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 the areas where commercial fishing is allowed and is necessary to manage the commercial harvest of fish in Kentucky by establishing the waters open to commercial fishing. This amendment removes several creeks and rivers from the list of waters open to commercial fishing due either having no or very few records of commercial harvest in the last decade. In addition, due to the full removal of Lock and Dam 6 (previous upper boundary) and partial removal of Lock and Dam 5, this amendment sets a new upper boundary for commercial fishing on the Green River at Lock and Dam 4. Finally, this amendment closes a portion of Lake Cumberland (upstream from the confluence of the Rockcastle River on the Cumberland River Arm) to commercial fishing due to numerous conflicts between recreational users and commercial fishers and potential detrimental effects on Lake Sturgeon. (See: 301 KAR 1:150.)

This administrative regulation establishes the requirements for the Invasive Carp and Scaled Rough Fish Harvest Program and Experimental Commercial Fishing Methods Pro1gram and is necessary to provide two important mechanisms for the removal of invasive carp from waters critical to sport fishing and recreational boating. This amendment adds the eligibility and participation requirements for the new voluntary Experimental Commercial Fishing Methods Program. This program allows commercial fishers to use special commercial fishing gear and methods to further the goal of invasive carp harvest in mass quantities. This amendment also removes the definitions section due to the creation of 301 KAR 1:001. Definitions for 301 KAR Chapter 1. Finally, this amendment changes all references to “Asian carp” to “invasive carp”. (See: 301 KAR 1:152.)

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 requirements for the buying, selling, holding, commercial activity, and transportation of native wildlife, and provides for the health and welfare of native wildlife and the safety of Kentucky citizens. These amendments to the regulation will allow for the possession of native wild rabbits and establish species and permitting requirements for wildlife taken and transferred to foxhound training enclosures. These amendments are necessary to allow people to possess native wild rabbits and streamline the permitting for foxhound training enclosures. (See: 301 KAR 2:081.)

This administrative regulation establishes requirements for importation, transportation, and possession of exotic wildlife, and provides a defined process for the holding and transportation of live exotic wildlife. These provisions are for the protection of our native ecosystem, health and welfare of native wildlife from disease, and the safety of Kentucky citizens. This amendment will allow the possession of wild rabbits, hares, and pikas within Kentucky, with the exception of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that morphologically resemble wild European rabbits. This amendment is necessary to protect native rabbit species from disease, which could impact populations. (See: 301 KAR 2:082.)

This administrative regulation establishes seasons, bag limits, and methods of take for small game and is necessary to effectively manage wildlife populations in Kentucky, specifically those designated as small game. This amendment extends the season for squirrels by two days through the third Sunday in June. (See: 301 KAR 2:122.)

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 how white-tailed deer may be harvested in Kentucky. Deer are a public resource entrusted to the state for management. Therefore, this regulation is necessary to control the method and manner deer may be taken. This amendment allows for an additional 7 days of firearm deer hunting statewide, changing the October youth season from two to nine consecutive days. An additional 7 days of firearm harvest will help slow the increasing deer populations through increased take. (See: 301 KAR 2:172.)

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 opportunity, 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 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.)

These administrative regulations established restrictions for entry and activities within Ballard Wildlife Management Area and the Swan Lake Unit of Boatwright Wildlife Management Area. The repeal is necessary as the amendments to 301 KAR 2:222 included the subject matter from 301 KAR 4:020 and 301 KAR 4:050, consolidating the requirements for waterfowl hunting on public lands into one location. (See: 301 KAR 4:021.)

This administrative regulation establishes fees and terms for licenses, permits, and tags sold by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. This amendment creates a noncommercial foxhound training enclosure permit to allow the operation of foxhound enclosures of 40 to 200 acres. This amendment is necessary to create the new noncommercial foxhound training enclosure permit. These smaller enclosures were previously permitted under 301 KAR 2:081; however, they are being moved to 301 KAR 2:041 with other foxhound training enclosure regulations. (See: 301 KAR 5:022.)

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 new administrative regulation establishes a limited number of special agency fundraising permits to hunt big game species, which will generate agency revenues through collection of drawing application fees. The regulation does not increase existing fees, but establishes new fees for voluntary applications for the drawings to award the new special permits.* (See: 301 KAR 5:210.)

*Note:​ The department has initiated all required procurement, IT, and administrative steps necessary to implement the provisions of this regulation to be able to receive applications for and to conduct these special drawings for the applicable 2025-26 hunting seasons.​