Decker WMA in Boone County and the Belvedere tract of Yellowbank WMA in Breckinridge County offer excellent hunting opportunities

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 30, 2023) - Two new properties will open to public access Sept. 1, providing more opportunities for hunting - including archery deer season.

One property, the Belvedere tract, adds 790 acres onto Yellowbank Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Breckinridge County. The second property creates the new Decker WMA, totaling nearly 300 acres in Boone County.

“The Belvedere tract provides 1.7 miles of Ohio River frontage along with approximately 200 acres of agricultural fields and more than 200 acres of grassland habitat,” said Derek Beard, assistant director of the Wildlife Division for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The acquisition expands Yellowbank WMA to 7,556 acres. The new tract was a working cattle farm prior to its sale. It includes several large expanses of upland forest interspersed with grasslands. Wildlife seen on the property include white-tailed deer, turkey and squirrels.

“With the combination of grasslands and early successional habitat, coupled with adjoining forested areas, it should provide excellent opportunities for outdoors enthusiasts,” Beard said.

Plans call for 30 acres of wetland enhancement, elimination of invasive grasses and restoration of native grass species. The department will employ prescribed fire to help manage the wildlife habitat.

As with the rest of Yellowbank WMA, the Belvedere tract will be closed to modern gun hunting for deer. Yellowbank is open for the archery/crossbow, youth gun and the December muzzleloader seasons for deer. It is open to statewide regulations for spring and other fall hunting seasons, including early goose season, which opens Sept. 1 in the western zone. Two gravel roads off KY 259 in Breckinridge County provide access to the area with parking provided by two new lots, also off KY 259.

Property for the new Decker WMA was purchased with funding from the Kentucky Wetland and Stream Mitigation Program. No general fund tax dollars or license fee dollars were used in this purchase. The program restores streams and wetlands to mitigate impacts to other streams in a particular river drainage. It operates under authority of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, through provisions of the federal Clean Water Act, to allow land uses that impact streams while helping to ensure functional aquatic systems in affected watersheds.

The unique area holds good populations of deer and wild turkey with abundant woodlands that harbor squirrels. Decker WMA adjoins Boone Cliffs State Nature Preserve. Middle Creek, a tributary to the Ohio River, bisects the property.

“We plan to restore approximately three miles of Middle Creek,” said Assistant Director of Fisheries Mike Hardin, who oversees the Kentucky Stream and Wetland Mitigation Program. “It will help offset impacts to streams due to the rapid commercial development in the area. We are glad to be able to put these funds to use so close to where the aquatic habitat losses occurred.”

Beard said native grass plantings and invasive species control will be conducted on the area in the future in coordination with the stream restoration project.

Special regulations apply for Decker WMA with signage posted at the parking area. Rifles, including muzzleloaders, will not be allowed for use on the area.

“Deer hunting is open to archery and crossbow only,” Beard said. “For all other game species, it is shotgun only. No single projectile ammunition is allowed. Target shooting is not allowed on this area. However, Curtis Gates Lloyd WMA is nearby and offers a tubed rifle range.”

There is one parking lot for Decker WMA, on Green Road, via KY 338, southwest of Burlington.