Mentor/youth hunts also available

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will host four dove quota hunts and three traditional mentor/youth dove quota hunts this fall. Applications for all dove quota hunts open at 8 a.m. (Eastern) Aug. 5, 2024 and conclude at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 16, 2024.

The dove quota hunts are being held at Big Rivers Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Crittenden County and on the Welch Tract of Kentucky River WMA in Henry County. A hunt will be held at each location on Sept. 1, the traditional opening day of dove season, and again on Sept. 7.

The quota dove hunts at Big Rivers WMA run from noon (Central) to 5 p.m. The quota dove hunt on the Welch Tract of Kentucky River WMA is from 1 p.m. (Eastern) to 6 p.m. Hunters must be off the field by closing time. These fields will be closed in between the quota hunt dates to limit hunting pressure on the fields. They will open to all dove hunters starting Sept. 8, 2024.

Applications for dove quota hunts may be found on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Migratory Bird Hunting webpage. Results will be available Aug. 23. Drawn applicants must print a copy of the selection page and carry it with them in the field.

Drawn hunters are allowed one guest. The guest must be accompanied by the drawn hunter. Guests must also carry a copy of the selection page.

All hunters must check in before the hunt and check out after. Each hunter is allowed 50 shotshells (two boxes). There will be 30 hunter slots for each quota hunt on Kentucky River WMA and 25 slots for each quota hunt on Big Rivers WMA. Dove quota hunters on Kentucky River WMA must only use non-toxic shot.

Mentor/youth dove hunts to include three fields

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife will also hold three mentor/youth dove quota hunts on Sept. 1 with one each at Higginson-Henry WMA in Union County, Mullins WMA in Kenton County and at a private land cooperator field in Green County.

The rules for the mentor/youth dove quota hunts remain unchanged from last year and may be found on the Migratory Bird Hunting webpage along with the application link. The online application period for these hunts is also Aug. 5-16, 2024.

The links provided for applying for these hunts will not be operational until Aug. 5, 2024. For more information, visit Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website at fw.ky.gov.

A state-approved Hunter Education certification is required for all Kentucky hunters age 12 or older who were born in 1975 or later. A one-year Hunter Education Exemption Permit is available free to hunters who can’t obtain their certification before going afield, but the permittee must be accompanied in the field by an adult who is Hunter Education-certified. Details about Hunter Education courses and the temporary exemption permit are available on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Hunter Education webpage.