Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed regulation changes at its quarterly meeting via video teleconference June 12

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 12, 2026) — The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission voted to recommend amendments to several fishing, hunting and wildlife regulations and conducted other business in a June 12, 2026, regular meeting as presented in the detailed agenda of the June 12 meeting. The commission members met in person and via live-video teleconference.

District commission members were provided with informational updates on the quarterly financial statements and the biennium budget passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in its 2026 annual session. The commission members also heard an update on Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) presence in Kentucky and approved the department's request for disease monitoring recommendations for the 2026 hunting season.

In addition to approving the commission meeting minutes from May 18, 2026, the commission members considered the following action items. If approved by the commission, proposed regulatory changes are filed with the Kentucky legislature to be reviewed and considered for approval. Following filing, administrative regulation changes are generally subject to a process that may extend over six to nine months. . The public can follow legislative developments on these regulations at Title 301 • Kentucky Administrative Regulations • Legislative Research Commission.

The commission approved the following action items, which require legislative approval before they can take effect:

• To comply with 2026-HB142E, amend 301 KAR 2:172 – Deer hunting seasons, zones, and requirements.
• Add a 4-day antlerless-only firearms season on the last Friday in September in deer Zone 1 counties;
• Add a 3-day antlerless-only firearms season on the last three days of Kentucky's deer season in deer zones 1-3;
• Define “over-populated areas" as any county that has a deer Zone 1 designation;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.
• Amend 301 KAR 2:172 – Deer hunting seasons, zones, and requirements.
• Create a new, antlerless-only firearms hunt the last three days of Kentucky's deer season in deer zones 2 and 3;
• Remove references to disposal permits to conform with 301 KAR 2:176 – Wildlife causing damage and landowner designee process (previously titled “Deer control tags, deer destruction permits, and landowner designees");
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.
• Amend 301 KAR 2:178 – Deer hunting on public properties to modify public lands deer hunting seasons on deer Zone 1 Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs).
• Open the following WMAs for the 4-day antlerless deer firearm season that starts on the last weekend of September and for the 3-day antlerless-only firearms season on the last three days of Kentucky's deer season: Yatesville, Grayson, L.B. Davidson, Harris Dickerson, Clear Creek, Yellowbank, Blackford Oaks, Lee Nelson, Gabbard Branch, Rough River, Marrowbone, Green River State Forest, Nolin River, Rolling Fork, Stephens Creek, Big Rivers, Obion Creek, Kentucky Lake, Ferguson Creek, Kaler Bottoms, Beechy Creek, Jones-Keeney, Higginson-Henry, Peabody and Sloughs;
• Open the following WMAs for the 4-day antlerless deer firearm season that starts on the last weekend of September, as allowed by WMA site restrictions: Lake Barkley, Doug Travis and Ohio River Islands;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.

• To comply with 2026-SB39E, amend 301 KAR 2:251 – Hunting and trapping seasons and limits for furbearers, based on amendments to KRS 360.
• Allow the take of beavers at night from Dec. 1 through the last day of February;
• Prohibit in a county or area when a deer or elk firearm season is open in that county or area;
• Allow the use of any artificial light or other means (night vision, thermal and infrared technologies) designed to make wildlife visible at night during this period;
• Any artificial light or other means designed to make wildlife visible at night shall not be connected to or cast from a mechanized vehicle;
• Prohibit the use of firearms except for any rimfire caliber or shotguns using shot shells, and a 35 caliber or smaller centerfire firearm with a straight wall cartridge with a case length no longer than 2.75-inches;
• Prohibit night hunting of beavers on public land;
• Amend 301 KAR 2:049 – Small game and furbearer hunting and trapping on public areas to clarify that hunting of beavers at night will be prohibited to align with the prohibition of night hunting of coyotes on the Daniel Boone National Forest, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Green River National Wildlife Refuge and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.

• To comply with 2026-SB39E, amend 301 KAR 2:251 – Hunting and trapping seasons and limits for furbearers, based on amendments to KRS 360.
• Allow the take of bobcats at night from December 1 through the last day of February;
• Set a bag limit of one bobcat to be taken at night (three are allowed to be harvested with a firearm);
• Prohibit in a county or area when a deer or elk firearm season is open in that county or area;
• Allow the use of any artificial light or other means (night vision, thermal and infrared technologies) designed to make wildlife visible at night during this period;
• Any artificial light or other means designed to make wildlife visible at night shall not be connected to or cast from a mechanized vehicle;
• On public land, a person shall not use any equipment other than a bow, crossbow, or shotgun of 12 gauge or less and shall not use a shotgun shell with a single projectile;
• On private land, a person shall not use any equipment other than a bow, crossbow, or shotgun of 12 gauge or less, muzzleloader of .54 caliber or less, or any modern centerfire firearm;
• Remove bag limit incentive from regulation and allow Wildlife Division to develop a new incentive program aimed at increasing jaw submission without a mandatory submission requirement;
• Harvested bobcats must still be telechecked;
• Add bobcat and river otter to telecheck lookup review;
• Amend 301 KAR 2:049 – Small game and furbearer hunting and trapping on public areas to clarify that hunting of bobcats at night will be prohibited to align with the prohibition of night hunting of coyotes on the Daniel Boone National Forest, George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge, Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge, Green River National Wildlife Refuge and Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area;
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.

• Amend 301 KAR 5:022 – License, tag, registration, and permit fees to bundle the Non-Resident Hunting License to also include a Non-Resident Fishing License.
• Increase the cost of a Non-Resident Hunting License by $35 (based on current rates, from $169.12 to $204.12);
• Clean up any other regulations as necessary for conformity.

Finally, commission members voted to move forward with the purchase of three unnamed properties following discussion in closed session. The commission also heard discussion items that will be considered further at its next quarterly meeting in September.

The meeting was livestreamed on the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources' YouTube channel, where a replay of the June 12, 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 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.​​