The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has proposed an additional elk hunt to help landowners alleviate damage caused by elk. The proposal would allow thousands of hunters not chosen for the regular season hunts a second chance at a cow elk hunt. The proposed hunt still requires final approval by legislators.
“Although we don’t get nearly as many calls about nuisance elk as we do about deer and other species, elk can do significant damage to pastures during the winter, and to crops during the summer,” said Kentucky Big Game Program Coordinator Tina Brunjes. “We proposed this hunt specifically to help landowners, and it provides additional hunting opportunities.”
The proposal includes a 14-day season for antlerless elk beginning Jan. 14. While modern firearms would be allowed for the hunt, it would be limited to private lands within two of the newly created Elk Management Units.
Under the proposal, 50 hunters will be randomly selected from the pool of applicants who were not chosen for the 2008 bull and cow quota hunts. Hunters would be assigned an Elk Management Unit in portions of Knott, Harlan or Bell counties, and be responsible for obtaining permission from a landowner to hunt.
Landowners like Jim Corum of Bell County said they appreciate the department’s efforts to solve his elk problems. Corum has lost young trees to hungry elk and rutting bulls over the last 3 years. Corum and his neighbors, along with Bell County Judge-Executive Abey Brock, contacted Kentucky Fish and Wildlife for assistance in solving the problem. Although Corum has tried various methods of keeping elk off his land as recommended by department biologists who visited his property, his location next to the Begley Wildlife Management Area provides plenty of opportunity for elk to visit.
Key department personnel – including Wildlife Division Director Karen Alexy and commission members Taylor Orr and Doug Hensley – met Aug. 21 with local residents in Bell County to hear their concerns and discuss the proposed hunt and other ways of dealing with elk. Orr represents the Ninth Wildlife District, which includes Bell County, while Hensley represents the Seventh Wildlife District, which includes Harlan County.
“Elk have brought a lot of positives to eastern Kentucky, but they sometimes get into conflict with people,” Alexy said afterward. “This meeting and the proposed late-season hunt for the Straight Creek area are part of Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s efforts to address these issues.”
A second public meeting about the hunt proposal is scheduled for 6 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Knott County Sportsplex near Hazard. A small area of private land in Knott County, located northeast of Carr Creek Lake Wildlife Management Area, is being considered for a late-season hunt.
Rowan County Sports
Hunters to get second shot at elk
- Rowan County Sports
-
-
In The Post: VIDEO - Viking senior night exclusive
The Rowan County Vikings had a successful senior night as they defeated the Fleming County Panthers 75-64 on Monday.
Following the game, The Morehead News spoke with the Viking seniors about the win.
Click headline for video.
-
Viking seniors celebrate with Panther hunt
A pre-game ceremony marked the accomplishments of four years of hard work, determination and accomplishments for Rowan County basketball’s senior players, Adam Wing, D.J. Townsend, Phillip Hodge and Jason Egan.
-
Lady Viking seniors sail away with win
Rowan County celebrated its seniors with a girls/boys doubleheader against Fleming County on Monday night. The Lady Vikings were up first, as they held on for the win despite a late comeback effort by the Lady Panthers, winning 65-58.
-
In the Post: Coach Baldridge visits Baltimore
Former Morehead State football coach Bill Baldridge is a man of many friends, travels and talents. Baldridge holds a high school state championship, a Kentucky high school coach of the year honor and has even coached some of the game’s greatest players, such as NFL legend Phil Simms.
-
Hughes signs with Georgetown
It is every high school athlete's dream to play at the next level. For Viking senior kicker Rhett Hughes, this was a dream that came true as he signed on Thursday afternoon to handle field goal and kickoff duties for Georgetown College.
-
Cumberland’s Daniel joins 1,000 Point Club
University of the Cumberlands (UC) men’s basketball player Matt Daniel (Morehead) surpassed the 1,000th point of his career, scoring 16 points on Saturday, Jan. 14 against Shawnee State University in the O. Wayne Rollins Center in Williamsburg.
-
Middle school boys manhandle Morgan
Rowan County completed the clean sweep of Morgan County as the sixth, seventh and eighth grade squads all came out with wins in dominate margins of victory.
-
Vikings and Lady Vikings defeat Fleming
Rowan County's boys and girls varsity basketball squads came away with wins on Monday's double header senior night.
-
Rowan girls survive royal scare
Winning nine of its last 10 games, with a perfect record at home, the Lady Vikings came into Friday’s girl/boy double-header against Mason County looking to improve to 6-0 at Warren H. Cooper Gym.
-
Vikings kingly in Mason win
Friday night marked the Vikings’ second-straight home matchup against a 10th Region team in one week.
- More Rowan County Sports Headlines
-
