Shooting Preserve License (available online at fw.ky.gov only)                        $5.00

Annual Trapping                                                                 $20.00                                            $130.00

Annual Landowner/Tenant Trapping                                $10.00                                          Not available

Annual Youth (ages 12-15) Trapping                                 $5.00                                             Not available

Annual Combination Hunting/Fishing                             $30.00                                                  Not available

Senior/Disabled Combination Hunting/Fishing* (includes same license and

permits as Resident Sportsman’s License, plus additional deer permits.)

                                                                                        $5.00                                                     Not available

Sportsman’s License* (Includes combination hunting/fishing, statewide deer

permit, spring and fall turkey permits, state waterfowl permit and trout permit.)

                                                                                        $95.00                                                    Not available

Youth (ages 12-15) Sportsman’s License*

(Includes youth hunting license, youth deer permit and youth turkey permit.)

                                                                                                                           $25.00

DEER

Statewide Deer Permit (two deer)                                     $30.00                                                      $60.00

Youth (ages 12-15) Deer Permit (one deer)                                                          $10.00

Additional Deer Permit (two deer)                                                                        $15.00

BIRDS

Spring Turkey Permit (statewide) (two turkeys)                    $30.00                                                    $60.00

Youth (ages 12-15) Turkey Permit (one turkey, spring or fall)                               $10.00

Fall Turkey Permit (statewide)(four turkeys)                          $30.00                                                    $60.00

Kentucky Waterfowl Permit                                                                                  $15.00

Migratory Bird Permit                                                                                           $10.00

Federal Duck Stamp 

(available at post offices and online at www.duckstamp.com)                                           $15.00

Elk Lottery Application

 (deadline April 30; available at fw.ky.gov only)                                                       $10.00

Youth WMA Elk Lottery

 (deadline April 30; available at fw.ky.gov only)                                                        $10.00

Elk Quota Hunt Permit (if drawn)                                       $30.00                                                        $365.00

Out-of-Zone Elk Permit                                                      $30.00                                                        $365.00

AREAS

Peabody WMA User Permit                                                                                   $15.00

Land Between the Lakes (LBL)

 Hunter Use Permit                                                                                                 $20.00

Otter Creek ORA

Admission Fees (per person)

(available online at fw.ky.gov)

                                                                                                               Daily: $3.00, annual: $30.00,

                                                                                                                     children under 12: free.

Otter Creek ORA

Special Activity Fees (per person, for use of horse trails,

mountain bike trails and shooting range) (available online at fw.ky.gov)

                                                                                                                 Daily: $7.00, annual: $70.00

OTHER

Bear Permit                                                             $30.00                                                             Not available

Temporary Hunter Education Exemption Permit

(available online at fw.ky.gov only)                                                                  $5.00

*Peabody, LBL and Otter Creek permits, elk lottery application, elk quota hunt permit, out-of-zone elk permit, additional deer permit, bear permit, federal duck stamp and trapping license not included.

Kentucky’s license year begins March 1 and continues through the last day of February. New licenses are required annually. A 1-day or 5-day hunting license is valid only for the period shown on license.

Resident and nonresident youth under the age of 12 are not required to purchase licenses or permits (except the elk lottery

application).

7

License Requirements

Sportsman’s License -

Save $50!

Available to Kentucky residents

only, the Sportsman’s License includes a

combination hunting and fishing license,

spring and fall turkey permits, statewide

deer permit, state waterfowl permit

(which also covers dove and other migratory

bird hunting) and trout permit.

A federal duck stamp (available at post

offices and online at www.duckstamp.

com) is required for waterfowl hunting.

YOUTH Hunter Licensing

Resident and non-resident hunters

under the age of 12 are not required to

purchase licenses and permits, except

for the elk lottery application. Persons

under 12 years old, who have passed

a hunter education course, may hunt

small game, furbearers and waterfowl

without being accompanied by an adult.

Resident and non-resident hunters

ages 12-15 are eligible to purchase

discounted licenses and permits, which

are valid for the entire license year, if

they are purchased before the youth’s

16th birthday. Persons 15 years of age

and under who hunt turkey, elk, deer or

bear with a firearm must always be accompanied

by an adult.

