I am writing as a constituent and supporter of responsible wildlife management to respectfully ask you to oppose Kentucky House Bill 142 (HB 142).
HB 142 represents a significant overreach into the authority of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR), the agency charged with managing our state’s native deer herd. The bill would require KDFWR to issue a minimum of five deer destruction permits to landowners who report wildlife damage, regardless of the specific situation. It would also allow landowners, their family members, and tenants to hunt under a depredation tag without holding a valid hunting license.
While I understand that deer damage can be a real concern for farmers and landowners, Kentucky already has a system in place to address these issues. Under current regulations, KDFWR evaluates damage on a case-by-case basis and issues permits when appropriate. This process ensures that decisions about the number of deer taken, as well as the timing and methods used, are based on sound wildlife management principles.
HB 142 would replace that professional, science-based judgment with a rigid statutory mandate. Instead of allowing trained and experienced professional deer managers to make decisions based on local conditions and herd data, the bill would force permit issuance regardless of broader management goals.
This approach undermines the proven model of wildlife conservation in North America, where decisions are guided by science, data, and the expertise of trained professionals. Kentucky’s deer herd is a conservation success story, and maintaining it requires flexibility and careful management—not one-size-fits-all mandates written into law.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge you to vote NO on HB 142. Wildlife management authority should remain with the professionals at KDFWR, where it can continue to be guided by science and the best available data.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
