RELATES TO: KRS 150.025(1), 150.170, 150.370, 150.390
NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 150.025(1) authorizes the department to promulgate administrative regulations relating to game and fish, including seasons, limits, and areas where taking is allowed. This administrative regulation establishes deer and turkey hunting season frameworks and hunting procedures on special areas.
Section 1. General Requirements. (1) Unless otherwise stipulated in this administrative regulation, the provisions of 301 KAR 2:172 and 301 KAR 2:140 shall apply.(2) Except on the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Jefferson National Forest, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, and Hidden Valley Training Area, on the areas listed in this administrative regulation, a hunter shall: (a) Obtain a permit from the area before hunting;(b) Not hunt deer or turkey except on assigned hunting dates;(c) Remain in assigned areas;(d) Unless otherwise specified in this administrative regulation, tag deer with area tags issued on the area;(e) Keep the area tag attached to the deer until the carcass is processed; and(f) Check deer at a designated check station before leaving the area.(3) Land Between the Lakes, Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, Bluegrass Army Depot, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Clark's River National Wildlife Refuge, Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge, the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Jefferson National Forest, the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, the Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center, and the Hidden Valley Training Center may allow firearm, crossbow, or archery hunting for antlered or antlerless deer from September 1 through January 31.(4) Land Between the Lakes, Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, Bluegrass Army Depot, and the Wendell H. Ford Training Center may permit turkey hunting up to twenty-three (23) days between the last Saturday in March and the second Saturday in May.(5) Land Between the Lakes, Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, Bluegrass Army Depot, and the Wendell H. Ford Training Center may permit firearm turkey hunting between October 15 and January 31, and archery or crossbow turkey hunting from the first Saturday in September through the third Monday in January.(6) Use of tree stands.(a) On a special area, a person may use portable stands and climbing devices that do not injure trees.(b) On a special area, a person shall: 1. Not use nails, spikes, screw-in devices, wire, or tree climbers for attaching tree stands or for climbing trees;2. Not use an existing permanent tree stand;3. Not place a portable stand in a tree more than two (2) weeks prior to the opening day, and shall remove it within one (1) week following the last day of each hunting period; and4. Plainly mark the portable stand with the hunter's name and address.Section 2. Land Between the Lakes.(1) A person shall not take more than:(a) Two (2) deer during archery hunts, as stipulated by the USDA Forest Service;(b) One (1) deer during quota hunts;(c) One (1) turkey of either sex during deer archery season; and(d) One (1) turkey with a visible beard during the spring turkey quota hunt.(2) Quota hunters shall: (a) Apply in advance at Land Between the Lakes; and(b) Abide by the shooting hours of one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise until one-half (1/2) hour after sunset.(3) A person harvesting deer or turkey shall:(a) Check the carcass as required by the USDA Forest Service;(b) Affix a Land Between the Lakes game check card as required by the USDA Forest Service; and(c) Not use bait, feed, minerals, or other attractants.Section 3. Fort Campbell.(1) Turkey, either sex:(a) Deer archery hunters may take turkey; and(b) A turkey taken at Fort Campbell shall be a bonus bird that shall not count toward a hunter's statewide bag limit.(2) White turkey.(a) A person may take one (1) white turkey of either sex during open Fort Campbell hunting seasons.(b) Statewide and post limits and tagging requirements shall not apply to white turkey.Section 4. Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge. (1) Bag limits. (a) Zone 1 limits apply during the open archery hunt; and(b) A person shall not take more than two (2) deer by firearms, only one (1) of which shall be antlered.(2) Tagging and checking deer.(a) A quota hunter shall tag deer with a tag issued by Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.(b) Quota hunters shall comply with the check-in requirements of Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.(c) An archery hunter shall take deer using the appropriate statewide or bonus antlerless deer permit and check harvested deer through the state telephone check system.Section 5.(1) Bluegrass Army Depot. A person shall not: (a) Take an antlered deer whose outside antler spread is less than fifteen (15) inches, or(b) Use bait, feed, minerals, or other attractants.(2) A turkey taken at the Bluegrass Army Depot shall be a bonus bird that shall not count toward a hunter's statewide bag limit.Section 6. Fort Knox. (1) A person shall not take an antlered deer whose outside antler spread is less than twelve (12) inches; and(2) A turkey taken at Fort Knox shall be a bonus bird that shall not count toward a hunter's statewide bag limit.Section 7. Hidden Valley Training Area. A person shall not:(2) Hunt deer using a firearm; or(3) Use bait, feed, minerals, or other attractants.Section 8. Daniel Boone National Forest and Jefferson National Forest. A person shall not use bait, feed, minerals, or other attractants.6 Ky.R. 549; eff. 6-4-1980; Am. 7 Ky.R. 831; eff. 6-3-1981; 8 Ky.R. 1159; eff. 6-2-1982; 9 Ky.R. 1233; eff. 6-1-1983; 10 Ky.R. 1169; eff. 6-28-1984; 12 Ky.R. 25; eff. 8-13-1985; 1841; eff. 7-2-1986; 13 Ky.R. 2031; eff. 7-2-1987; 14 Ky.R. 2042; eff. 7-1-1988; 15 Ky.R. 2418; eff. 7-26-1989; 16 Ky.R. 2700; eff. 7-11-1990; 18 Ky.R. 309; 682; eff. 8-28-1991; 3498; eff. 7-22-1992; 19 Ky.R. 2675; eff. 7-21-1993; 20 Ky.R. 3225; eff. 7-27-1994; 21 Ky.R. 3064; eff. 7-12-1995; 22 Ky.R. 2325; 23 Ky.R. 430; eff. 8-1-1996; 24 Ky.R. 138; 567; eff. 9-10-1997; 25 Ky.R. 2934; eff. 8-16-1999; 27 Ky.R. 202; 746; eff. 8-24-2000; 2872; eff. 6-8-2001; 28 Ky.R. 2644; eff. 8-12-2002; 29 Ky.R. 789; eff. 11-13-2002; 29 Ky.R. 789; 2129; eff. 4-11-2003; 2960; eff. 8-13-2003; 30 Ky.R. 2554; eff. 8-26-2004; 31 Ky.R. 828; eff. 1-4-2005; 31 Ky.R. 1704, eff. 6-8-2005; 32 Ky.R. 2094; eff. 7-12-2006; 34 Ky.R. 2435, eff. 7-9-2008; 35 Ky.R. 2349; 2670; eff. 7-6-2009; 48 Ky.R. 140; eff. 11-17-2021.STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 150.025(1)