Kentucky Secures Permanent Public Access to 54,560 Acres of Elk Hunting Land

For hunters across Kentucky, the search for land to hunt has always meant a precarious dance with property owners. They never knew if they could go to the same place the following year. All because of the 30-day opt-out agreement. These temporary agreements could be cancelled with just 30 days’ notice. For families, this was a constant concern that stood between their hunting traditions and the possibility of losing access to the land they had enjoyed for generations. But then everything changed, as the state secured permanent public access to a vast eastern Kentucky elk landscape through what's becoming a model for conservation partnerships built on old tax money and new determination! The Cumberland Forest Wildlife Management Area provided a solution: permanent access, with a 54,560-acre easement in the heart of Kentucky’s elk hunting territory. This agreement was crucial for a state where 95% of the land is privately held. And so, getting such a large, connected piece of land for public use is unusual. But it didn’t happen overnight, or because of one organisation alone. State wildlife officials, private conservation groups, and a federal funding programme worked hand in hand to make it happen.

An unstable handshake deal

Temporary hunting agreements looked good on paper until they didn't. A landowner can end them whenever they want, leaving hunters in the spring facing an uncertain autumn. From a management perspective, it is worse. In order to invest in habitat conservation, wildlife agencies need long-term certainty. One cannot simply spend years building the infrastructure for elk recovery if the land might vanish in 30 days. For people like Kyle Sams, the problem was pressing enough. Sams grew up in Pineville, Kentucky. He spent his early years chasing squirrel, deer, and turkey. Hunting was a family tradition. The mountains southwest of Pineville were one of his favourite spots. The property was exactly what eastern Kentucky lacked: high ground, diverse habitat, and wildlife. “That property provided me and my family with many meals and fun times. Whether it be hiking, hunting, or fishing, we made many great memories,” Sams recalled. A temporary agreement between the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) and the landowner allowed people like Sams to hunt the mountains south of Pineville. These agreements are important because they give hunters places to hunt. However, they can be cancelled. The landowners can end the agreement with 30 days' notice, meaning hunters may not know if they will still have access the following year. Ever since he moved from his hometown, one of the things he misses most is hunting on this property. It was never his to count on. “The mountains offer something the rest of the state cannot: stunning mountain views that coincide with a diverse population of wildlife and endless outdoor adventures,” he said. The frustration is not exclusive to hunters. These temporary agreements are also challenging for the state to manage for wildlife and limit the amount of habitat improvement options. Long-term conservation needs strong partnerships and reliable funding.

How they found the solution

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife Restoration Program helped fund the project. The programme helped to secure a 54,560-acre easement, creating the Cumberland Forest Wildlife Management Area (WMA). Created under the Wildlife Restoration Act of 1937, the programme gets money from taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery equipment. This programme funds 75% of the eligible conservation project, and the rest is provided by the state. This money goes into protecting land, improving wildlife habitat, conducting research, and educating hunters. But finding the 25% match is challenging. However, two conservation groups, the Nature Conservancy and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, helped KDFWR raise the money. They also helped KDFWR get support from the Kentucky legislature. They didn't get money from Kentucky's general state budget, and hence legislative support was vital. As the land that became Cumberland Forest WMA has long been open to the public, and several local legislators enjoyed the opportunities the property provided, getting permanent public access was an easy sell. “When we’re utilizing Wildlife Restoration dollars, we try to prioritise land acquisitions and deals that will create public access. One of the biggest challenges when managing an elk herd is that you can have all the elk in the world, but if you don’t have access for your hunters to get to them, then what have you really accomplished?” said Ben Robinson, KDFWR’s Director of Wildlife. Cumberland Forest dove in to solve the problem.

What the permanent protection provides

Elk can only be hunted in designated areas in Kentucky. And interestingly, the Cumberland Forest WMA sits in the heart of the state’s eastern elk zone. As 95% of Kentucky’s land is privately owned, the public getting access to 54,000 acres is remarkable. This also allows the department to manage the habitat on a large, continuous landscape. “There is a big push to improve habitat for elk. Fifteen to twenty years ago, there was a lot more coal mining going on, so you had a lot more open land and a lot more suitable habitat for elk,” Robinson added. As mining declined, the habitat shrunk. The easement gave wildlife officials space to deliberately restore what the landscape had lost, cutting back trees, creating meadows, and removing barriers to movement. However, the department never manages habitat for a single species, Robinson said. Their efforts benefit many wildlife populations. “While we’re doing things with elk as the flagship species, there are many others that are benefiting – quail, turkeys, songbirds, etc. This approach will not only help bolster the available hunting opportunities but will allow for great wildlife observation opportunities as well,” he added.

As for Sams, he goes back to Kentucky for the holidays now, and the family hunting traditions are back alive. “Whenever I go back for Thanksgiving or something, my dad, my son, and I will go up there and go squirrel hunting or rabbit hunting or whatever just to get outside and enjoy the outdoors together. Knowing it’s always going to be there is pretty awesome,” he said. Because of conservation groups, wildlife officials, and funding, Cumberland Forest WMA will remain protected. In fact, it exists because a hunting community understood that access required more than hope. Families can now hunt, hike, and enjoy the outdoors. Not just that, this land will remain available for future generations. For families, there is no need for any guesses about whether they will be hiking or hunting next spring.