Public hunting is returning to the grounds of the Blue Grass Army Depot for the first time since 2018.
A temporary hold on hunting was put in place while chemical weapons disposal operations were active. It’s being lifted starting January 20 for the start of Kentucky’s small game and waterfowl hunting seasons.
Depot representative William Ritter says its return has been a long time coming for the Richmond community.
“It's just a small way of us saying thank you for all the support they've given us over the years that the depot has been in operation here,” Ritter said.
But it’s also a benefit for the depot itself.
“We have a surprising amount of deer accidents on the depot because we have such a large population,” Ritter said. “So by having these hunts, it's going to help us control the overcrowding we have right now of deer in particular. But second of all, it's also a bit of a fundraiser for the depot because there is a small hunt fee. That goes back into what we call our MWR Fund, which stands for morale, recreation, and welfare. And that helps the depot do other things for veterans.”
The deadline to apply is December 11. Individuals interested in hunting can contact 859-779-6038 and download a fact sheet and hunting application on the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources’ website.
Applications can be mailed to Blue Grass Army Depot, ATTN: Raysha Childers, Natural Resource Specialist, Building S-14, 431 Battlefield Memorial Hwy., Richmond, Ky. 40475-5010
