Enrollment open for program to pay landowners to use land for public dove hunting

Deadline to apply March 1

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 2, 2016) — Enrollment is open until March 1 for the Cooperative Dove Field Program, which pays landowners to lease fields on their property for public dove hunting.

“Landowners may earn up to $10,000 in the Cooperative Dove Field Program,” said John Brunjes, migratory bird biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “They earn $300 per acre planted… Fields generally run from 20 to 30 acres in size. But, we encourage anyone interested to apply.”

Farmers can plant an idle field to sunflowers, millet or another acceptable crop for a public dove field by working with a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife private lands biologist and following some simple guidelines.

Payment amounts depend on the number of acres enrolled, crop type and fulfillment of the plot management agreement with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

To get the process started, landowners are required to contact their Kentucky Fish and Wildlife private lands biologist or Natural Resources Conservation Service liaison. For a listing of biologists, visit on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s homepage at fw.ky.gov and search under the keywords, “private lands biologist.” Property owners can also call the department at 1-800-858-1549 for more information.