The $5 Annual Youth Hunting License

authorizes the holder to hunt all

small game species and migratory bird

species. Hunters 15 and younger are

exempt from purchasing a Kentucky

waterfowl or Kentucky migratory bird

permit, and a federal duck stamp.

A youth hunting license shall not

be issued without the written permission

of a parent or guardian, or person

having custody of the youth hunter,

who shall sign the youth hunter’s license

to signify consent.

The $10 Youth Deer Permit allows

the hunter to take one deer.

The $10 Youth Turkey Permit allows

the hunter to take one turkey.

The $25 Youth Sportsman’s License

includes a youth hunting license,

youth deer permit and youth turkey

permit.

For specific permit requirements

for youth deer hunting see page 19, and

page 26 for youth turkey hunting.

During the Free Youth Hunting

and Trapping Week (Dec. 29, 2012 -

Jan. 4, 2013), resident and nonresident

hunters 15 and under may hunt or trap

small game and furbearers without a license.

All other regulations and limits

apply.

Youth hunters who hunt deer or

out-of-zone elk with a firearm during

the Free Youth Deer Hunting Weekend

(Dec. 29-30, 2012) are not required to

have a deer or out-of-zone elk permit,

but must be accompanied by an adult,

and follow all other deer/elk hunting

regulations.

Warning!

Persons convicted of providing

false information regarding

residency eligibility for purposes

of purchasing hunting and fishing

licenses and permits are subject

to fines up to $200 in addition to

loss of hunting/fishing privileges

for up to three years and seizure of

hunting/fishing equipment.

Q: Does a nonresident who owns

land in Kentucky have to buy nonresident

licenses and permits?

A: Yes. All nonresidents must

purchase nonresident licenses and

permits.

Hunter education is not required

for youth to participate in the Free

Youth Deer Hunting Weekend, or the

Free Youth Hunting & Trapping Week,

but is strongly recommended.

Nonresident Licensing

Those who do not meet the definition

of a Kentucky resident are required

to purchase nonresident licenses and

permits. A resident is any person who

has established permanent domicile and

legal residence and has resided in Kentucky

for 30 days prior to purchasing a

license, full-time students enrolled in

an educational institution for at least

a six-month term, and military service

personnel on permanent assignment in

Kentucky.

Nonresident youth hunters are

subject to the same license and permit

requirements as resident youth hunters.

Lost licenses and permits

Persons who need a replacement

license or permit have three options:

1. Print a replacement online at

fw.ky.gov. Click on “Licenses &

Permits,” then the “Lost Your

License?” tab.

2. Purchase the same type of license

or permit from any license vendor,

ask them for a license refund

form (or print one at fw.ky.gov),

fill it out and send it to: KDFWR

Licensing, #1 Sportsman’s Lane,

Frankfort, KY 40601. You will

receive a refund minus a $5

handling fee.

3. Send $5, your name, address,

date of birth and Social Security

number, and which license(s)

or permits you lost to: KDFWR

Licensing, #1 Sportsman’s Lane,

Frankfort, KY 40601. The department

will replace the license/permit

once verification of original

purchase occurs. Replacement

may take up to 3 weeks.

TRAPPING LICENSE

A trapping license is required of all

resident and nonresident trappers ages

12 and older, including landowners/

tenants unless otherwise provided by

law.

A trapping license is not included

in any other combination license package.

Landowner/tenant trapping licenses

are only valid for landowners, tenants

or their dependents trapping on their

own property.

YOUTH TRAPPING LICENSE

Trappers under the age of 12 are not

required to purchase a trapping license.

A youth trapping license is available for

resident trappers ages 12-15. Trapping

licenses are available from license agents

across the state, online at fw.ky.gov and

by phone at 1-877-598-2401.

8

GENERAL INFORMATION

Carry proof

Holders of Disability Combination

Licenses must carry both the

license and authorization card

while hunting. Once a person who

qualifies for this license reaches

age 65, he or she is considered

a senior for licensing purposes,

and no longer needs to follow the

process of obtaining a disability

license authorization card.

Mail or fax

Except for those who qualify

for a Disability License through

Worker’s Compensation, mail or

fax your disability certification to:

KDFWR Disability License

#1 Sportsman’s Lane

Frankfort, KY 40601

FAX: (502) 564-9845

You may also bring the

documentation in person to the

department office in Frankfort

at #1 Sportsman’s Lane during

business hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Eastern Monday - Friday.

