Kentucky Statewide Rule

Kentucky Wildlife Feeding Ban March 1 to July 31

Significant RestrictionsApplies statewide across Kentucky (2026)

Key Facts

Regulation: 301 KAR 2:015
Ban window: March 1 to July 31
WMAs: Feeding banned year-round
Agency: KY Fish and Wildlife Resources
Home bird feeders: Exempt year-round

Last verified: July 31, 2026

Summary

Kentucky bars feeding wildlife statewide from March 1 through July 31 under 301 KAR 2:015, and prohibits feeding and baiting year-round on Wildlife Management Areas. Bird feeders within the home curtilage and normal agriculture stay exempt.

Section 2(1): "Wildlife shall not be fed from March 1 through July 31, except as established in subsections (2) and (3) of this section." Section 1(3)(a): feeding "Means willingly, wantonly, or knowingly depositing, distributing, or scattering of shelled, shucked, or unshucked corn, millet, milo, safflower seed, sunflower seed, thistle, wheat, or other grain or any manufactured feed or food product to be consumed by wildlife".

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Full Breakdown

The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources enforces 301 KAR 2:015. Section 2(1) states wildlife shall not be fed from March 1 through July 31 each year, with narrow exceptions. "Feeding" means depositing, distributing, or scattering corn, millet, milo, safflower, sunflower, thistle, wheat, other grain, or any manufactured feed for wildlife. Exempt year-round: bird feeders within the home curtilage, normal agricultural practices and food plots, and fish in private ponds. Feeding and baiting are illegal at all times on Wildlife Management Areas, and salt and mineral use is barred in CWD Surveillance Zone counties.

Violations & Penalties

Conservation officers cite violations of 301 KAR 2:015 under KRS Chapter 150; penalties for fish and wildlife regulation violations are set by KRS 150.990, and unlawful bait must be removed before hunting the site.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I feed deer in my Kentucky backyard?

Not from March 1 through July 31 statewide. Outside that window backyard feeding is allowed, unless you are in a CWD Surveillance Zone county or on a Wildlife Management Area, where stricter rules apply.

Are bird feeders legal during the ban?

Yes. 301 KAR 2:015 exempts bird feeders placed within the curtilage of the home, so backyard bird feeding is allowed year-round even during the March-July prohibition.

Is baiting allowed on public hunting land?

No. Feeding and baiting are illegal at all times on Kentucky Wildlife Management Areas, regardless of season.

Sources

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