Cooperative Dove Field Program enrollment

Kentucky farmers can earn much-needed extra cash by enrolling in the Cooperative Dove Field Program. Enrollment is currently underway and continues until March 1.
The Cooperative Dove Field Program pays landowners to lease fields on their property for public dove hunting.
“Landowners may earn up to $10,000 in the Cooperative Dove Field Program,” said Rocky Pritchert, migratory bird biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “They earn $300 per acre planted.”
Pritchert said the department will accept fields ranging from 6 to 30 acres with additional payments for buffers around fields. “Fields generally run from 20 to 30 acres in size,” he explained. “But, we encourage anyone interested to apply.”
Farmers may plant an idle field to sunflowers, millet or another acceptable crop for a public dove field by working with a Kentucky Fish and Wildlife private lands biologist and following some simple guidelines.
Payment amounts depend on the number of acres enrolled, crop type and fulfillment of the plot management agreement with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.
To get the process started, landowners must contact their Kentucky Fish and Wildlife private lands biologist or Natural Resources Conservation Service liaison. For a listing of biologists, visit on the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s homepage at [I]fw.ky.gov[/I] and click on the “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page. Property owners may also call the department at 1-800-858-1549 for more information.