Latest news with #KentuckyDepartmentofFishandWildlife
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Bear found sitting on stove in home after crashing through ceiling
A black bear crashed through the ceiling of a home in southeastern Kentucky last week and ended up on top of a stove, state wildlife officials said. Photos show the furry intruder perched on top of the stove in the kitchen, where a warden and local sheriff's deputy discovered the animal before chasing it from the property through an open door. The incident happened at a Bell County residence last Wednesday at around 5 a.m., according to the law enforcement branch of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. "After taking a look around, it was determined that the bear had climbed up a ladder outside and squeezed through an opening in the attic," the department said in a Facebook post. "The bear then fell through the ceiling into the residence below." Another photo, taken inside the house, showed a square-shaped hole in the ceiling where the bear apparently burst through as it fell. Officials did not estimate the size of the bear or say whether the animal was injured. Following a gradual population decline in the region, black bears have returned to Kentucky over the last two decades and are inhabiting the state in increasing numbers, according to Kentucky Fish and Wildlife, which says the animals are primarily found in eastern areas. Wildlife officials also note that black bears are typically elusive and tend to avoid humans unless they have been exposed to sources of human food. That and their curiosity mean seeing bears near places where people live "is relatively common" in parts of Kentucky, the Fish and Wildlife department writes on its website. "Bears have an incredible sense of smell and are likely being lured by some type of food attractant. These attractants typically include garbage, pet food, and birdfeeders," the site reads. "The best thing to do is identify the attractant and remove the source. Bears will move on after realizing their is no food to be obtained." Trump delivers Memorial Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery Expectant mothers with lupus have better outlooks than ever before, doctors say King Charles delivers rare address to Canada's Parliament
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Kentucky spring hunting season impacted by high floodwaters
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — April 12 is the start of the spring hunting turkey season in Kentucky, and hunters all over the state are now having to consider what the recent floods have done to several hunting grounds. According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, a lot of Wildlife Management Areas (WMA) are extensively affected by the recent floods, with some parking lots and access points being completely submerged. Thomas Young is with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife and is an avid hunter himself. RELATED l Kentucky hunters may find difficulty with high water as spring turkey season opens after historic flooding 'One of my favorite spots I've got, is definitely underwater, but it you're strategic, you know turkeys will seek higher ground just like you or me in a flood situation,' Young said. In Central Kentucky specifically, the areas of the Taylorsville Lake WMA and Kentucky River WMA have been hit hard, and these aren't the only spots to be mindful of. 'There's no doubt that there will be certain wildlife management areas, across the state that will be, impacted much more in terms of flooding,' Young said. Turkeys will react to the floodwaters by seeking higher ground, and by playing your cards right, Young said this can be an advantage for hunters. 'There are opportunities where if you can find that little dry spot that turkeys can access and maybe a lot of the public can't on public land, there'll be a good opportunity to be successful in the field. I think whether you're hunting in western Kentucky, central Kentucky, or eastern Kentucky, I think water can somewhat sometimes be used to your advantage in some cases if you've got birds that are somewhat isolated,' Young said. Central Kentucky school district among 3 statewide chosen for national nonprofit education program Kentucky spring hunting season impacted by high floodwaters Lexington's oldest independent music retailer prepares for Record Store Day Even with that vantage point, hunters are asked to look at the conditions of their areas and avoid places that aren't safe at the moment. 'If you're in a boat on a reservoir, make sure you have a life jacket. If you're in a backwater situation and you're using a boat, take all the necessary precautions, because it can be very critical to have all of your safety gear in place,' Young said. More information on the flooded WMAs can be found at the KYFWR website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kentucky Christmas trees repurposed into fish habitats by Fish and Wildlife
