§ 32.36 - Kentucky.

§ 32.36 Kentucky.

The following refuge units are open for hunting and/or fishing as governed by applicable Federal and State regulations, and are listed in alphabetical order with additional refuge-specific regulations.

(a) Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge —

(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of mourning dove, woodcock, common snipe, Canada and snow goose, coot, crow, and waterfowl listed at 50 CFR 10.13(c)(1) under DUCK on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

(i) Except for raccoon, opossum, and bullfrog hunting, access to the refuge is from 2 hours before legal sunrise to 2 hours after legal sunset.

(ii) You must possess and carry a signed refuge hunting/fishing permit (signed brochure) while hunting and/or fishing on the refuge.

(iii) We prohibit hunting within 100 feet (30 meters) of a residence and discharge of firearms within 200 feet (60 meters) of any home, the abandoned railroad tracks, graveled roads, and hiking trails.

(iv) We allow trail cameras. Trail cameras must have the owner's State hunting license number clearly displayed or we may confiscate them.

(v) We allow the use of dogs for waterfowl, quail, snipe, dove, woodcock, squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, opossum, and fall turkey hunting. Dog owners/handlers must have a collar on each dog with the owner's contact information.

(vi) We allow waterfowl hunting from legal shooting time until 12 p.m. (noon).

(2) Upland game hunting. We allow hunting of squirrel, rabbit, quail, raccoon, opossum, coyote, bobcat, fox, skunk, otter, muskrat, mink, weasel, and beaver on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (v) of this section apply.

(ii) We allow coyote hunting under Statewide regulations during daylight hours only.

(3) Big game hunting. We allow hunting of white-tailed deer and turkey on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) through (v) of this section apply.

(ii) We close squirrel, rabbit, crow, woodcock, snipe, dove, and quail seasons during muzzleloader and modern gun deer hunts.

(iii) We allow the use of only portable and climbing stands. You may place stands in the field no earlier than 2 weeks prior to the opening of deer season, and you must remove them from the field within 1 week after the season closes (see §§ 27.93 and 27.94 of this chapter). The hunter's State hunting license number must appear on all stands left in the field.

(iv) You must use safety belts at all times when occupying the tree stands.

(v) We prohibit organized deer drives. We define a “deer drive” as an organized or planned effort to pursue, drive, chase, or otherwise frighten or cause deer to move in the direction of any person(s) who is part of the organized or planned hunt and known to be waiting for the deer.

(vi) Ground blinds used for the purpose of hunting any species during the deer modern gun, muzzleloader, and youth firearms seasons must display 1 square foot (144 square inches) of solid, unbroken, hunter orange visible from all sides. You must remove ground blinds when not in use.

(4) Sport fishing. We allow fishing and frogging on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section apply.

(ii) The following conditions apply to the Environmental Education and Recreation Area (EERA):

(A) The EERA is a day-use area only.

(B) We only allow one rod and reel or pole and line for fishing per person.

(C) We prohibit the use of live fish for bait.

(D) We allow the taking of largemouth bass, channel catfish, and bluegill in accordance with posted limits.

(E) We prohibit the hunting or harvesting of frog.

(b) Green River National Wildlife Refuge —

(1) Migratory game bird hunting. We allow hunting of duck, goose, coot, merganser, teal, and dove on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

(i) Each hunter age 12 and older must possess and carry a signed refuge hunting brochure (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application/Permit—National Wildlife Refuge System) while hunting on the refuge.

(ii) All hunters age 15 or younger must be supervised by an adult age 21 or older and must remain in sight of and normal voice contact with the adult. The adult may supervise no more than two youths.

(iii) We prohibit hunting within 100 yards (91 meters) of a residence, graveled road, or hiking trail managed by the Service as part of Green River NWR.

(iv) We prohibit the use of trail cameras.

(v) We allow the use of boats operated only by manual power or an electric trolling motor for hunters to access the refuge. We prohibit the use of internal combustion motors, personal watercraft (e.g., jet skis), airboats, and hovercraft on waters owned and managed by Green River NWR.

