Restoration Project

Quota Hunts in the Elk Restoration Zone

Overview

Season dates

Equipment restrictions and other requirements

Elk Hunting Outside the Restoration Zone

For more information on elk hunting, pick up a copy of the upcoming 2007-08 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide, available in early July wherever licenses are sold.

Restoration Project

Kentucky began restoring elk in the winter of 1997-98 to counties in the southeastern part of the state. Over the next few years about 1,500 animals were trucked in from Kansas, Utah, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon and Arizona. Today, eastern Kentucky is home to about 6,500 free-ranging elk, the largest herd east of the Mississippi River. The goal is to reach a herd size of about 10,000 animals and maintain that population within the 16-county elk restoration zone. In addition to the important achievement of returning a native wildlife species to Kentucky after a 150-year absence, this project offers viewing, as well as hunting opportunities no one alive has ever had in the Bluegrass State.

In collaboration with the University of Kentucky, many different research projects have been completed or are underway to document the elk project, to examine the possible effects of elk on other species, and to study elk/habitat relationships. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Shikar Safari, University of Kentucky and Cyprus-Amax Coal were among the major partners in this historic effort by the KDFWR.

Counties in the elk restoration zone include Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Floyd, Harlan, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, McCreary, Perry, Pike and Whitley. Elk hunting within these counties is by quota hunt only. Outside these counties, hunters must follow deer season and equipment regulations, and also purchase an Out-of-Zone Elk Permit to take elk. The season bag limit on elk is one per hunter per season, regardless of permit type. (Hunters may not take an elk on a quota hunt, and also take an elk out-of-zone in the same season.)

Quota Hunts in the Elk Restoration Zone

Overview

Kentucky’s firearms quota elk hunts occur in October and December. To apply, you must purchase an Elk Lottery Application between December 1 and July 31 for a cost of $10.00. The deadline will change to April 30 beginning in 2008. An individual hunter may apply only one time. Permits are available from all license outlets, by phone at 1-877-598-2401, and through this website. Remember, the deadline to get in the elk lottery is July 31 for 2007, April 30 for 2008. Drawing results will be posted by August 20, 2007 (late May, 2008) on this website, or can be obtained by calling the KDFWR at 1-800-858-1549 weekdays 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. You must have your Social Security number or permit number to check whether you were drawn.

For 2007, a total of 300 elk permits will be issued by random computer drawing. Additional elk permits are awarded annually to conservation organizations that agree to auction the permits to raise money for wildlife conservation in Kentucky. Permits will be drawn electronically from the pool of permit buyers. Successfully drawn hunters will be assigned to either the Zone At-Large or to a Limited Entry Area, and will be selected for either a cow or bull permit. Hunters cannot choose what type of permit or area they want to apply for. Hunters drawn for a Zone At-Large permit may hunt during the firearm, archery or crossbow elk seasons to fill their permit. Limited entry area hunters have only the 7-day limited entry area season to hunt, and these hunters may use any legal weapon for elk during that season.

Residents and nonresidents are eligible to apply. Applicants must provide their Social Security number. Hunters may apply at any license outlet, over the internet or toll-free by phone at 1-877-598-2401.

Kids 15 years old or younger at the time of application are automatically entered into a special youth quota elk hunt drawing when they purchase an Elk Lottery Application. Two (2) tags are drawn (one antlered and one antlerless), valid for use in the elk restoration zone at-large. The application process, fee and deadline are the same as for the regular elk quota hunts. Those not drawn for the special youth tags are automatically entered into the regular elk quota hunt drawing.

Drawn hunters will be required to have a valid annual Kentucky hunting license when the hunt begins. They will also be required to purchase an elk tag prior to hunting. Cost of a resident elk tag is $30.00, non-resident is $365.00.

Season dates

Zone At-Large Quota Hunts:

Antlered Elk, firearms             Oct. 6-12, 2007

                      archery             Oct. 6, 2007 - Jan. 21, 2008

                      crossbow         Oct. 6-21 and Nov. 10 - Dec. 31, 2007

Antlerless Elk, firearms            Dec. 8-21, 2007

                         archery          Oct. 13, 2007 - Jan. 21, 2008

                         crossbow      Oct. 13-21 and Nov. 10 - Dec. 31, 2007

Limited Entry Area Quota Hunts:

Antlered Elk, firearms             Oct. 6-12, 2007

Antlerless Elk, firearms            Dec. 8-14, 2007

Hunters must have an Out-of-Zone Elk Permit to take elk from any county NOT included in the 16-county elk restoration zone. Out-of-Zone hunters must follow deer season and equipment regulations.

Equipment restrictions and other requirements:

Hunters may use equipment legal for deer hunting, with the following additional restrictions:

• Handguns must have a barrel length of at least 6 inches, a bore diameter of .270 caliber or greater, and when fired, the bullet must produce at least 550 ft/lbs of energy at 100 yards.

• A person shall not use or possess while elk hunting:

  • A modern firearm of less than .270 caliber

  • A muzzle-loading firearm of less than .50 caliber

  • A shotgun of less than 20-gauge

  • A shotgun shell containing more than one (1) projectile

  • Any arrow without a broadhead point

Other requirements:

• Drawn elk hunters and their assistants, or any other person hunting public or private lands in the elk restoration zone during firearms elk seasons, must comply with the hunter orange clothing law.

• All quota elk hunters must display a department-issued hang tag in their vehicles while hunting.
• The Kentucky hunter education law applies to elk hunters.
• Drawn limited entry area elk hunters are permitted two assistants during their hunt. KDFWR personnel will not be involved in the hunt, other than providing on-site check-in for successful hunters in limited-entry areas.
• All elk taken within the restoration zone must be telechecked, and those taken on limited entry areas must also be checked on site by KDFWR personnel.
• The season bag limit on elk is one per hunter per season, regardless of permit type. (Hunters may not take an elk during a quota elk hunt and also take an elk out-of-zone during the same season.)
• It is highly recommended that harvested elk be immediately field-dressed. Elk will spoil more quickly than deer.

Limited entry areas:

Begley WMA/Daniel Boone National Forest Limited Entry Area: Starting at the intersection of Kentucky Route 2058 and Route 421near Helton/Manchester, the boundary proceeds south along Route 421 to the intersection of Route 421 and Route 221. The boundary then proceeds west along Route 221 to the intersection of Route 221 and Route 66. The boundary then goes north following Route 66 to the intersection of Route 66 and Route 1850, then east along Route 1850 to the intersection of Route 1850 and Route 1780 at Warbranch. The boundary then proceeds south on Route 1780 to the intersection of Route 2058 near Spruce Pine, then east on Route 2058 back to Route 421 at Helton, completing the boundary.

Starfire Limited Entry Area: Starting at the intersection of Route 1098 and Route 80 near Softshell, the boundary proceeds west along Route 1098 to the junction of Route 1098 and Route 15. The boundary then proceeds south along Route 15 to the junction of Route 15 and Route 476 near Lost Creek. The boundary then turns east along Route 476 to the intersection of Route 476 and Route 80, then east on Route 80 to Route 1098 at Softshell, completing the boundary.

Elk Hunting Outside the Restoration Zone

Legal deer hunters are permitted to take either sex elk from counties outside the elk restoration zone, as long as they possess an Out-of-Zone Elk Permit and follow deer season and equipment regulations.  The season bag limit on elk is one per hunter per season, regardless of permit type. (Hunters may not take an elk during a quota elk hunt and also take an elk out-of-zone during the same season.)

Elk taken out-of-zone must be telechecked. Hunters are no longer required to call KDFWR conservation officers/biologists to check out-of-zone elk on-site.