MUHLENBERG COUNTY, Ky. (WEHT) — The Christmas season is over for humans, but not for fishes. In Muhlenberg County, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife carried out its Christmas for Fishes program. In January, real Christmas trees were collected at the Grimes Avenue Transfer station in Owensboro. It's an unexpected pair: Lake Malone and Christmas Trees. Spencer Phillips, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife's Fish Habitat Biologist, says the evergreens are perfect for fish to feed, reproduce and live in. 5K on the Runway returns to Evansville 'You get something out of what would just be trash,' says Phillips. 350 Christmas trees were loaded onto a boat on Tuesday, before sending them crashing into the lake's water. 'Putting these into the lake…they'll slowly decay still. While they're decaying, they grow other stuff on them that help attract smart fish such as largemouth bass, bluegill, and crappie to them as well for anglers to target,' says Phillips. The Muhlenberg County lake undergoes fish sampling every year, but haven't gotten as much attention when it comes to habitat investments. Stacks of around 70 trees were transported to areas based on a creel study. The study draws from fishing lover's feedback. 'A lot of the guys wanted structure on the cliff walls for those crappie [fish]. So, we're adding these Christmas trees. We're going to come back with gas pipe trees that have bigger branches,' says Maddy Ruble, the Assistant Fisheries Biologist for Northwestern Fisheries District. With the push of a button, the stack of trees are dropped down in one swoop and then marked with a floating GPS tracker. 'We know that fish like height. We are kind of focusing this habitat a little bit more towards the crappie today. So, they typically like about 15 to 20 feet of depth,' says Ruble. Phillips says areas with evergreen donations see 500% more fish than areas without the tree drop-offs. GPS coordinates are shared on the fish and wildlife website for fishing lovers looking to increase their luck. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Kentucky hunters bring in near record-breaking deer harvest
Video note: Despite this article's time stamp, the above video is the latest forecast from The Weather Authority. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — Hunters pulled in a near-record harvest for the 2024–25 season. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife said hunters took in 149,868 deer—the state's second-highest harvest ever recorded and the highest percentage of antlered deer taken on record. 'We're very pleased with harvest results,' Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Deer Program Coordinator Joe McDermott said. 'We had a great season, even with subpar weather at times.' Kentucky hunters bring in near record-breaking deer harvest This Kentucky wellness center provides mental health resources to first responders Child sex offenders could be banned from trick-or-treating under Lexington lawmaker's bill Hunters harvested more deer from public land than any previous year, according to a news release. The season closed on Jan. 20, with the season's total being 6,000, higher than the 10-year average of 143,442. The department said Kentucky saw the highest buck harvest on record with 86,071 deer (57.4%), including buck fawns. 76% of deer were harvested on a statewide or youth deer permit 16% were landowner permits 7% were with senior or disabled permits The remaining deer were harvested during public land quota hunts or through deer control damage permits. 2 Kentucky towns make Southern Living's Best Places To Go In The South In 2025 Kentucky ranks in top 10 states with underage vaping amid new 2025 law Kentucky among top 15 states with most deaths from house fires Kentucky residents accounted for 80% of the deer harvested. 107,392 (71.6%) deer were taken by firearm 16,662 (11.1%) were taken by bow 14,020 (9.4%) were taken with crossbows 11,794 (7.9%) were taken using muzzle-loading firearms The department said poor weather during the opening weekend of the modern gun season wasn't ideal, but it didn't prevent hunters from getting outside. 'The opening weekend of modern gun is traditionally responsible for our largest percentage of Kentucky's overall deer harvest each year, so we're very glad that hunters stuck with it despite the weird weather,' McDermott said. 'We had a great turnout for modern gun season.' 'We can see evidence of hunters doing a good job of being selective and avoiding taking young deer,' McDermott said, noting that 71% of harvested bucks were at least 2½ years old. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast The harvest of female deer was a 10-year average for a second straight year, with 63,797 does reported. Biologists said they hope to see the harvest rate between adult male and female deer level out in the future. Green River Region (29%) Bluegrass (27%) Southeast (18%) Purchase (14%) Northeast (12%) Hardin County (3,228) Christian County (3,092) Breckinridge County (2,916) Grayson County (2,834) Hart County (2,816) For more information about Kentucky's 2024–25 season, visit the Kentucky Harvest Result website. Chiefs look to make history with rare three-peat University of Kentucky signee Malachi Moreno named McDonald's All-American Is President Donald Trump a Kansas City Chiefs fan? New hunting licenses can be purchased starting on March 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
