Kentucky Cooperative Dove Field Program

Kentucky Fish and Wildlife pays farmers to plant dove-attracting crops such as sunflowers, corn, millet or wheat, and then open those fields to public dove hunting. Payments are $300 an acre for planting plus $25 an acre for usage, up to $10,000.

• Fields must be crop-able

• Fields are evaluated for sufficient dove potential and access before being considered

• Fields must be open to the public from Sept. 1 through Oct. 26

Payment based on acres planted and total acres of public access; $300/acre planting payment; $25/acre usage payment; maximum $10,000.

Published amounts: Farmers can earn up to $10,000. Landowners receive: $300 an acre planting payment for crops; $25 an acre usage payment for crop fields, huntable land surrounding crop fields and parking areas.

Contact Migratory Bird Biologist Wes Little at 1-800-858-1549 or wes.little@ky.gov, or your local regional wildlife biologist (fw.ky.gov, search 'regional wildlife biologist'). Sign-ups Aug. 1 through Dec. 31.

Deadline text on the page: Sign-ups are being taken from Aug. 1 through Dec. 31. Fields must be open to the public from Sept. 1 through Oct. 26. (Flyer created Aug 2022; the July 30, 2026 dove news still lists 'a private land cooperator field in Lincoln County', so the program is active.)