Kentucky elk hunters can now apply for a new, either-sex archery/crossbow permit for the 2019 elk season.
“This new permit gives archery and crossbow hunters the freedom to choose whether to take a bull or a cow,” said Gabe Jenkins, elk program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR). “We wanted to give hunters more flexibility and options to fill their permits. Archery elk hunting is hard – and just getting an elk in range is a feat. This should increase the overall success rate for our archers and crossbow hunters.”
In addition to the new permit, which allows archery and crossbow hunters to take a bull or a cow, Kentucky will continue to offer its traditional quota elk hunt permits: gun hunts for a bull or a cow, and the youth permit. The cost is $10 to apply for each permit. While hunters may apply for multiple permits, they may be drawn for only one.
The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation worked with KDFWR in 2007 by providing funding and manpower support for the initial elk restoration. Today, there are more than 11,000 elk in the state of Kentucky, the largest herd east of the Mississippi River.
Kentucky’s annual drawing for quota elk hunts is open to out-of-state hunters. Kentucky does not employ a preference points system for its quota elk hunts, meaning everyone who applies has an equal chance of being drawn.
The deadline to apply is midnight (Eastern Time) April 30.
Go here for application information and other details.
(Photo source: Robbie Gross)