(vi) We allow the use of bikes, including e-bikes, for hunters to access the refuge along designated routes only (graveled and paved roads, and established trails) managed by the Service as part of Green River NWR. We prohibit the use of internal combustion motors on lands owned and managed by Green River NWR.

(vii) We allow the use of off-road or all-terrain vehicles (e.g., ATVs/UTVs) only for mobility-impaired hunters who, while hunting on the refuge, possess and carry a valid General Activities Special Use Permit (FWS Form 3-1383-G) approved by the refuge manager.

(viii) We prohibit marking or flagging any tree or other refuge feature with non-biodegradable reflectors, paint, flagging, or other substances.

(ix) Access to open hunting areas of the refuge is from 2 hours before legal sunrise to 2 hours after legal sunset.

(x) We prohibit the killing or wounding of a game animal and then intentionally or knowingly failing to make a reasonable effort to retrieve and include it in the hunter's bag limit.

(xi) We allow duck, goose, coot, wood duck, teal, and merganser hunting from 1⁄2 hour before legal sunrise until 12 p.m. (noon). We allow dove hunting according to State shooting hours.

(xii) We allow the use of dogs for migratory game bird hunting. Dog owners and handlers must have a collar on each dog with the owner's contact information (FWS Form 3-2439).

(xiii) For migratory game bird hunting, you must remove all decoys, blinds, and hunting equipment at the end of each day's hunt (see § 27.93 of this chapter).

(xiv) For youth, seniors, and disabled hunters, as defined by the State, the Horseshoe Bend Unit will be open to waterfowl hunting during the months of December and January of the Statewide waterfowl season, and during the additional Statewide veterans and youth hunt dates in February.

(xv) We prohibit waterfowl hunting during any Statewide seasons prior to December.

(xvi) We prohibit all entry to the Tscharner East section of the Bluff Unit from November 1 through March 31.

(xvii) The big game quota hunt in the month of November of the Statewide white-tailed deer season is open only to holders of a big game quota permit (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application/Permit—National Wildlife Refuge System). During that hunt, the Tscharner West section of the Bluff Unit and the Horseshoe Bend Unit are closed to all non-selected hunters and the general public.

(2) [Reserved]

(3) Big game hunting. We allow only archery and crossbow hunting of white-tailed deer and turkey on designated areas of the refuge subject to the following conditions:

(i) The conditions set forth at paragraphs (b)(1)(i), (iii) through (x), (xvi), and (xvii) of this section apply.

(ii) Hunters age 15 and younger must be supervised by an adult age 21 or older and must remain in sight of and normal voice contact with the adult. The adult may supervise no more than one youth.

(iii) We allow white-tailed deer and turkey hunting according to State shooting hours.

(iv) You must use safety belts at all times when occupying tree stands.

(v) You must remove all tree stands (portable and climbing) and ground blinds by legal sunset of each day's hunt.

(vi) You may use no more than one stand or blind per hunter.

(vii) The big game quota permit (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application/Permit—National Wildlife Refuge System) is a limited entry permit, is zone-specific, and is nontransferable.

(viii) During the big game quota hunt, we allow only hunters possessing a valid big game quota permit (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application/Permit—National Wildlife Refuge System) on the refuge and only for the purposes of deer and turkey hunting.

(ix) For the drawn holders of a big game quota permit (FWS Form 3-2439, Hunt Application/Permit—National Wildlife Refuge System), the Horseshoe Bend Unit and Tscharner West section of the Bluff Unit will be open, up to 21 days, during the month of November of the Statewide season.

(x) For youth, seniors, and disabled hunters, as defined by the State, the Horseshoe Bend Unit and Tscharner West section of the Bluff Unit will be open to archery and crossbow hunting of deer and turkey during the months of September and October in accordance with State season dates.

(xi) For youth, as defined by the State, the Horseshoe Bend Unit and Tscharner West section of the Bluff Unit will be open to archery and crossbow hunting of turkey during the months of April and May in accordance with State season dates.

(4) [Reserved]

(c) Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Refer to § 32.67(b) for regulations.

(

c

d) Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge. Refer to § 32.61(f) for regulations.

[84 FR 47675, Sept. 10, 2019, as amended at 85 FR 54113, Aug. 31, 2020; 89 FR 88163, Nov. 7, 2024]