Kentucky Mentor-Youth Dove Hunt Sign-Ups Begin August 8th
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Registration for Kentucky’s five mentor-youth dove hunts begin Monday, Aug.8.
Each year, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources conducts special hunts for adults wishing to introduce dove hunting to youth. The department, which holds these popular hunts during the first Saturday of the season, limits the number of participants to avoid overcrowding.
Hunters interested in reserving a space for these hunts must register by calling the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at 1-800-858-1549 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Limited spaces are allotted on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is open through Aug. 22, or whenever all the slots are filled. Mentor-youth hunts are conducted on Sept. 3; dove season opens statewide Sept. 1.
The mentor-youth dove hunts lend an opportunity for adults to introduce youth aged 15 years and under to dove hunting. Each adult may take two youths. Hunter education and licensing requirements apply to those participating in these hunts.
Hunting hours run from 2 to 7 p.m. (local time) on Sept. 3. Hunters must be out of the field by 7:30 p.m. Hunting groups must check in prior to hunting and check out prior to leaving the field with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife staff members.
All mentor-youth dove fields are closed to hunting Sept. 1-2.
Mentor-youth fields located on private land open to general hunting on Labor Day, Sept. 5. These fields then close to all hunting Sept. 6-9; they reopen to general hunting Sept. 10 through Oct. 24.
Mentor-youth fields located on wildlife management areas open to general hunting Sept. 4 through Oct. 24.
For more information on the mentor-youth dove hunts, consult the 2011 Kentucky Hunting Guide for Dove, Wood Duck, Teal, Woodcock, Snipe and Crow. This guide is available on the Internet at fw.ky.gov and also soon available in booklet form wherever hunting licenses are sold.
This year’s mentor-youth dove fields include:
Grant County
Curtis Gates Lloyd Wildlife Management Area (WMA): Two fields participating. Directions: Take Crittenden exit from I-75, follow U.S. 25 south to KY 491, turn left across railroad tracks, then right onto Wildlife Road.
Green County
Field is 30 acres. Directions: U.S. 68/70 south from Greensburg about 6 miles, turn right onto KY 318 for 2 miles, then left onto Roy Bagby Road. Field at end of road, on right.
Lincoln County
Field is 30 acres. Directions: From Stanford, take U.S. 150 southeast for 6 miles to Cedar Creek Lake. After crossing Cedar Creek Lake dam on U.S. 150, turn left onto Sportsman’s Lane for 0.3 miles to parking area at Cedar Creek Sportsman’s Club.
Union County
Higginson-Henry WMA: One field – see map at kiosk. Directions: Located off KY 56, about 7 miles south of Morganfield.
Washington County
Field is 30 acres. Directions: Field lies 0.5 miles south of Fredericktown, two miles from U.S.150 on Burg Hill Road, off Short Creek Road.
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, an agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, is responsible for the conservation of fish and wildlife resources and for boating projects in the state. A commissioner appointed by the Fish and Wildlife Commission heads the department. The commission, which is responsible for department policy, is a nine member bipartisan body appointed by the governor from a list of candidates voted upon by sportsmen's organizations in each of nine districts.
