{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-150.172","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 150.172","heading":"Possession and use of firearm for self -defense and defense of others while","body":"hunting or trapping -- Exceptions -- Administrative regulations.\n(1) Any person who is not prohibited by state or federal law from possessing a firearm\nmay carry a f irearm and ammunition for that firearm for purposes of self -defense\nand defense of others while hunting, fishing, trapping, or engaging in any other\nactivity not constituting a crime under KRS Chapter 218A or Chapters 500 to 534,\nand may do so on any publi c lands under the control of the department and on any\nprivate land under the control of the department, unless the owner of the private\nland has posted notice that concealed deadly weapons are not allowed in a building\nwhere they may be prohibited pursuant to KRS 237.110 or 237.115.\n(2) (a) A person may use a firearm, if he or she is not prohibited by state or federal\nlaw from possessing a firearm, or may use any other deadly weapon, at any\ntime and during any season to:\n1. Kill or attempt to kill an anima l, whether protected or unprotected, in\nself-defense or defense of another person; or\n2. Kill or attempt to kill an injured animal for humane purposes; and\nin either event, reports the kill or attempted kill to a game warden before\nmidnight of the same day as the kill or attempted kill.\n(b) An investigation by the department shall be authorized to substantiate and\nprovide evidence on whether the kill or attempted kill of the animal is in\nviolation of paragraph (a) of this subsection or if the animal presen ts a threat\nto public health and safety. If no violation is shown to exist, and if there is no\nthreat to public health and safety, then the animal or parts thereof shall:\n1. Remain the property and in the possession of the person taking the\nanimal; or\n2. If the animal or parts thereof were surrendered to the department, be\nimmediately returned to the person.\n(c) An arrest shall not be made, except upon a warrant issued by a judge of a\ncourt of competent jurisdiction, and a citation shall not be issued by a  peace\nofficer if an animal is killed under circumstances described in paragraph (a) of\nthis subsection.\n(d) A citation may be issued by a peace officer who witnesses the killing of an\nanimal in violation of a statute or federal regulation under circumstan ces\ndifferent from those described in paragraph (a) of this subsection.\n(e) An arrest warrant or a summons may be issued by a judge of a court of\ncompetent jurisdiction, upon application of the appropriate county attorney, if\nthe court believes that there is sufficient cause to doubt the claim that the\nanimal was killed under circumstances described in paragraph (a) of this\nsubsection.\n(3) In cases where an animal is killed and there is a claim that the animal was killed\nunder circumstances described in paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section, the\ndepartment shall provide competent evidence as to how the animal was killed and\nthe circumstances surrounding the event.\n(4) The department shall not promulgate administrative regulations restricting any ri ght\nprovided by this section or the spirit thereof.\n(5) This section shall not apply to the killing, wounding, or other prohibited act relating\nto specific wildlife which are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act, 16\nU.S.C. secs. 1531 to 1544; fe deral Migratory Bird Treaty Act, 16 U.S.C. secs. 703\nto 712; or federal Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. secs. 668 to\n668d.\n(6) The principles contained in KRS Chapter 503 relating to the use of force and deadly\nforce against human beings shall apply to acts where wildlife is involved.","path":["KRS Chapter 150"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=55363","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:50:43Z","sha256":"3be8c6a3c2a2b66eb544bf23583200d7cb2b4645526e83517f400f9fffb2dc07","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-150.170","next":"us-ky/krs-150.175"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}