Q: For how long is a disability

authorization card valid?

A: A disability authorization

card is valid for three years (check

the expiration date on your card).

Every three years, you must provide

updated paperwork (following the

instructions to the left) and get a

new card.

Those who already have a disability

authorization card through

the Veteran’s Administration, Railroad

Retirement Board or Office of

Personnel Management may call

1-800-310-1873 to get a new card.

Resident Senior and Disability Licenses

The following are eligible to purchase the $5 Senior or Disability

Combination Hunting and Fishing License (which includes the same

license and permits as the Resident Sportsman’s License, plus additional

deer permits):

• Kentucky residents 65 years of age or older.

• Kentucky residents certified totally and permanently disabled by the

Federal Social Security Administration, a state Workers Compensation

Board, the Kentucky Teacher Retirement System or the United

States Railroad Retirement Board.

• Kentucky resident employees of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management,

declared totally and permanently disabled by a recognized

authority.

• Kentucky resident veterans at least 50% disabled as the result of a

service-connected disability.

Seniors need only show proof of age and residency to purchase

this license. Persons with disabilities listed above must first obtain a

disability authorization card from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

To obtain a disability license authorization card:

If your disability is through the:

• Federal Social Security Administration: Contact your local Social

Security office and request a form showing your name, address,

Social Security number and date of birth, which states that you

are disabled and drawing benefits. Send form to Kentucky Fish and

Wildlife.

• Veteran’s Administration: Contact your local VA office and request

a letter that verifies you are at least 50% disabled as a result

of a service-connected disability. Send letter to Kentucky Fish and

Wildlife.

• State Worker’s Compensation Board: Request an application

from Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, fill it out and send it to the State

Worker’s Compensation Board.

• United States Railroad Retirement Board: Contact the Board

and request a letter stating you are 100% totally and permanently

disabled. Send letter to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

• Kentucky Teacher Retirement System: Contact the Teacher

Retirement System and request written documentation stating you

are on disability retirement. Send documentation to Kentucky Fish

and Wildlife.

• United States Office of Personnel Management: Contact the

federal Office of Personnel Management and obtain certification

of employment and documentation of being 100% disabled. Send

documentation to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

Once the proper documentation is processed, applicants will receive

their authorization card by mail. The authorization card is not a

license. It must be presented to the license seller, or the authorization

number entered online, at the time of purchase.

License vendors cannot sell a disability license using an expired

authorization card.

Senior and Disability Combination Licenses are valid through

the end of February like any other license. If you lose your card, you

may contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at the above address for a

replacement.

9

GENERAL INFORMATION

Telecheck: 1-800-CHK-GAME

(1-800-245-4263)

RECORDING, CHECKING,

TAGGING AND TRANSPORTING

Harvested Deer, Elk, Turkey, Bear, Bobcat and Otter

All successful deer, elk, turkey

and bear hunters, and bobcat and otter

hunters/trappers, including those

who are license-exempt, must record,

check, tag and transport these species

according to the following regulations.

BASIC GUIDELINES

• You must have a completed hunter

harvest log with you for each harvested

deer, elk, turkey, bear, bobcat or otter

anytime you’re in the field hunting

or trapping that species.

• You must be able to show you have the

correct licenses and permits for the

game you intend to take, unless you

are license/permit exempt.

• Meat processors and taxidermists are

prohibited by law from accepting any

part of an unchecked or untagged deer,

elk, turkey, bear, bobcat or otter.

RECORDING

All successful hunters and trappers

must write down harvest information on

a hunter harvest log as soon as the animal

is recovered and before it is moved.

Blank spaces to fill in the required information

are provided on the back of

any paper license or permit. Otherwise,

you may obtain a blank log sheet from a

license dealer or make one yourself and

complete it as explained on page 11.

Log information should be written

in ink.

Although there are spaces to record

five animals on a pre-printed harvest

log, that doesn’t necessarily mean you

can take that many animals. Season bag

limits are in place for each species.

Completing the hunter harvest log:

• If you have a paper license or permit,

simply fill in the blanks on the back as

indicated on page 11.

