Public Service Announcement: Portion of West Kentucky WMA “A Tracts” closed to public access

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 9, 2025) —West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in McCracken County is experiencing important changes that will affect hunters and others who enjoy the property near Paducah.

Mobility-impaired access on West Kentucky WMA has been expanded from 459 to 3,669.77 acres. This expansion will provide additional opportunities for limited-mobility hunters and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy public lands. Mobility-impaired users wishing to use the WMA must complete an application to be permitted special hunting privileges within this WMA and others. Information about mobility-impaired access and the permit process can be found on the Hunting Method Exemptions webpage on the department’s website (fw.ky.gov).

Also, a portion of the “A Tracts” at West Kentucky will close permanently following a recent land use decision involving property owned by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The DOE recently identified the areas of “Tract A” south of Hwy 358/Ogden Landing Road, located in the central portion of the WMA, for transfer for other use.

In response to this change, 698 acres have been removed from a recreational use license agreement between the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and DOE, effective Dec. 1, 2025, although hunters will continue to be allowed access through Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. Hunters will be required to remove all tree stands, blinds and other hunting-related equipment by this date.

Public access remains available on 509.86 acres still under license with the DOE and 1,481 acres under agreement with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Additionally, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife owns 2,503 acres at West Kentucky WMA, most of which were acquired through donations from the U.S. government.

In total, West Kentucky WMA continues to offer 4,494.48 acres of diverse habitats and 12 ponds, providing a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife and the DOE originally entered into a license agreement in the 1950s, granting public recreational use — including hunting, fishing and wildlife observation — on the DOE-owned portions of West Kentucky WMA. This decades-long partnership has provided valuable outdoor opportunities for the public and supported conservation efforts in the region.

Visitors are encouraged to review the updated boundaries of West Kentucky WMA. These areas will be closed to public access beginning Feb. 1, 2026. Updated maps are available on the West Kentucky WMA webpage.

Under WMA partnership agreements, landowners retain property ownership while allowing public use for outdoor recreation. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife manages these properties by providing conservation guidance, enforcing regulations through patrols by game wardens, and implementing habitat and wildlife management practices in coordination with landowners. These partnerships expand public access and help conserve Kentucky’s native wildlife and habitats.

To locate other public lands available nearby, visit the Wildlife Management Area & Public Lands Search webpage on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife website (fw.ky.gov).

Did You Know?  The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources owns, leases or manages nearly 1.7 million acres across more than 130 public land areas to conserve fish and wildlife resources and provide public access. Most of the WMA and public hunting area acreage in Kentucky is made possible through partnerships with other governmental or private landowners. Managed by biologists, they are categorized into high, moderate and low management levels depending on their infrastructure and ongoing management activities, including wildlife monitoring and research, removal of nonnative invasive species, and prescribed burns.