Department of Fish and Wildlife
Kentucky Fish And Wildlife Commission Proposes 2010-2011 Waterfowl Seasons

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission proposed the 2010-2011 waterfowl seasons, established an elk archery and crossbow season and elected officers at its quarterly meeting August 13.

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. The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission must place waterfowl seasons within the framework mandated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because all migratory game birds are under federal control.

Ducks, Coots and Mergansers:
• Duck season opens Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day) and closes Nov. 28, 2010. The season opens again Dec. 6, 2010 and closes Jan. 30, 2011.
• Hunters may take two hen mallard ducks and two northern pintails this season daily as part of the daily duck bag limit. Hunters could only take one hen mallard duck and one northern pintail last season.
• Season dates for mergansers and coots are the same as the duck season dates for the 2010-2011 seasons. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, only two of which may be hooded mergansers. The daily limit for coots is 15.

Dates for the goose hunting seasons are as follows:

Canada Geese:
• Western Goose Zone – Nov. 23, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011
• Pennyrile-Coalfield Goose Zone (including West-Central Canada Goose subzone) – Nov. 23, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011
• Eastern Goose Zone – Nov. 23, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011
• Northeastern Canada Goose Zone – Dec. 25, 2010 – Jan. 2, 2011 and Jan.19 – 31, 2011

White-fronted Geese, Brant:
• Statewide – Nov. 23, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011

Snow Goose:
• Regular Season – Nov. 23, 2010 – Jan. 31, 2011

Snow Goose Conservation Order Season:
• Eastern Duck Zone: Feb. 1 – Mar. 31, 2011
• Western Duck Zone:
Feb. 1 – Feb. 4, 2010; Feb. 7 – Mar. 31, 2011

Youth Waterfowl Season:
Eastern Zone:
Nov. 6-7, 2010
Western Zone:
Feb. 5-6, 2011

In other waterfowl-related business, beginning with the 2011-2012 waterfowl seasons, waterfowl hunters using wildlife management areas (WMAs) with a 2 p.m. closure time must not enter the area until 4 a.m.

Blind sites will be drawn annually for the area known as the Upper Goose Pond on Doug Travis WMA starting with the 2010 waterfowl seasons. The blind drawing for Doug Travis WMA begins at 9 a.m. Central time on Aug. 28 at the Doug Travis WMA office.

In elk-related business, the Commission recommended to the General Assembly establishing elk archery and crossbow seasons beginning with the 2011 elk seasons. The elk archery season will run from the third Saturday in September through the third Monday in January, except when an elk firearms season is open. The elk crossbow season will be the third full weekend in October and the second Saturday in November through December 31, except when an elk firearms season is open. The Commission also recommended allowing youth under the age of 16, those aged 65 or older and those with a crossbow method exemption to hunt elk with a crossbow during the entire elk archery season.

In fisheries-related business, the Commission recommended removing harvest restrictions for Asian carp in the Tennessee River below Kentucky Lake and in the Cumberland River below Lake Barkley. This regulation must still pass through the legislative process and should be in effect by late fall.

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission also elected officers who will serve until August, 2011. Stephen Glenn, 6th District Commission Member, was elected chairman while 9th District Commission Member Taylor Orr was elected vice-chairman. Dr. James Rich, 5th District Commission Member, was elected secretary.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m., Friday, December 3, 2010 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.