1. (1) No person shall possess, take, pursue, or attempt to take or pursue or otherwise molest any wild elk, deer, wild turkey, or bear in any manner contrary to any provisions of this chapter or its regulations.
2. (2) No person shall use a dog to chase or molest wild elk or deer in any manner, at any time, or at any place. Any game warden, peace officer, sheriff, or constable may take necessary steps to stop, prevent, or bring under control any dog or dogs found chasing or molesting wild elk or deer at any time.
3. (3) The department shall establish by administrative regulation the conditions under which depredation permits may be issued without cost to persons suffering damage from wild elk to allow the taking of wild elk. If Kentucky's wild elk population reaches a level that will sustain limited hunting, the department may establish by administrative regulations the conditions and permits that would allow the controlled taking of wild elk.
4. (4)

5. (5) The department shall identify areas where deer and elk pose a significant threat to agriculture or to health and human safety from automobile accidents and may take necessary steps to reduce the deer and elk population in those areas. Methods to reduce the deer and elk population may include but are not limited to the following:

   1. (a) Special hunts;
   2. (b)
   3. (c) Working with the Transportation Cabinet to make vegetation along highways Increasing the doe harvest; and unpalatable to deer and elk.
6. (6) The commission shall promulgate administrative regulations establishing an additional seven (7) to ten (10) day season allowing the taking of antlerless deer in overpopulated areas, as designated by the department, until the population density is sufficiently decreased.

7. (7) With exception to the taking of any wild elk, the department shall allow an entry into the department's special agency fundraising permit drawing process to any individual who:

   1. (a) Has taken and reported to the department a minimum of four (4) female antlerless deer from a designated overpopulated area during the previous hunting season in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the administrative regulations promulgated by the department;
   2. (b) Provides a time-stamped photograph of each harvested female antlerless deer required by telecheck review system as through administrative regulation; and the department's
   3. (c) Submits a request to the department for entry into the special agency fundraising permit drawing and confirms that the requester matches the name of the individual carrying out the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection.
8. (8) The department shall promulgate administrative regulations establishing objectives for circumstances in which the deer density of an overpopulated area meets or falls below the population objective.

Effective: April 14, 2026

History: Amended 2026 Ky. Acts ch. 174, sec. 2, effective April 14, 2026. -- Amended 2024 Ky. Acts ch. 159, sec. 18, effective July 15, 2024. -- Amended 2017 Ky. Acts ch. 124, sec. 1, effective June 29, 2017. -- Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 24, sec. 1, effective March 4, 1998. -- Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch. 474, sec. 7, effective July 13, 1990. -- Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 365, sec. 10, effective July 15, 1988. -- Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 265, sec. 18, effective July 15, 1986. -- Amended 1978 Ky. Acts ch. 181, sec. 1, effective June 17, 1978. -- Amended 1968 Ky. Acts ch. 38, sec. 21. -- Amended 1956 Ky. Acts ch. 115, sec. 17. -- Amended 1952 Ky. Acts ch. 200, sec. 52. -- Amended 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 68, sec. 40. -- Recodified 1942 Ky. Acts ch. 208, sec. 1, effective October 1, 1942, from Ky. Stat. sec. 1954d-61.