September is Quota Hunt Application Month in Kentucky
The application deadline for quota deer, bear, small game and waterfowl hunts is midnight (CST) Sept. 30, 2012.
Applications for the deer, small game and waterfowl hunts can be made 24 hours a day by either calling toll-free 1-877-598-2401, or going online at fw.ky.gov. Applications for the 2012 bear quota hunt with dogs may only be submitted online.
“Persons who apply online, and provide an e-mail address, will receive a confirmation by return e-mail,” said Patrick O’Connell, information systems manager for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “Applying online is fast and easy and increases the accuracy of the application.”
This season hunters have a choice of 31 quota deer hunts, including hunts on two new areas — Veterans Memorial Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Scott County on Nov. 3-4 with 60 hunt slots and Big Rivers WMA & State Forest in Union County on Nov. 10-11 with 40 hunt slots. Applicants for quota deer hunts have the option to pick a first and second hunt choice, but may be drawn to participate in only one quota hunt.
Kentucky’s first ever bear quota hunt with dogs will be held Dec. 17 through Dec. 21, 2012, if the harvest quota of 10 bears (or five females) is not met during the regular bear season. To apply for this new quota bear hunt, houndsmen must have purchased a 2012 Bear Chase permit.
Small game hunters can apply for pheasant quota hunts on three WMAs — Green River Lake, Clay, and Yellowbank. The pheasant quota hunt at Yellowbank is a new hunt for 2012, with three hunt dates: Dec. 14, 15 and 16.
There will also be six wild quail quota hunts on Peabody WMA. The date of the mentor hunt is Nov. 24.
Four upland bird quota hunts will be held on Clay WMA on Nov. 7, Nov. 18, Dec. 9 and Dec. 18. Hunters may take bobwhite quail, ruffed grouse and woodcock during the upland bird quota hunts, when the seasons for all three species are open. Woodcock season ends Dec.15.
Waterfowl hunters may apply for quota hunts on Ballard WMA and Sloughs WMA, which will be held during the fall and winter duck and goose seasons.
Waterfowl quota hunts at Ballard WMA are held on Wednesdays through Sundays, and hunters may apply for individual days. At Sloughs WMA, quota hunts are held seven days a week, but hunters must apply for a block of days.
The dates for these quota hunts are on the online application.
To get other details of these quota waterfowl hunts, go online to fw.ky.gov. Click on hunting, trapping and wildlife, then game animals followed by waterfowl and other migratory birds.
Later in the fall on Nov. 15-30, hunters can go online to the license page of the department’s website at fw.ky.gov to apply for a sandhill crane hunting permit. No applications will be taken by telephone.
For the 2012-13 season, 400 permits will be awarded through a lottery drawing. Kentucky’s 30-day season is Dec. 15 through Jan. 13, 2013. Sandhill crane hunting permits are not transferable.
Applicants for all quota hunts can check to see if they were drawn on Oct. 8, when a link will be posted on fw.ky.gov.
Get out this fall and enjoy one of these quota hunts. They provide some of the best hunting opportunities found in Kentucky.
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.
