Kentucky Canned Hunt Statutes and Regulations

No Ban: Mammals permitted.

Statute

Kentucky statutes provide that "the commissioner, with the approval of the commission, may contract with any landowner of the state, for a specified term of years, to set aside and maintain land as a game refuge" K.R.S. §150.240(1).

Furthermore, "the commissioner, with the approval of the commission, may issue permits for public or commercial shooting areas, and shall adopt regulations governing same." Id. at
§150.240(2).

Under Kentucky law a permit from the department is required by any person desiring to "propagate or hold protected wildlife." Id. at §150-280. "Protected wildlife" is defined as "any wildlife for which an open or closed season for taking has been designated." Id. at §150.010(25).

Regulation

Kentucky regulations pertaining to shooting preserves provides several relevant definitions. A "commercial shooting preserve" is defined as "a shooting preserve which is open to the public and charges fees for hunting." 301 K.A.R. §2:041.1(1).

A "private shooting preserve" is "a shooting preserve which is open only to members." Id. at §2:041.1(4).

A "shooting preserve" is "a place where animals are held or propagated in captivity and released to be taken by hunters." Id. at §2:041.1(5). A "hoofed animal" is defined as "ungulate wildlife except wild hog and javelina." Id. at §2:041.1(2).

A permit is required for the operation of a shooting preserve. Id. at §2:041.3(1)(a).

The hunting season for hoofed animals is set for September 1 through May 15. Id. at §2:041.2(3).

Seasons for "other species shall conform to those in effect where the preserve is located." Id. at §2:041.2(4).

A shooting preserve cannot be larger than 2,000 acres. Id. at §2:041.5(1).

A commercial shooting preserve permit holder must not release a hoofed animal unless "the preserve is a single block of land at least 300 acres," Id. at §2:041.8(1)(a)1, and "the preserve is fenced to contain released animals and to exclude native hoofed wildlife..." Id. at §2:041.8(1)(a)2.

Records of the number of each hoofed species released and the name, address, hunting license number and game killed by species by each hunter must be maintained, Id. at §2:041.8(2)(a)1-2, and must be submitted to the department at the end of each month from September through May. Id. at §2:041.8(2)(b).

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