• ALL hunters not required to have a

license/permit, or who have only a license

authorization number, must create

their own hunter harvest log and

follow the same requirements as noted

on page 11 after taking these species.

CHECKING (TELECHECK)

All harvested animals must be telechecked

through the toll-free, automated

phone-in system by midnight on

the day the animal is recovered, with

the following exceptions and additional

restrictions:

• Bears must be telechecked before the

hunter leaves the department check-in

station.

• Deer and elk must be telechecked before

removing the hide or head.

• Harvested animals must be telechecked

before being transported out

of Kentucky.

When you call, you will be asked a

short series of questions, including your

Social Security number and the code

number for the county where you took

the animal. The county code chart appears

on page 11.

You can check multiple animals

during the same call. It takes about five

minutes each. Entering false information

is unlawful.

Q: Due to a cell phone

dropped call, a hunter loses a

confirmation number. Should the

animal be checked in again?

A: No. To get that Telecheck

confirmation number, call the department

at 1-800-858-1549 the

next business day.

CALLING TELECHECK

1. Call toll-free 1-800-245-

4263. It’s in service 24 hours

a day while seasons are open.

2. Listen to each question carefully

and provide the requested

information using the keypad

on any touch-tone phone. You

will be asked to indicate the

animal’s species and sex, type

of equipment used, whether the

land was private or public and

what type of license you used

(or if you are a landowner).

3. Once your harvest information

has been entered correctly, you

will be asked to hold while the

system submits your survey

information. Be prepared to

write down the confirmation

number given by the system on

the hunter harvest log for the

animal you are checking in.

Sex of deer: Hunters who take

button bucks should check

the deer as “male” and then

choose “no visible antler”

when prompted.

License: You will be given the

following choices: Statewide

License, $5 Senior/Disabled

License, Landowner, Deer

Control Tag, Trapping License,

Elk Permit or Out-of-Zone Elk

Permit. Youth under 12, youth

who check deer taken during

the Free Youth Deer Hunting

Weekend, or license exempt

military personnel should

select “Statewide License.”

Landowners who take animals

somewhere other than on

property they own must have

the proper license/permit and

answer accordingly.

TAGGING

Placing a carcass tag on a harvested

deer, elk, turkey, bobcat or otter is

only required when the carcass leaves

the possession of the hunter who took

the animal. (Bear tagging requirements

are explained in the Bear section.) Harvested

animals in a hunter’s possession

10

GENERAL INFORMATION

are assumed to be his or hers, unless they

bear a carcass tag stating otherwise. An

individual in possession of an untagged

animal must have a fully completed

hunter harvest log for each animal.

If an animal leaves the possession

of the person who harvested it, that

hunter must first make and attach a

carcass tag to the animal that clearly

includes the following information:

1. Hunter’s name.

2. Hunter’s phone number; and

3. Animal’s telecheck confirmation

number.

CITES Tagging for Bobcat & Otter

Hunters or trappers who intend

to sell the raw fur of a bobcat or otter

must go online to fw.ky.gov or call

1-800-858-1549, provide their Telecheck

confirmation number, and request

a CITES tag. This tag shall be attached

per the instructions included with the

mailed tag and remain with the pelt until

it is processed. Possession of an unused

bobcat or otter CITES tag is prohibited,

unless authorized by Kentucky Fish and

Wildlife. A CITES tag may substitute

for a hand-made carcass tag. The process

of selling furs is described in the Small

Game & Furbearers section.

TRANSPORTING

Hunters bringing any deer or elk,

or parts of deer or elk, into Kentucky

shall have proof that the animal was

legally harvested elsewhere and shall

do so in compliance with the carcass

importation laws outlined on page 19.

Carcass tags

Carcass tags must be placed on the animal before the hunter gives it to or leaves

it with someone else; or leaves a deer, for example, hanging unattended in a deer

camp or elsewhere. Hunters must also telecheck the animal first and write the

confirmation number on the carcass tag as proof of doing so. The easiest item

to use as a carcass tag is an index card. The carcass tag must remain attached

until processing begins or the hunter returns to take possession of the carcass.

HOW TO FILL OUT

THE HUNTER

HARVEST LOG

BEFORE YOU MOVE THE

ANIMAL FROM THE SPOT IT

WAS FOUND:

Step 1: Mark the box for the

appropriate species and fill in the

date, county and sex of the animal.

