Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed regulation changes at a special-called meeting on May 18 in Frankfort

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 12, 2026) — The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to advance amendments to several fishing, hunting and wildlife regulations and conducted other business in a May 18, 2026, special-called meeting (May 18 detailed agenda).The commission members met in person and via live-video teleconference.

At the special-called meeting, district commission members were provided with informational updates on the 2026 legislative session and actions affecting the department for the commission to promulgate or amend regulations to comply with new laws enacted by legislators in the 2026 legislative session, as follows:

• To comply with 26RS HB 10E, amend 301 KAR 4:001 – Selection of fish and wildlife resources commission nominees to comply with commission nomination meetings amendments made to KRS 150.022 and KRS 150.061.
• Revise provisions regarding public notification for and scheduling of nomination meetings;
• Update requirements for nominees to serve, including affidavit from nominees prior to a nomination meeting;
• Volunteers serving amended to “commission members" in KRS;
• Recodify the regulation to 301 KAR - Chapter 11 – Administrative;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.
• To comply with 26RS SB 39E, amend 301 KAR 6:001 – Definitions for 301 KAR Chapter 6 - Water Patrol.
• Amend definitions related to wakeboat, wakesports and hydrofoil;
• Conform to amendments made to KRS 235.280;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.
• To comply with 26RS SB 39E, amend 301 KAR 1:001 – Definitions for 301 KAR Chapter 1 - Fish to comply with amendments to KRS 150.170 and KRS 150.180.
• Define “private waters" as any water body that is not a public water or a “private lake or pond;"
• Define “private lake or pond" as any waterbody that is:
• On private land;
• Not connected by surface water to any public waters;
• Not accessible to fish from other public bodies of water; and
• Not located within the 100-year floodplain;
• Amend 301 KAR 1:201 – Taking of fish by traditional methods and 301 KAR 1:410 – Taking of fish by nontraditional methods;
• Create a section that exempts the following individuals from statewide daily limits, size limits or method of take on “private lakes or ponds;"
• A bona fide owner of private land who is also a Kentucky resident on their “private lakes or ponds;"
• An individual extended the same privileges in written or electronic form;
• Amend 301 KAR 1:125 – Transportation of Fish;
• Create a provision to clarify that a license holder who transports fish from a “private lake or pond" requires written or electronic permission from the bona fide resident landowner;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.
• To conform with 26RS HB 142E, amend 301 KAR 5:210- Special agency fundraising permits to modify the Special Agency Fundraising Permit application instructions.
• An individual may request to be entered into the standard big game combination permit drawing if they:
• Successfully harvest four or more female antlerless deer in an overpopulated area;
• Submit a time-stamped photo of each to the department via the telecheck process;
• Submits a request to the department to be entered into the standard big game combination permit drawing;
• The standard combination big game permit allows the holder to lawfully take, in addition to the statewide harvest limits one deer of either sex, one bear of either sex, and in the spring turkey season the year after selection, one legal spring turkey includes a bonus deer, bear and legal spring turkey;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.
• To comply with 26RS HB 142E regarding wildlife causing damage and landowner designee process, amend 301 KAR 2:176 – Deer control tags, deer destruction permits, and landowner designees.
• Allow an individual who takes wildlife using KRS 150.170 to contact the department to report the take;
• Allow an individual who takes wildlife using KRS150.170 to contact the department for a carcass tag to remove the carcass from the property and utilize the same;
• Issue five destruction tags per year to a landowner or approved designee to take antlerless deer, valid for two years each;
• Clarify that wildlife taken with control tags are to be telechecked;
• Allow electronic processing of the Wildlife Damage Designee Form and the Out-of-Season Wildlife Destruction Reporting Form;
• Amend the following forms:
• Wildlife Damage Designee Form;
• Out-of-Season Wildlife Destruction Reporting Form;

• Conform to amendments made to KRS 150.170 and KRS 150.390;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.

Finally, commission members approved the March 20, 2026, meeting minutes. To comply with 26RS SB 39E and to maintain consistent terms for all officers, the commission also voted to elect officers for the board, as follows:

• Chuck Meade, Chair (7^th Commission District)
• Jeff Raymer, Vice Chair (2^nd Commission District)
• Jay Smith, Secretary (1^st Commission District)

If approved by the commission, proposed regulatory changes are filed with the Kentucky legislature to be reviewed and considered for approval. Administrative regulation changes are generally anticipated to take effect within six to nine months of their filing. The public may follow legislative developments on these regulations at Title 301 • Kentucky Administrative Regulations • Legislative Research Commission.

The commission also heard new business and discussion items that will be considered further at its next quarterly meeting.

The meeting was livestreamed on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources' YouTube channel, where a replay of the May 18, 2026 meeting is available for viewing.

Business items on the commission's meeting agenda that include proposed changes to regulations typically follow a three-step process at successive quarterly meetings, with items introduced first as new business, then proceeding for further discussion, and finally appearing as action items (at the commission's discretion). This general stepwise process allows for adequate time for public awareness and comment on proposed regulatory changes. Agendas for commission meetings are posted at fw.ky.gov in advance of the meeting dates, and details about meeting logistics and submitting public comments are included therein.

Individuals or organizations may contact their district representative on the commission about any pertinent topic of concern. Contact information is available on Kentucky Fish and Wildlife's district commission members webpage. Procedures for submitting public comments about current business items via email or in person are outlined in the agenda for each meeting, which is generally posted on the agency's website one to two weeks before the meeting date.

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission, a nine-member board comprised of volunteers who serve four-year terms, recommends hunting, fishing and boating regulations on behalf of the anglers, hunters and other wildlife-related stakeholders in the commonwealth. Any recommendation by the commission to amend or create a state administrative regulation must receive legislative approval before becoming law. Both proposed and recently enacted amendments are posted on the department's Administrative Regulations webpage.

The May 18 meeting was followed by a June 12 regular quarterly meeting. The next quarterly commission meeting date is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, in Frankfort, Ky. An agenda and meeting location will be posted on the Commission Meeting Dates webpage on the department's website at fw.ky.gov when available.​