Taylorsville Lake WMA

Major improvements underway

By Lee McClellan

          Taylorsville Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is undergoing major improvements.  “We are restoring native grasslands to improve small game habitat,” said Brian Clark, regional wildlife coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “We’ve lost a lot of grassland to natural succession,” Clark explained.

          As a result of the grassland work, which includes some cover cropping, hunters will have two more fields to pursue doves this fall. “The usual, biggest field is by the KY 248 Bridge,” said WMA manager Bill Mitchell. “We have about 8 acres of wheat and 5 acres of spring oats there.”

Hunters must only use non-toxic shot on this field. An additional 5-acre wheat field will be south of Briar Ridge Road and a 7.5-acre wheat field will be across KY 2239 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers office.

          Louisville area residents should also soon have a place on the WMA to sight-in their rifles, pistols, slug guns and muzzleloaders, free of charge. Construction of a new public shooting range is slated to begin later this year. “We get a lot of calls about shooting ranges,” Clark said.  “Private ranges in the Louisville area are fairly expensive. This one will be funded by sportsmen’s dollars.”  

          The upper Taylorsville Lake area is home to good springtime white bass and hybrid striped bass runs. Anglers may have even better bank access to the Salt River in the future.  Kentucky Fish and Wildlife is pursuing grant funds to hopefully improve Palmer Road, including a new parking lot if feasible.      

          The area is open to statewide archery and crossbow hunting for deer and the youth firearms deer seasons. It is also open to small game, fall turkey and furbearer seasons. A special permit is required to trap. Taylorsville Lake WMA will host three firearms deer quota hunts on Nov. 1-2, Dec. 6-7 and Jan. 3-4.  Hunters should call 800-858-1549 during the month of September to apply.

Wildlife management area maps are available online at fw.ky.gov.

How to get there: From I-64, take exit 35 at Shelbyville to KY 53 South. At the intersection of KY 53 and KY 44, take a right on KY 44 southwest to KY 248, which roughly parallels the area from west to east. Louisville residents can also take U.S. 31E to Mt. Washington, then east on KY 44.