LBL eliminating bonus deer option

Land Between the Lakes (LBL) has seen a decrease in white-tailed deer numbers over the last several years, especially on the Kentucky portion of the national recreation area. Recent analysis shows that adjustments to hunting regulations is needed. Officials at LBL have worked with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) and Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency on possible solutions. These include, but are not limited to:

• Eliminating bonus deer in Kentucky and Tennessee on Land Between The Lakes, except for youth quota hunts.
• Reducing the length of the archery season and bag limit on the Kentucky portion of the recreation area.

  “We see enough evidence that we need to make these changes for the fall hunting seasons,” said Jan Bush, Public Affairs Officer at Land Between the Lakes. “After these initial changes, we plan to monitor and make adjustments as needed.” Numerous factors have contributed to deer declines in recent years. These include outbreaks of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease commonly referred to as EHD, increased archery hunting pressure-especially on the Kentucky portion and a mature closed canopy forest. Forest and open land habitat must provide adequate forage and conditions for white-tailed deer. LBL in cooperation with the KDFWR will conduct a herd health assessment this summer. Herd management depends on hunters correctly reporting harvests and respecting the rules. Regulations require that deer harvested on LBL be recorded at check stations or welcome stations before leaving the recreation area. State checking systems allow reporting after business hours. Hunters are required to check the deer on the day of harvest. For more information, go online to www.landbetweenthelakes.us.