Administrative Regulations

This administrative regulation is necessary to avoid confusion when interpreting the meaning of terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 1. This amendment adds definitions for “Gill net” and “Trammel net”, which are sampling gears used for commercial fishing. The phrase “commercial fisherman” was changed to “commercial fisher” throughout the regulation as well. These definitions will help clarify the specifications of each gear type and assist in enforcement of commercial fishing regulations. (See: 301 KAR 1:001.)

This administrative regulation establishes size limits, daily limits, and possession limits for sport fish that may be taken from Kentucky waters and is necessary to properly manage the sport fish populations of Kentucky. This amendment will remove the special catch and release regulations on Clear Fork in Logan and Warren counties and return all sport fish to statewide regulations. This amendment will also remove the special 4-fish daily limit on Channel Catfish and 15-fish daily limit on sunfish for all ponds on the Kentucky River WMA, Boone Tract and place these species under statewide regulations. In addition, this amendment will increase the current 9-inch crappie size limit at Nolin River and Rough River lakes to 10 inches and add the Rockcastle River to the list of waterbodies with an 18- to 26-inch slot limit and 2-fish daily limit for walleye. As cleanups, “Barkley Lake” and “Cumberland Lake” were changed to “Lake Barkley” and “Lake Cumberland”. (See: 301 KAR 1:201.)

This administrative regulation establishes the procedures for taking sport and rough fish by nontraditional fishing method and is necessary to effectively manage the fish populations of Kentucky and to provide for reasonable recreational fishing opportunities. This amendment clarifies the dates when it is illegal to possess a gig, adds a shovelnose sturgeon possession limit of two (2) fish, adds a possession limit of two (2) fish for sportfish taken by trot line, jug line, or set line, requires sport fishing trotlines to be tagged at both ends with the angler’s customer identification number, and prohibits hand grabbing on lakes less than 500 acres owned or managed by the department, except Ballard, Peale, and Swan Lake Wildlife Management Area lakes in Ballard County. This language conforms to restrictions used in the language of 301 KAR 1:082., Frog season; limits.​ (See: 301 KAR 1:410.)

This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for the elk permit drawing and quota hunts, the conditions under which special commission permits, landowner cooperator permits, elk restoration permits, and cooperator voucher permits can be used, and procedures for elk damage abatement and is necessary to effectively manage elk populations in Kentucky, while providing optimal elk hunting and tourism opportunities. This amendment will (1) require landowner cooperator permits to be used only on land contained within the access agreement, (2) require hunters to remove any bait 30 days prior to hunting in that area, (3) move the second cow elk gun season to the first Saturday in January to remove the overlap with Christmas, and (4) open Paul VanBooven WMA and Fishtrap Lake WMA to elk hunting. The goal of these amendments is to increase elk hunting opportunity, remove calendar conflicts, and more fairly regulate the use of bait and landowner cooperator elk permits. (See: 301 KAR 2:132.)

This administrative regulation establishes waterfowl seasons and bag limits within federal migratory bird hunting frameworks established in 50 CFR Parts 20 and 21 according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This amendment will change the bag limit for northern pintails from 1 pintail daily to 3 pintails daily. New harvest models employed by the USFWS allow for increased harvest and this would allow Kentucky hunters to participate. Waterfowl seasons and limits are set on an annual basis following the establishment of federal frameworks by the USFWS each year. It is the Department’s responsibility to allow quality hunting opportunities within these federal frameworks. The changes in the bag limit maximize the hunting opportunity allowed by federal frameworks. (See: 301 KAR 2:221.)

This administrative regulation establishes seasons and bag limits within federal migratory bird hunting frameworks established in 50 C.F.R. Parts 20 and 21 according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). In addition, it establishes requirements for the hunting of migratory birds. This amendment will reduce the length of the September teal season from nine (9) days to five (5) days. Further, this amendment will disallow the use of decoys by dove hunters on Department-controlled lands during the month of September.​ (See: 301 KAR 2:225.)

