Information from the County Attorney's Office
By Steven J. Franzen, Campbell County Attorney
I was recently contacted by a citizen in Alexandria that had read an article I recently published on hunting law and wanted to see another article addressing deer hunting and property law. Always happy to listen to requests, I thought it would be good to address some additional issues pertaining to deer hunting.
In Kentucky, state regulations outline the rules for Deer Hunting. Once you have a permit, you are allowed to take one antlered deer and one antlerless deer or two antlerless deer. Deer hunters should also be aware of certain restrictions including that they may only take a deer during daylight hours; use only leashed tracking dogs to recover a wounded deer; not take any deer that is swimming; and not take a deer from a vehicle, boat or horseback unless in possession of a disabled hunting exemption permit. In Kentucky, hunters must also complete a harvest record immediately after taking a deer but before moving the carcass and check a deer on the day the deer is recovered which can now be done online at: fw.ky.gov or by phone at (800) 245-4263.
Every year, the law in Kentucky is changing and evolving. The same is true for Deer Hunting and this year, two items are new for the 2017-18 Hunting Season. First, hunters may remove the hide or head of a harvested deer prior to telechecking it but must retain proof of sex of the animal. Second, air guns of .35 caliber or larger charged by an external tank, shooting single projectile ammunition designed to expand upon impact are now legal equipment for deer hunting.
Most importantly, safety is key. It is very important that all hunters and accompanying persons make sure to wear unbroken hunter orange visible from all sides on the head, back, and chest. State Regulations require this during all gun and youth seasons but it is a best safety practice to always wear hunter orange when hunting.
Another issue that regularly arises is the property you can hunt on. You can only hunt on property where you have permission and cannot hunt on property where you have not first received permission. This not only applies to the activity but also the placement of equipment such as stands and decoys. Moreover, residential areas are usually restricted from hunting through a variety of local ordinances including those that restrict firing of firearms or the discharge of a bow. In addition, local zoning regulations may also limit your ability to engage in hunting on your property. If you are unsure, you should always first check with your local municipality to see if there are any prohibitions.
If you have any topics you would like to have covered in this column, please contact my office by e-mail at countyattorney@campbellcountyky.org, by phone at 491-7700 or by regular mail addressed to 319 York Street, Newport, Kentucky 41071.