The Kentucky Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries control the hunting of animals in The Bluegrass state. They issue a long list of animals available to hunt and decide the hunting seasons. Regulated hunting seasons are vital for the management of stock, and regulations are strictly enforced. A few species need to be hunted all year round though, so as to keep stock levels down and to minimise the damage they do to the environment.
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Five animals that are available for year-round hunting in Kentucky are:
- Coyotes - Coyotes may be shot day or night; although, a shotgun is the only legal firearm for night shooting, according to the Department of Wildlife website. Coyotes are difficult to hunt, as they are strong swimmers, adapt well to their environment and can run at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.
- Wild Pigs - The legal shooting time for wild pigs is 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. According to the Department of Wildlife, there is no bag limit on wild pigs and trapping is thought to be the most effective method of hunting. They must be shot at the site of capture. It is illegal to release a pig into the wild in Kentucky, because they do significant damage to crops, trees and shrubs.
- Groundhogs - Known also known as woodchucks, groundhogs tend to live in lowlands and at the edges of woodlands. They rarely stray far from their burrow and they can do a lot of damage to crops by eating young shoots. Groundhogs dig long burrows, which cause serious problems in agricultural areas. There is no bag limit with the hunting of groundhogs. A Department of Wildlife license is required and hunting hours, like the wild pig hunting hours, are set to 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset.
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- English Starlings and Sparrows - For the hunter of birdlife there is unlimited all year-round shooting of the English starlings and sparrows. The Wildlife Department says that concern surrounds the effect that the large populations are having on native species and controlling their spread is vital. A hunting license is required unless the hunter is license exempt.
- Eurasian Collared Dove - The Eurasian collared dove is a voracious eater of grain and seeds, which are part of the staple diet of the native bird populations and can have a negative effect on their numbers. For this reason, they are considered a pest in Kentucky and may be hunted all year-round, without a license and without any bag limit.
This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.
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