Bear hunters will need to write

“bear.” Put the harvest log back in

your pocket.

WHEN YOU CALL TO CHECK

IN THE ANIMAL:

Step 2: Write the Telecheck

confirmation number on the

harvest log, and keep the log

information in your possession

whenever you are in the field

during the deer, elk, turkey, bear,

bobcat or otter season.

2

1Reminder: All hunters must fill out a hunter harvest log. Carcass tags are only required if the carcass leaves your possession.

Kentucky County Code Numbers for Telecheck

001 Adair 025 Clark 049 Harrison 073 McCracken 097 Perry

002 Allen 026 Clay 050 Hart 074 McCreary 098 Pike

003 Anderson 027 Clinton 051 Henderson 075 McLean 099 Powell

004 Ballard 028 Crittenden 052 Henry 076 Madison 100 Pulaski

005 Barren 029 Cumberland 053 Hickman 077 Magoffin 101 Robertson

006 Bath 030 Daviess 054 Hopkins 078 Marion 102 Rockcastle

007 Bell 031 Edmonson 055 Jackson 079 Marshall 103 Rowan

008 Boone 032 Elliott 056 Jefferson 080 Martin 104 Russell

009 Bourbon 033 Estill 057 Jessamine 081 Mason 105 Scott

010 Boyd 034 Fayette 058 Johnson 082 Meade 106 Shelby

011 Boyle 035 Fleming 059 Kenton 083 Menifee 107 Simpson

012 Bracken 036 Floyd 060 Knott 084 Mercer 108 Spencer

013 Breathitt 037 Franklin 061 Knox 085 Metcalfe 109 Taylor

014 Breckinridge 038 Fulton 062 Larue 086 Monroe 110 Todd

015 Bullitt 039 Gallatin 063 Laurel 087 Montgomery 111 Trigg

016 Butler 040 Garrard 064 Lawrence 088 Morgan 112 Trimble

017 Caldwell 041 Grant 065 Lee 089 Muhlenberg 113 Union

018 Calloway 042 Graves 066 Leslie 090 Nelson 114 Warren

019 Campbell 043 Grayson 067 Letcher 091 Nicholas 115 Washington

020 Carlisle 044 Green 068 Lewis 092 Ohio 116 Wayne

021 Carroll 045 Greenup 069 Lincoln 093 Oldham 117 Webster

022 Carter 046 Hancock 070 Livingston 094 Owen 118 Whitley

023 Casey 047 Hardin 071 Logan 095 Owsley 119 Wolfe

024 Christian 048 Harlan 072 Lyon 096 Pendleton 120 Woodford

11

 OTHER HUNTING REGULATIONS

GENERAL INFORMATION

LANDOWNER PERMISSION

A person SHALL NOT ENTER

upon the lands of another to hunt, trap

or fish WITHOUT the oral or written

PERMISSION of the landowner,

tenant or person who has authority to

grant permission. Those who fail to obtain

permission are subject to arrest and

prosecution. Railroad tracks and rights

of way are privately owned property and

permission to hunt, trap or fish must be

obtained prior to entry.

Q: Can game or hunting dogs

be retrieved from another person’s

land without permission?

A: No. You MUST have permission

to enter private property.

Landowners are under no obligation

to allow hunters to retrieve

game or dogs from their land.

Think before you shoot when hunting

near a property line. You may

not be able to retrieve your game.

HUNTER EDUCATION LAW

Kentucky’s Hunter Education Law

became mandatory in 1991. It states

that all hunters, if required to purchase

a Kentucky hunting license and born

on or after January 1, 1975, must

carry a valid hunter education course

completion card while hunting any

species. Hunters not required to have

licenses or permits are exempt from

hunter education certification.

A one-time hunter education

exemption permit is available only online

at fw.ky.gov. This $5 permit allows

hunting without a hunter education card

for one year from the date of purchase.

After it expires, the hunter is no longer

exempt and must successfully complete

a hunter education course.

The one-time hunter education

exemption permit is valid only in

Kentucky, and is not accepted at the

Bluegrass Army Depot or Fort Campbell.

Hunter education cards and

temporary hunter education exemption

permits are not required when buying

a license or permits, but must be in the

hunter’s possession while hunting.

