Rick,
Congratulations. I'll be glad to share any info I get. I don't have any contacts in Eastern Kentucky either, at least not in the Restoration Zone, but am sending out feelers to anyone I know that might have contacts or info. In the mean time I'm checking the harvest results and other publicly available info to see what I can find there.
I'm not planning on using a guide either, and will probably get in a couple of scouting trips before season opens.
Anybody else who has info, please chime in. I need all the help I can get.
Contact me if you want to share info.
Marvin