Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission to hold quarterly meeting Sept. 19 at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm

​FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 12, 2025) — The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission has scheduled a meeting starting at 8:30 a.m. (EDT) on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025.

The meeting will take place in a new location at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm, 1525 Mills Lane, Frankfort, Ky., and it is open to the public.

The meeting will be livestreamed and archived on the department’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/FishandWildlifeKY. A link to the livestream will be posted on the department’s homepage at fw.ky.gov before the start of the meeting.

The commission will receive informational updates on the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) and wild turkey surveys and research from this summer. A quarterly financial update will also be presented.

Among the Action Items on the meeting agenda that the commission will consider is:

• Voting on qualifying nonprofit organizations’ applications for 2026 Special Commission Permits for fundraising to support projects in Kentucky;
• A request for a commercial pontoon rental service on Lake Beshear;
• Consider expanding the Mississippi State University deer scrape study into the Breckinridge County CWD Surveillance zone;
• Amend 301 KAR 2:251 - Hunting and trapping seasons and limits for furbearers. to adjust bag limits for river otter and bobcat;
• Amend 301 KAR 2:041 - Shooting areas, dog training areas, commercial foxhound training enclosures, and bobwhite shoot-to-train season.> (and related regulations) to establish a permit for rabbit hunting enclosures;
• Amend 301 KAR 6:001 – Definitions for 301 KAR Chapter 6. (and related regulations) to modify Chapter 6 regulations to comply and comport with United States Coast Guard amendments and National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) recommendations.

Several Discussion Items and New Business Items will also be presented, but action on those items is anticipated at future meetings of the commission.

The full meeting agenda can be found on the department’s Commission Meeting Dates webpage on our website at fw.ky.gov, or click on the “Commission Meetings/Agendas and Recaps” link on the homepage.

Public comments for the meeting will be handled as follows:

In Person:

• In-person attendees who would like to comment on “New Business Items” or “Discussion Items" on the agenda will be asked to sign up on the public comment request form on the table at the meeting room entrance by 9 a.m. (EDT) on the day of the meeting, and specify their county and state of residence, organization represented and position held if applicable, and the specific agenda items they intend to address in their comments.
• During the “Public Comments" time on the agenda, attendees who have signed up to comment will each have up to three minutes (total time per person) to offer comments about the “New Business” or “Discussion Items” that they have specified to address on the sign-up sheet.

Email:

• People may email comments about “New Business Items” and “Discussion Items" on the agenda to FW.PublicAffairs@ky.gov through 5 p.m. (EDT) on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. Please include “commission meeting" in the email's subject line. In the email, commenters should include their first and last name, county and state of residence, and organization represented with position held in the organization, if applicable.
• Emailed comments will be distributed to all commission members at least 24 hours prior to the meeting for their review individually. Time permitting and at the discretion of the commission chair, emailed comments will be read by department staff for up to three minutes total per commenter during the “Public Comments" time on the agenda, provided the commenter does not speak during the public comments time during the meeting.
• Anonymous comments submitted via email will be distributed to the commission members but may not be read during the meeting.
• The commission will review all emailed comments, and questions will receive an email response.
• Contact information is not required for emailed comments but will be necessary if information is requested, and other than name and affiliation that information will not be publicly disclosed if provided.
• The commission chair reserves the right to not read publicly or allow any comments that are considered libelous, profane, derogatory of others, repetitive or not relevant to the new business or discussion items on the meeting agenda.

The commission is a nine-member board, comprised of volunteers who serve four-year terms. Commission members are nominated by active hunters and anglers at public meetings, appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the Kentucky Senate. The commission recommends hunting, fishing and boating regulations to conserve fish and wildlife and support related outdoor recreation opportunities in the commonwealth.

The next quarterly meeting date following the September meeting is to be determined.

The Kentucky State University | Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm is located off US Highway 127 South at 1525 Mills Lane, Frankfort, Ky.