Hunter education cards obtained

from other states are valid in Kentucky.

Resident landowners are only

license and hunter education-exempt

when hunting on their own property.

They must be licensed and comply with

the hunter education law when hunting

on other public or private lands.

Children under 12 years old are

exempt from Kentucky’s Hunter Education

Law.

Hunters under 12 years of age, and

hunters who have a temporary hunter

education exemption permit, must be

accompanied by an adult who meets the

hunter education requirement. The adult

shall be in a position to take immediate

control of the child’s or exempted

hunter’s bow or firearm at all times while

hunting. This law applies even if the exempted

hunter is an adult. One adult

may not accompany more than two

youth hunters at the same time.

A bowhunter not in possession of a

firearm while hunting may carry a valid

National Bowhunter Education Program

course completion card instead of

the hunter education card.

Hunter education courses are

held around the state. A course schedule

is available at fw.ky.gov or by calling

1-800-858-1549.

Children must be at least nine

years of age to take the hunter education

course. Persons who complete the course

are issued an orange (certification) card.

Free replacement hunter education

cards can be printed online at

fw.ky.gov. Replacements are also available

for $5 by mailing the replacement

fee and the following information to

the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Hunter

Education Program at the address on

the front of this guide: name, current address,

date of birth, phone number, when

and where the course was taken, and the

mailing address at the time the course

was taken if different from the current

address. The replacement fee must be

received before the card will be mailed.

HUNTER ORANGE CLOTHING LAW

Hunter orange garments must be

worn as the outer coverings and must

be worn at all times while in the field

hunting. Garments can be of mesh type

material, as long as openings in the mesh

weave are no wider than one-quarter

inch by any measurement. Garments

may display a small portion of another

color.

The only exceptions are when hunting

waterfowl during a gun deer season,

or when hunting game that can legally

be hunted at night (like opossum or raccoon,

for example).

The following are examples of

common Hunter Orange Clothing

Law violations:

• Wearing camouflage-patterned hunter

orange garments without additional

solid hunter orange clothing on the

head, back and chest.

• Wearing hunter orange clothing while

walking to a stand and taking it off

when you get there.

• Hunting squirrel, rabbit or quail when

and where a firearm deer or elk season

is also open without wearing hunter

orange clothing.

• Hunting during a muzzleloading deer

season without wearing hunter orange.

Hunter orange clothing is not required

when hunting waterfowl or dove

during a gun deer season, or when hunting

game that can legally be hunted

at night, such as opossum or raccoon.

Hunters using archery equipment during

deer firearms seasons must wear

Orange is the law!

Kentucky’s Hunter Orange Clothing

Law requires ALL HUNTERS and

persons accompanying them, hunting

for any species during the modern

gun, muzzleloading, and youth firearm

deer seasons, or a firearm elk or

bear season to wear solid, unbroken

hunter orange color visible from all

sides on the head, back and chest.

Sunrise/sunset tables

Sunrise/sunset tables are online at:

http://www.usno.navy.mil/USNO/

astronomical-applications/dataservices/

rs-one-day-us

12

GENERAL INFORMATION

hunter orange clothing, and follow all

firearm season restrictions, zone guidelines

and hunting requirements in effect.

Archery hunters are also not required

to wear hunter orange clothing

during a firearms season on a state

owned or managed WMA where firearms

hunting for deer, elk or bear is prohibited.

On these areas hunters are not

required to wear hunter orange while

hunting for deer or elk with archery

equipment during firearms seasons.

SHOOTING HOURS

Shooting hours for all species listed

in this guide, except raccoons, opossums

and frogs, are during daylight hours only

– a half-hour before sunrise to a halfhour

after sunset. However, hunters may

be in the field or stands before and after

shooting hours.

Raccoons and opossums may be

taken day or night, except during modern

gun deer season when raccoon and

opossum hunting is permitted only at

night.

HUNTING METHOD EXEMPTIONS

The department grants exemptions

to hunters with certain physical disabilities

to hunt with a crossbow during archery-

only seasons, or to use a stationary

vehicle as a hunting platform.