This regulation establishes black bear chase and hunt seasons, chase and hunt requirements, bag limits, and legal methods of take and is necessary to provide reasonable hunting and chasing opportunities, while properly managing bear populations in Kentucky. This amendment will establish a 14-day hunting season in Clinton and Wayne Counties as well as add the Siberian Laika to the list of approved dogs to be used during bear chase and the hunt with dogs seasons. The 14-day season addition in Clinton and Wayne Counties is necessary to attempt to reduce the level of crop depredation in the area. ​ (See: 301 KAR 2:300.)

This new administrative regulation establishes definitions for terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 3 and is necessary to avoid confusion when interpreting the meaning of terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 3. By providing definitions for the terms used in 301 KAR Chapter 3, misinterpretation of the regulations should be minimized. (See: 301 KAR 3:001.)

This regulation establishes provisions for the department to place restrictions for hunting, fishing, trapping and access for newly acquired or managed lands or other lands for safety or wildlife management concerns. The amendments will change the time allowed for temporary restrictions on newly acquired or managed lands, increasing the duration from one year to three years. It also establishes the closure of areas to hunting, fishing or trapping when said properties are incompatible for those activities or deemed unsafe. This amendment is necessary to expand the time available to promulgate permanent regulations, prepare properties for public use and perform wildlife or habitat management activities for newly acquired or managed lands. The amendment is also necessary to establish public safety protections for temporary or long-term safety concerns. (See: 301 KAR 3:005.)

This administrative regulation authorizes the department to impose and enforce special administrative regulations on lands acquired for public hunting, fishing, and related recreational uses. This administrative regulation prohibits certain actions inconsistent with the intended purpose of Wildlife Management Areas, establishes requirements for other uses, and stipulates the procedure for obtaining group use permits on these areas. This amendment will create Special Use Wildlife Management Areas that restrict certain public uses due to the size of the property, its location, or because of deed restrictions at the time of purchase. It allows for the use of trail cameras on WMAs if they are properly identified. Language was added to conform to hunter orange requirements as found in the current Chapter 2 regulations. Also, a provision was added to require groups with a valid WMA user permit that hold events at a shooting range to provide the department with a sign-in sheet from those events within 30 days. This amendment is necessary to allow safe public use of Wildlife Management Areas for hunting, fishing, and related recreational uses.. (See: 301 KAR 3:010.)

This new regulation establishes reporting requirements for diseases of concern found in wildlife and establishes authority for various officials to perform euthanasia of wildlife suspected to have reportable diseases. This regulation is necessary to provide local animal control agencies with a mechanism to euthanize wildlife suspected of disease, to provide public health officials with authority to euthanize animals suspected of rabies, and to help control the spread of wildlife diseases. This administrative regulation will assist in the effective administration of the statutes by providing means for which local officials can eliminate diseased wildlife, public health officials can protect against rabies, and provide a centralized reporting system for wildlife diseases so Department staff can track the spread of diseases and coordinate efforts to combat them. (See: 301 KAR 4:120.)

This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for hunters participating in the Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program and is necessary to ensure all migratory bird hunters operate within the law and participate in survey data as required in 50 C.F.R 20.20. There is no change to the substance of the regulation. The amendments are to improve the readability of the regulation and to bring the regulation in line with current drafting styles to be consistent with other recently enacted regulations. (See: 301 KAR 5:040.)

This regulation is necessary to establish motorboat registration fees for motorboat owners of Kentucky. This regulation is a repeal of 301 KAR 6:005 and is necessary as the amendments to 301 KAR 5:022 shall include updated sections to address the subject matter contained in these regulations, thus making 301 KAR 6:005 outdated and redundant. The repeal of this regulation and inclusion of its subject matter in 301 KAR 5:022 shall consolidate the regulatory requirements for motorboat registration fees in one regulation for all department fees, organizing fee content into one regulation for the public. (See: 301 KAR 6:006.)