The Fish and Wildlife Commission recommends all hunting, fishing and boating regulations for approval by the General Assembly. Regulations promulgated by the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission are not binding until passage by two legislative review committees of the General Assembly.

The Commission recommended prohibiting the use of electronic decoys for turkey, deer and elk hunting in Kentucky. Non-electronic mechanical decoys that move by the power of wind or people would remain legal for turkey, deer and elk hunting. Electronic and mechanical decoys would be legal for migratory bird and furbearer hunting. The Commission also recommended a prohibition on internet hunting (computer-aided remote harvest of wildlife not within sight of the hunter).

Ballard Wildlife Management Area and the Swan Lake Unit of Boatwright Wildlife Management Area in western Kentucky were proposed to be open to all spring turkey hunting.

In migratory bird related business, the Commission recommended extending the September resident goose season to private lands in the West-Central Goose Zone (portions of Hopkins, Muhlenberg, Ohio and Butler counties). Hunters using waterfowl refuges in Kentucky would be required to use non-toxic shot.

The youth waterfowl weekend in the Eastern Zone will be tentatively moved to the first Saturday in November to eliminate the conflict with youth deer hunting weekend.

In fisheries related business, the Commission recommended to the General Assembly modifying snagging regulations in the Tennessee River below Kentucky Lake and in the Cumberland River below Lake Barkley. The area from Kentucky Dam downstream to the new U.S. 62 bridge would be open to snagging 24 hours a day from January 1 through May 31 and from sunrise to sunset from June 1 through December 31. The area between the new U.S. 62 bridge and the I-24 bridge would be closed to snagging year-round. The area of Tennessee River from I-24 bridge to the Ohio River would be open year round to snagging.

The daily creel limit for snagging on the Tennessee River below Kentucky Lake is proposed to be eight fish in aggregate (no culling except for shad and herring) and must not exceed the daily creel limit for any sport fish in which the creel limit is under eight fish. Snagging was proposed to cease once a sport fish daily creel limit or the eight fish aggregate creel limit is attained. In the Cumberland River below Lake Barkley, snagging would only be permitted downstream of the U.S. 62 bridge with a daily creel limit of eight paddlefish (no sport fish harvest permitted).

The Commission also recommended adjusting the regulations concerning the use of jug and limb lines. Limb lines, set lines or jug lines would be prohibited in any state-owned or -managed lake under 500 acres in size with the exception of the waterbodies on Ballard, Swan and Peal WMAs. Also, jug lines would be prohibited on Bullock Pen, Elmer Davis, Kincaid, Greenbo and Carter Caves lakes. A limit of 25 limb or set lines per angler and a limit of 50 jug lines per boat statewide was proposed.

New boating regulations were also proposed for Lake Malone. From the weekend before Memorial Day until the weekend after Labor Day, there would be a limit of 150 horsepower on boat engines and a 200 horsepower limit for the rest of the year. This would allow larger bass boats use of the lake except during the major recreational boating season.

The new fisheries regulations are proposed to take effect March 1, 2006, pending legislative approval.

The next Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting will be held at 8 a.m. on Friday, August 19, 2005 at the Game Farm off U.S. 60 in Frankfort. Persons interested in addressing the Commission must notify the KDFWR 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 the KDFWR at least 10 days in advance and the agency will provide a translator. To request to address the commission, write to KDFWR, Interim Commissioner Dr. Jon Gassett, #1 Game Farm Road, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601.