However, persons with qualifying

physical disabilities must first have an

exemption form completed and signed

by a licensed physician certifying why

the exemption is necessary. Forms are

available from the department and online

at fw.ky.gov. A completed exemption

form serves as the hunter’s exemption

permit. It should not be returned to

the department. Persons who obtain an

exemption are still required to have the

appropriate hunting license and permits,

and must carry the signed exemption

form with their hunting license and permits

while in the field.

PROHIBITED HUNTING METHODS

• No person shall discharge any firearm,

bow and arrow, crossbow or other

similar device, upon, over or across any

public roadway. Hunting is prohibited

in highway or interstate medians and

rights of way.

• No person shall take or attempt to take

wildlife from an automobile, or other

vehicle, except as prescribed by regulation.

Hunting from boats is permitted

for small game.

• A person shall not pursue, chase or take

a deer, elk, bear, or turkey (during the

spring turkey season): with the aid of

dogs; while on horseback; or when the

deer, elk or bear is swimming. Dogs

may be used to locate and flush turkeys

during the fall turkey seasons only.

• It is illegal to feed bears directly or indirectly

for any reason.

• No person shall take wildlife with the

aid of fire, smoke, explosives or gas.

• Baiting is prohibited on all WMAs,

Big South Fork National River and

Recreation Area, Daniel Boone National

Forest, Jefferson National Forest

and state parks open to hunting.

• Deer and elk hunters shall not use electronic

decoys or calls.

• No person shall take a turkey when the

turkey is roosting. (A roost is the place

where a turkey spends the night.)

• A person hunting wild turkeys shall

not use live turkeys as decoys.

• Wild turkeys or bears shall not be

hunted by the aid of bait, nor shall

areas be hunted where bait is present

(this includes private lands baited for

deer). An area is considered baited for

30 days after all bait has been removed.

A baited area is any place where feed,

grains or other substances capable of

luring wild turkeys or bears have been

placed. An area where grains or other

feeds exist as the result of legitimate

agricultural practices, or as the result

of growing or manipulating a crop

for wildlife management, is legal for

hunting.

CONCEALED CARRY DEADLY

WEAPONS PERMITS

Anyone who may legally possess

firearms may carry firearms while hunting,

but only persons with valid concealed

carry deadly weapons permits

may carry their firearms concealed.

CONVICTED FELONS

A person convicted of a felony is prohibited

from possessing or hunting with

a firearm in Kentucky. The prohibition

on handguns applies to those convicted

SHOT SIZES

Inches .08 .085 .09 .095 .10 .11 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .18 .19 .20 .22

mm 2.03 2.16 2.29 2.41 2.54 2.79 3.05 3.30 3.56 3.81 4.06 4.57 4.83 5.08 5.59

Diameter 9 8½ 8 7½ 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 BB BBB T F

.775" (+.020") .729" .670" .615" .550" .410"

10 12 16 20 28

.410

Cal.

SHOTGUN GAUGE SIZES

.45, .458

.44, .444

.40, 10mm

.357, .38, 9mm

.30, .30-06, .308, .32,

7.62mm, 8mm

.270, .280, 7mm

.22, .223, .243, .25,

5.56 mm, 6mm

RIFLE &

HANDGUN

CALIBERS

Legal ammunition?

Check species sections for equipment

restrictions.

13

GENERAL INFORMATION

after Jan. 1, 1975. The prohibition on

other firearms applies to those convicted

after July 15, 1994. (See KRS 527.040

for more details.)

SPOTLIGHTING

No person may deliberately cast

the rays of a spotlight or other artificial

light into any field, pasture, woodlands

or forest, whether public or private,

where wildlife or domestic livestock

may reasonably be expected to be located.

Shining artificial lights into private

residences or other structures is also

prohibited. This does not apply to: the

rays of headlights of vehicles engaged

in a normal course of travel; lights being

used in legitimate agricultural activities;

anyone involved in activities

legitimate to his or her business or occupation;

circumstances including lawful

hunting activities; or any landowner,

his or her immediate family or any paid

employee while working on his or her

land at that time. No person shall take

wildlife, except raccoons, opossums,

fishes and frogs, using lights or other

means designed to blind wildlife or

make wildlife visible at night.

GAME CALLING DEVICES

& RESTRICTIONS

• Hand or mouth-operated calls may be

used in hunting all species.

