Cooperative Dove Field Program Enrollment Underway in Kentucky
Kentucky farmers can help carry on the hunting tradition and earn much-needed extra cash by enrolling in the Cooperative Dove Field Program. Enrollment is currently underway and will continue until mid-March.
“Under the new Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program, increased payments are available for 2012,” said Rocky Pritchert, migratory bird biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.
The Cooperative Dove Field Program, which began in 1998, can generate up to $10,000 for a landowner who leases a field on their land for public dove hunting.
“We will accept fields ranging from 6 to 30 acres with additional payments for buffers around fields. Fields generally run from 15 to 30 acres in size,” Pritchert said. “But, we encourage anyone interested to apply.”
Farmers may plant an idle field to sunflowers, millet or another acceptable crop for a public dove field by working with a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife private lands biologist and following some simple guidelines.
Payment amounts depend on the number of acres enrolled, crop type and fulfillment of the plot management agreement with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.
To get the process started, landowners must contact their Kentucky Fish and Wildlife private lands biologist or Natural Resources Conservation Service liaison. For a listing of biologists, log onto Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s homepage at fw.ky.gov. Click on the “Hunting, Trapping and Wildlife” tab and then on “Contact Us.” Property owners may also call 1-800-858-1549 for more information.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, is responsible for the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and for boating projects in the state. A commissioner appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission heads the department. The commission, which is responsible for department policy, is a nine member bipartisan body appointed by the governor from a list of candidates voted upon by sportsmen's organizations in each of nine districts.
