald eagle. Bass, crappie, muskie, catfish, bream, and stocked trout attract fishermen.
Nine O'clock: Twenty-five miles east of Williamsburg is the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. This huge 125,242-acre playground in Kentucky and Tennessee is not only for hunters and anglers but is a place where you can enjoy white-water canoeing, rafting, kayaking, hiking, bike riding, horseback riding, camping, and four-wheeling.
The Big South Fork is set aside so that people can actively enjoy this rugged scenic area that is extremely mountainous with steep cliffs, deep gorges and is almost completely forested.
Big South Fork of the Cumberland River and its tributaries pass through 90 miles of picturesque gorges and valleys where anglers can catch smallmouth bass, walleye, muskie, and trout. You can fish from a canoe along the tame stretches or use a raft to fight the rapids to fish places that rarely see a hook. It's advisable to hire a river running guide to help ensure your safety. The steep and isolated areas are not easy accessible for rescue, but the fishing makes extraordinary efforts worthwhile.
The same is true for hunting. You may be on land but that land runs toward the vertical. Think twice about packing out a deer. Consider the deer's weight and yours and if you have the stamina. Hunting includes squirrel, rabbit, quail, grouse, deer, and raccoon. Yes, raccoon hunting is very popular in the Southern mountains.
Ten O'clock: About 35 miles from Williamsburg is the large Lake Cumberland with 50,250 acres and 1,225 shoreline miles. It has an abundance of largemouth, smallmouth, white and Kentucky bass, bluegill, crappie, stripers, and walleye. Its striper fishery is legendary in the lake and many guides are available for an enjoyable trip.
Walleye, trout, and stripers are also below the lake's dam on the Cumberland River and will satisfy any angler looking for those species. Guides are also available for fishing here. You may want to fish from a canoe when there is little or no water issuing from the dam.
Deer, squirrel, rabbit, quail, grouse, turkey, fox, raccoon, and dove inhabit the area around the lake. You will have to seek landowners' permission to hunt. Camping facilities and horseback riding trails are available at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park, but no hunting.
Ten O'clock: A little farther north of the ten o'clock position is General Burnside State Park. This is a 40-acre island in the Cumberland River. You are welcome to fish in the river for black bass, walleye, bream, catfish, stripers, and crappie.
Eleven O'clock: About 20 miles northwest of Williamsburg is the scenic Cumberland Falls State Resort Park. The 60-foot waterfall on the Cumberland River--called Niagara of the South because of its 125-foot wide falls--is visited for its vista rather than its fish. Blackbass, catfish, and panfish can be caught in the river above and below the falls.
The park is within the Daniel Boone National Forest where hunting small and large game abounds. Squirrel, rabbit, quail, grouse, deer, turkey, raccoon, and dove live in the forest where they'll try to avoid you.
 Twelve O'clock: Fifteen miles north on I-75 is the wonderful walleye lake on the Laurel River and one of Kentucky's most beautiful lakes. The 5600-acre Laurel River Lake is surrounded by steep bluffs and also lies within the Daniel Boone National Forest. Trout, largemouth, smallmouth, Kentuckies, crappie, bream, and catfish accompany the monster walleye swimming in the waters. Squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, quail, grouse, dove, turkey, and deer are among the game available in the national forest.
Twelve O'clock: North of Laurel River about 12 miles and west of I-75 at the eastern edge of the Boone National Forest is 672-acre Wood Creek Lake. His small lake that gave Kentucky its state record largemouth bass that weighed 13 pounds, 10.4 ounces also offers channel catfish crappie, Kentuckies, and rainbow trout.
Twelve O'clock: And 15 miles farther north up I-75 is the 273-acre Lake Linville. A 44-pound catfish was caught on rod and reel from Linville recently. Largemouth, crappie, and bream are other game fish.
One O'clock: Another section of the Daniel Bone National Forest, called Redbird Purchase Unit, is about 25 miles northeast from Williamsburg. It lies in Clay and Leslie Counties with a little spilling over into Harlan County.
One O'clock: Within the Daniel Boone National Forest is Beech Creek WMA. In these 1,260 acres are sloping hills, ridge top flats, narrow valleys, and hardwood forests with some overgrown fields in the bottoms. Squirrel, deer, rabbit, fox, raccoon, groundhog, and grouse offer hunters game. Fishing is available in 34-acre Bert Combs Lake for trout, channel catfish, bass, crappie, and bluegill.
Two O'clock: Farther east from Beech Creek is Buckhorn Lake with 3,482 surface acres. Two old roads follow lake shore and offer boat access. Mountainous terrain, primarily forested with some open land in bottoms is home to squirrel, grouse, woodcock, quail, rabbit, raccoon, and deer.
 Three O'clock: Pine Mountain State Resort Park is about 30 miles east of Williamsburg. Its 5,018 acres is mountainous and steep, with narrow ridges and numerous rock outcroppings, entirely forested in mixed hardwoods. Deer, squirrel, turkey, and grouse inhabit the area.
Kentucky Ridge State Forest has 11,363 acres running southwest from Pine Mountain. Fire trails provide limited access to the interior area that is mountainous and forested. Squirrel and grouse are the primary game species.
Three O'clock: Farther east from Williamsburg about 50 miles is Martins Fork Lake with 1,394 acres in mountainous terrain. Fishing in 340-acre Martins Fork Lake with net you smallmouth, largemouth, trout, Kentuckies, catfish, and crappie.
Four O'clock: Shillalah Creek WMA contains 2,640 acres along Brush Mountain north of Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. Undeveloped road requires 4WD Jeeps. You'll find old-growth forest, extremely rugged, steep terrain with many high cliffs that are home to turkey, deer, raccoon, squirrel, and grouse.
There you have a look around the Jeep Jamboree site in Kentucky held in October. If you plan to fish or hunt, here is a little more information:
Non-Resident Annual Fishing $30.00; Non-Resident 3-Day Fishing $12.50; Non-Resident 15-Day Fishing $20.00.
Non-Resident Annual Hunting $95.00 (identical to a resident license, except required of persons who are not Kentucky Residents. Required for deer or turkey hunters. Non-Resident Five-Day Hunting $27.50 (may not be used for deer or turkey hunting).
Non-Resident Trapping $115.00
For complete information on fishing or hunting in Kentucky, contact Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Division of Information & Education, #1 Game Farm Road, Frankfort, KY 40601; phone 800-858-1549.
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