Hunting and fishing licenses available

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) announced on Thursday licenses and permits are available now to fish, hunt and trap in Kentucky for the upcoming license year, which begins Saturday.

License and permit fees for Kentucky residents are unchanged from the 2024-2025 license year, which lasts until Friday, and most non-resident fees will remain the same.

Introduced last year, the resident Senior Lifetime Sportsman’s License remains priced at $180. It includes hunting and fishing licenses plus permits for trout, deer, spring and fall turkey, migratory game birds and waterfowl. It is available to Kentucky residents aged 65 and older, who can purchase it once and then simply carry an electronic copy or reprint each year to display the current license year.

Seniors in Kentucky still have the option to purchase an annual Senior Sportsman’s License that provides the same licenses and permits for the license year for just $12. Resident anglers have the option to purchase an annual Fishing License for $23 or a 3-year Fishing License for added convenience and value at just $55.

Licenses and permits are sold online through Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website License Sales portal, and are also sold at agent locations across the state. A list of license agents by county is available on the department’s website, at fw.ky.gov.

The department receives its primary funding through revenue raised by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, as well as federal excise taxes generated by the sale of recreational firearms and ammunition, archery gear and fishing equipment.

Springtime provides many opportunities to take someone new into the field. Youth turkey weekend is April 5-6, while the main turkey season opens a week later, on April 12. The Youth Sportsman’s License, available to residents ages 12-15, is a great value at $30 and covers turkey hunting and deer hunting.

For more information about hunting and fishing opportunities in Kentucky, visit the department website. For questions, please call 1-800-858-1549, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (ET) weekdays, excluding holidays.