Frankfort, KY (January 24, 2004) - Kentucky farmers can earn extra cash in the Dove Field Lease Program offered by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). Farmers interested in enrolling in the program must contact their KDFWR private lands biologist or their Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) liaison by February 15, 2005.

Initiated in 1998, the Dove Field Lease Program has been successful in providing expanded public hunting opportunities and generating important new income for Kentucky farmers.

Fields planted in the spring as prescribed for dove hunting can generate as much as $2,500 for a landowner when leased to the KDFWR for public hunting. An idle or fallow field planted to winter wheat might also qualify. By working with your local private lands biologist, any field intended for silage production can easily become a dove-hunting field.

"Larger fields up to twenty acres are preferred, however fields of all sizes will be evaluated and considered for the program," said Rocky Pritchert, migratory bird coordinator for the KDFWR.

KDFWR biologists, NRCS liaisons and their contact information are listed on the department’s web site, http://fw.ky.gov/. Click on the "wildlife" tab and then on the "contacts" tab or go to http://fw.ky.gov/navigation.asp?cid=157&NavPath=C100 .

If you’re still not sure who your private lands biologist is, contact the KDFWR at 1-800-858-1549.

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