The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission Proposes Longer Mourning Dove Season

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Frankfort, KY –

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission modified the mourning dove season; recommended a framework for a 2009 bear season and proposed a late season antlerless elk hunt on private lands at its quarterly meeting June 13. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly and approves all expenditures by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The Commission proposed to the General Assembly an additional 10 days of mourning dove hunting for the 2008 season. Mourning dove season will be split into three segments. The first segment opens September 1 and closes October 24, the same as last season. The second segment opens Thanksgiving Day (November 27) and runs for 9 consecutive days until December 5, an increase of 3 days from last season. A new third segment opens on the Saturday after Christmas (December 27) and runs for 7 consecutive days until January 2, 2009. This new segment runs concurrent with the Free Youth Hunting Week. These additional days of mourning dove season are pending approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

In other wildlife-related business, the Commission proposed a Kentucky resident only black bear season in Harlan, Letcher and Pike counties from December 19 through December 20, 2009 (excluding Hensley-Pine Mountain WMA and surrounding areas). Modern firearms, muzzleloader, crossbow and archery equipment are legal for this season. The season bag limit will be one bear and there will be a quota of 10 total bears or 5 female bears, whichever limit is reached first. Bear hunters must take the bear to a designated check station by 8 p.m. and telecheck the bear by midnight on the day of harvest.

In fisheries-related business, the Commission proposed to the General Assembly to standardize fishing possession limits at twice the daily creel limit for all fish species with a daily creel limit. A person shall not possess more than one daily creel limit while on the water or fishing from the shore of a waterbody. A person shall not possess more than 2 times the daily creel limit of unprocessed fish at any time. However, a person may return home from a fishing trip of more than two days with more than the possession limit if the fish are cleaned.

The upstream boundaries of Lake Cumberland for fishing regulation purposes are Cumberland Falls on the Cumberland River, Devil’s Jump on the Big South Fork of Cumberland River, the Narrows of Rockcastle River and Laurel River Dam on the Laurel River. The boundaries of Lake Cumberland previously were to the first riffle of these tributaries. Other action included that lake sturgeon may not be harvested statewide.

The Lower Sportsman’s Lake at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Headquarters will be open to all ages. All of these fishing regulations go into effect on March 1, 2009.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, August 15, 2008 at #1 Sportsman’s Lane off U.S. 60 in Frankfort. Persons interested in addressing the Commission must notify the KDFWR Commissioner’s office in writing at least 30 days in advance to be considered for placement on the meeting agenda. People who are hearing impaired and plan to attend the meeting should contact the KDFWR at least 10 days in advance and the agency will provide a translator. To request to address the commission, write to KDFWR, Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.

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