FRANKFORT, Ky. — Farmers can earn extra money and support Kentucky’s hunting heritage by participating in the Cooperative Dove Field Program offered by the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. The program leases privately owned and managed fields for public dove hunting in the fall. Enrollment is open through March 1, 2021.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is particularly interested in landowners willing to sow multiple crops. Landowners can receive up to $10,000 in the program by earning $300 per acre planted.
Under state law, landowners who allow the public to use their property for outdoor recreation without charging a fee are provided legal protections. These protections extend to those who lease land to the department for public hunting access.
Participating fields must be at least 10 acres. Additional lease payments are available for landowners who plant borders around the hunting fields.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is interested in reaching agreements with property owners who have acreage in underserved areas that have significant numbers of dove hunters. In the western part of the state, this includes Caldwell, Calloway, Christian, Daviess, Fulton, Grayson, Hardin, Hart, Hickman, LaRue, Logan, Lyon, Simpson, Todd, and Trigg counties. Boyle, Cumberland, Laurel, Lincoln, Pulaski, and Wayne counties are areas of interest in southcentral Kentucky.
For more information, visit fw.ky.gov or call 1-800-858-1549 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EST) on weekdays.
