FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources is suspending recreational target shooting with firearms on Veterans Memorial Wildlife Management Area until further notice because of ongoing habitat work on the 2,497-acre property in Scott County.
The decision ensures crews performing the work can do so safely.
Veterans Memorial Wildlife Management Area (WMA) remains open for fishing, hiking, bird watching and other types of outdoor recreation. Fall hunting seasons will not be affected.
Opened in 2011, Veterans Memorial WMA is one of central Kentucky’s most visited wildlife management areas.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife used $3.25 million from Kentucky’s Wetlands and Stream Mitigation Fund – which is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Kentucky Division of Water – toward the land purchase and to pay for the restoration of 19 miles of streams and associated headwaters. The department also added $3 million in federal Pittman-Robertson grant money specifically designated for fish and wildlife land acquisition. No state tax revenues or Kentucky Fish and Game Fund dollars were used to purchase the property.
Unless expressly prohibited by signage or regulation, recreational target shooting with firearms is allowed on other Kentucky Fish and Wildlife-owned or managed wildlife management areas without established shooting ranges.
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife reminds all area users that any target shooting must be done in a safe and responsible manner. Users should always make sure they are shooting into a suitable backstop and pick up and remove all targets, shell casings and trash before leaving. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife offers hunter education classes that stress the fundamentals of safe shooting. For more information, go online to fw.ky.gov and search under the keywords, “hunter education.”
