The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed issuing 800 lottery elk hunt permits for the upcoming season, changing deer zones in 25 counties and opening modern gun season for deer on Nov. 13. Commission members at their March 5 meeting also proposed archery-only and gun-only elk permits for the 2011-12 season.

The nine-member Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission recommends hunting, fishing and boating regulations to the General Assembly. Legislators must approve all recommendations before they become law.

Proposed Deer Zone Changes

Commission members proposed several deer hunting zone changes for the upcoming season. Bullitt, Hardin, Hart and Nelson counties would go from zone 1 to zone 2. Adair, Barren, Butler, Cumberland, Daviess, Edmonson, Hancock, Marion, Metcalfe, Monroe, Ohio, Simpson, Taylor and Warren counties would go from zone 2 to zone 3. Clinton, Garrard, Knox, Laurel, Russell and Whitley counties would go from zone 3 to zone 4. Caldwell County would go from zone 2 to zone 1.

Higher zone numbers are more restrictive than lower zone numbers. Placing a county in a more restrictive zone generally helps to increase deer numbers in that county.

Under another proposal, late muzzleloader season deer hunters in zone 4 counties could only take antlerless deer (does or a buck without visible antlers) during the last three days of the season. The first six days of the nine-day late muzzleloader season in zone 4 would be for antlered deer (bucks) only.

Proposed 2010-11 Deer Seasons

Statewide all zones:

• Archery (buck or doe) – Sept. 4, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011
• Crossbow (buck or doe) – Oct. 1-17 and Nov. 13 – Dec. 31
• Early Youth Weekend (buck or doe) – Oct. 9-10
• Early Muzzleloader (Zones 1, 2 and 3 buck or doe, Zone 4 antlered buck only) – Oct. 16-17
• Late Muzzleloader (Zones 1, 2 and 3 buck or doe) – Dec. 11-19
• Late Muzzleloader (Zone 4 antlered buck only) – Dec. 11-16; buck or doe – Dec. 17-19
• Late Youth Weekend (buck or doe) – Jan. 1-2, 2011

Zones 1 and 2:

• Modern Firearms (buck or doe) – Nov. 13-28

Zones 3 and 4:

• Modern Firearms (Zone 3 buck or doe, Zone 4 antlered buck only) – Nov. 13-22 Deer harvest limits remain the same as last year.

Proposed WMA Deer Hunting Changes

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission also proposed changes to deer hunting regulations on wildlife management areas (WMAs) for the upcoming season. Commission members proposed eliminating the bonus WMA quota hunt deer permit. This means a hunter would no longer be able to harvest a second buck using a bonus WMA quota permit. This would not apply to managed hunts on federal military property, such as Fort Knox.

Also, hunters could only harvest one deer a day on WMAs, except during some quota gun hunts. Several changes were also proposed to hunting regulations on individual WMAs and state parks. Each of these changes will appear in the 2010-11 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide, available this July. Look for the guide online at fw.ky.gov, or wherever vendors sell hunting licenses.

Proposed Elk Hunt Changes for 2010-11

Commission members proposed issuing 800 permits through Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s quota elk hunt drawing for the upcoming season. Of this number, 600 would be valid for antlerless elk (cow or a bull without visible antlers). Another 125 permits would be valid for bulls with a minimum of four antler points on at least one side. The remaining 75 elk hunting permits would be spike permits, valid for bull elk with up to two antler points on each side.

The number of permits issued for the special youth-only elk hunt in September remains at five.

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife commission members also proposed eliminating the November gun season for antlerless elk (cows or a bull without visible antlers). Last year, cow elk hunters could use rifles during November’s modern gun season for deer. Hunters with an antlerless elk permit could still use rifles or muzzleloaders during their assigned week in December.

Other proposed changes for this season include:

• Subdividing elk hunting unit 3 into two subunits to help spread hunting pressure. Unit 3 is located southeast of Hindman, bordered by KY 80, U.S. 23 and KY 15.
• Increasing the amount of property open for the September youth elk hunt.
• Eliminating metal permit tags.
• Eliminating the deer permit requirement for those hunting elk outside southeastern Kentucky’s 16-county elk restoration zone. Hunters still must have an out-of-zone elk permit, however.
• Limiting the number of times a hunter could be drawn for a bull elk permit. Under this proposal, a hunter drawn for a bull elk permit could not apply for another bull permit for the next three years. However, the hunter could continue to apply for a cow elk permit. This is designed to increase the number of people hunting elk in Kentucky for the first time.
• Allowing a young hunter to only be drawn once for the special September youth hunt. After being drawn, the hunter could not apply for the youth hunt again. However, the hunter could enter the general drawing for an elk hunt.

2010-11 Elk Season

Firearms

• Week 1 (bull) – Oct. 2-8
• Week 2 (bull) – Oct. 9-15
• Week 1 (cow) – Dec.11-17
• Week 2 (cow) – Dec. 18-24

Archery

• Week 1 (bull) – Oct. 2-8, and Oct.16, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011
• Week 2 (bull) – Oct. 9, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011
• Week 1 (cow) – Oct. 16 – Dec. 17 and Dec. 25, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011
• Week 2 (cow) – Oct.16 – Dec. 10 and Dec.18, 2010 – Jan. 17, 2011

Crossbow

• Week 1 (bull) – Oct. 2-8, Oct. 16-17 and Nov.13 – Dec. 31
• Week 2 (bull) – Oct. 9-17, and Nov. 13 – Dec. 31
• Week 1 (cow) – Oct. 16-17, Nov.13 – Dec.17 and Dec. 25-31
• Week 2 (cow) – Oct. 16-17, Nov.13- Dec. 10 and Dec.18 – 31

Youth-only

• Sept. 25-27

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be 8 a.m. Eastern time, June 11. Meetings are held at the Arnold Mitchell Building, located at 1 Sportsman’s Lane in Frankfort. Persons wishing to be placed on the meeting agenda to speak before the Commission on an issue should notify Kentucky Fish and Wildlife in writing at least 30 days in advance. People who are hearing impaired and plan to attend the meeting should contact Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at least 10 days in advance. The agency will provide a translator. Send requests for placement on the meeting agenda to:

Dr. Jon Gassett, Commissioner Kentucky Fish and Wildlife 1 Sportsman’s Lane Frankfort, Ky. 40601.

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources manages, regulates, enforces and promotes responsible use of all fish and wildlife species, their habitats, public wildlife areas and waterways for the benefit of those resources and for public enjoyment. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is an agency of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet. For more information on the department, visit our Web site at fw.ky.gov.