• Mechanical and electronic (digitally

reproduced or tape-recorded sound)

calls or attracting devices may only be

used to take groundhogs, coyotes, wild

hogs, English sparrows and starlings

during daylight hours year-round.

• A hunter may use electronic calls or attracting

devices for furbearers during

the furbearer season. Mechanical and

electronic calls may be used to take

crows only during crow season.

• Deer, turkey and elk hunters shall not

use or possess electronic calling devices.

TREE STANDS

Construction and use of tree stands

on private lands is regulated by landowners,

not the department.

The use of nails, spikes, screws,

wire, or tree climbers is prohibited for

attaching a tree stand or climbing a tree

on: all department-owned or managed

WMAs, state parks open to hunting,

Daniel Boone National Forest, Clark’s

River National Wildlife Refuge, Jefferson

National Forest, Reelfoot National

Wildlife Refuge, Ohio River Islands

National Wildlife Refuge, Land Between

the Lakes, Big South Fork National

River and Recreation Area, Fort

Knox, Fort Campbell, Blue Grass Army

Depot and Hidden Valley Training

Area. Portable stands and tree climbers

that do not injure trees may be used,

but must be marked with the owner’s

name and address. Portable stands and

tree climbers may be placed in trees no

earlier than two weeks before the opening

of the season and must be removed

within one week after the season closes.

Use of existing permanent tree stands is

prohibited. On state parks open to hunting,

tree stands must not be left unattended

for more than 24 hours.

TRANSPORTATION AND HOLDING

OF LIVE NATIVE WILDLIFE

A person may not take or possess

live wildlife without first obtaining a

permit when prescribed by regulation.

A person shall not hold live native

wildlife in captivity that was not legally

taken or possessed. A person shall not

buy or sell, offer to buy or sell, trade,

or barter native wildlife or parts thereof

obtained from the wild. Wildlife acquired

prior to obtaining the proper

permits may be confiscated and the

holder fined. Orphaned wildlife may

only be possessed by a licensed wildlife

rehabilitator. Persons transporting live

deer or other types of cervids (members

of the deer family) without proper

documentation or permits, or holding

live deer captive in unpermitted facilities

or pens, are subject to severe fines

and may have their animals confiscated

or destroyed.

DOG TRAINING

& HUNTING WITH DOGS

Hunters may run or train dogs

for rabbits, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and

opossums year-round as long as game is

harvested only during an open hunting

season. Some WMAs have special restrictions

on using dogs, so check ahead

of time. All members of the party must

have a valid hunting license (unless license-

exempt) to pursue rabbits or furbearers,

even when training dogs without

taking game. Dogs may not be used

to chase, molest or hunt deer and elk.

Dogs may be used to chase or hunt bears

if a legal season is open. Dogs are permitted

for locating and flushing turkeys

during the fall turkey season only, and

dogs on leash are permitted for tracking

and locating wounded deer, elk and bear.

Except during the hunting season, raccoon

and opossum hunters shall not use

any device to force a raccoon or opossum

from trees or dens. Raccoon squallers

may be used year-round.

BOBWHITE SHOOT-TO-TRAIN

SEASON

For the purpose of bird dog training

on private lands only, pen-reared

bobwhite quail may be harvested August

15 through May 15 (excluding

bobwhite hunting season), provided

that prior to shooting a person must:

• Possess a valid hunting license, or be

license-exempt

• Submit a completed application to

the department

• Possess proof of the sale/ownership

of the birds

• Possess a captive wildlife permit for

pen-reared bobwhite if more than

100 birds in possession, or if kept for

more than 10 days

• Make sure that the training area is

free of wild quail

• Pen-reared birds must be banded (No.

7 leg bands or department-supplied

bands) before release

MIGRATORY BIRD &

WATERFOWL HUNTING

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service (USFWS) governs migratory

bird and waterfowl hunting.

Season dates for these species

are finalized by the USFWS in

August, which is too late to be

included in this guide. However,

the first portion of the Kentucky

dove season usually opens

September 1 each year and runs

through late October. Hunters

should consult the 2012-13 Early

and Late Season Migratory Bird

and Waterfowl Hunting guides

for complete details on migratory

bird and waterfowl hunting in

Kentucky, or check the Kentucky

Fish and Wildlife website at

fw.ky.gov a few days before the

season is expected to open.