F&W Commission Proposes Changes for Deer and Elk

Here is the article from F&W website. I'm still wondering why we're issuing so few elk permits if the numbers being reported are correct. Still, the elk changes look much better than last years baffling spike tags.

Dec 03, 2010

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission at its quarterly meeting Dec. 3 proposed issuing 800 quota hunt elk tags for the 2011-2012 season and adding six days antlered deer hunting to modern gun deer season in Zones 3 and 4.

The 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. All recommendations must be approved by legislators before they become law.

Commission members proposed lengthening the 2011 modern gun deer season in Zones 3 and 4 from 10 days to 16 days, matching the season length of Zones 1 and 2. The additional six days of modern gun deer season in Zones 3 and 4 would be for antlered deer (bucks) only.

The Commission also set the number of quota hunt elk permits for next season.

In 2011, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will issue 80 archery or crossbow bull permits, 120 firearms bull permits, 240 archery or crossbow cow elk permits and 360 firearms cow elk permits for the elk quota hunts. Hunters may apply for two of the four permit types, but will only be drawn for one.

In other elk-related business, the Commission proposed removing antler restrictions for bulls for the 2011 elk season. A bull elk hunter will be allowed to take any elk with visible antlers, eliminating spike bull tags.

Those hunters drawn for a branch-antlered bull elk tag this year cannot be drawn again for a period of three years. Commission members decided Friday that the three-year ban will not apply to those hunters drawn for a 2010 spike bull permit.

The Commission recommended limiting the first two weeks of elk archery season to bull hunters only, to alleviate overcrowding from the addition of cow elk hunters. Commission members also propose to ban people from mimicking the sound of an elk from Sept. 1 until the opening of the elk archery season on public land within the elk restoration zone.

In deer-related business, Lewis County Wildlife Management Area (WMA) will be open for the 9-day December muzzleloader deer season in 2011. The newly established Marion County WMA will have two five-day firearms deer quota hunts next fall. The area will remain open to statewide regulations for archery and crossbow deer hunting.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, March 4, 2011 at #1 Sportsman’s Lane off U.S. 60 in Frankfort. Persons interested in addressing the Commission must notify the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s 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 Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at least 10 days in advance and the agency will provide a translator. To request to address the commission, write to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett, #1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.