301 Ky. Admin. Regs. 2:142

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 301 KAR 2:142 - Spring wild turkey hunting

RELATES TO: KRS 150.175(7), (8), (15), (17), (18), 150.305, 150.990

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 150.025(1) authorizes the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources to promulgate administrative regulations establishing hunting seasons, bag limits, and the methods of taking wildlife. KRS 150.390(1) prohibits a person from taking, pursuing, or molesting a wild turkey in any manner contrary to the provisions of Chapter 150 or its administrative regulations. This administrative regulation establishes season dates, shooting hours, and other requirements for spring turkey hunting.

Section 1. Definitions.

(1) "Legal wild turkey" means a wild turkey that is a male or has a visible beard.

(2) "Wildlife Management Area" or "WMA" means a tract of land:

(a) Controlled by the department through ownership, lease, license, or cooperative agreement; and

(b) That has "Wildlife Management Area" or "WMA" as part of its official name.

(3) "Youth" means a person under the age of sixteen (16) by the day of the hunt.

Section 2. Youth Turkey Season. There shall be a statewide youth-only turkey hunting season for two (2) consecutive days beginning on the first Saturday in April.

Section 3. Statewide Turkey Season. There shall be a statewide turkey hunting season for twenty-three (23) consecutive days beginning on the Saturday closest to April 15.

Section 4. Spring Turkey Hunting Requirements.

(1) A person shall:

(a) Only take legal turkeys;

(b) Take no more than one (1) legal turkey per day statewide;

(c) Take no more than one (1) legal turkey per WMA per season; and

(d) Take no more than two (2) legal turkeys per season statewide, except on certain military installations or as otherwise provided by law.

(2) A person shall not take a turkey using any device except the following equipment authorized by 301 KAR 2:140:

(a) A firearm;

(b) Archery equipment; or

(c) A crossbow.

(3) A person shall only hunt turkeys from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise until one-half (1/2) hour after sunset.

(4) A person who is assisting or calling a turkey for a legal hunter shall not be required to possess a hunting license or turkey permit.

Section 5. Wildlife Management Area Requirements.

(1) Unless specified in this section, spring season dates and the requirements of 301 KAR 2:140 shall apply to Wildlife Management Areas.

(2) Barren River WMA. On the Peninsula Unit, including Narrows, Goose Island, and Grass Island, a person shall not use a breech-loading firearm to take a turkey.

(3) Higginson-Henry WMA. A person shall not use a firearm to take a turkey.

(4) Livingston County WMA. Statewide spring turkey season is open to youth only.

(5) Pioneer Weapons WMA. A person shall not use the following to take a turkey:

(a) A breech-loading firearm; or

(b) A scope or optical enhancement.

(6) Robinson Forest WMA. A person shall not hunt turkeys on the main block of the WMA.

(7) West Kentucky WMA. Tracts marked with the letter "A" shall be closed for the statewide turkey season established in Section 3 of this administrative regulation.

Section 6. Special Area Requirements.

(1) Unless specified in this section, all the requirements of this administrative regulation shall apply.

(2) A person shall comply with all federal requirements when hunting on the following federal areas:

(a) Bluegrass Army Depot;

(b) Fort Campbell;

(c) Fort Knox;

(d) Land Between the Lakes; and

(e) Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.

(3) A spring turkey season, not to exceed twenty-three (23) days, shall be allowed between the last Saturday in March and the second Sunday in May on the following areas:

(a) Bluegrass Army Depot;

(b) Fort Campbell;

(c) Fort Knox;

(d) Land Between the Lakes;

(e) Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge; and

(f) Wendell H. Ford Regional Training Center.

(4) A turkey taken on the following areas shall be considered a bonus bird:

(a) Bluegrass Army Depot;

(b) Fort Campbell; and

(c) Fort Knox.

(5) A person shall not take more than one (1) turkey on the following areas:

(a) Land Between the Lakes; and

(b) Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.

(6) Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area. All statewide season requirements shall apply, except that shooting hours shall be from one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise to noon each day.

301 KAR 2:142

24 Ky.R. 792; Am. 1060; eff. 11-12-1997; 25 Ky.R. 1692; 2135; eff. 3-10-1999; 26 Ky.R. 2017; 27 Ky.R. 75; eff. 7-17-2000; 3335; 28 Ky.R. 358; eff. 8-15-2001; 2413; eff. 7-15-2002; 29 Ky.R. 1317; eff. 1-16-2003; 31 Ky.R. 1705; 1962; eff. 6-8-2005; 32 Ky.R. 1923; eff. 7-7-2006; 33 Ky.R. 1893; eff. 4-6-2007; 38 Ky.R. 1042; 1300; eff. 2-3-2012; 39 Ky.R. 1298; 3-8-2013; 48 Ky.R. 886; eff. 3-1-2022; 49 Ky.R. 81, eff. 11/3/2022.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 150.025(1), 150.390(1)