Land swap closes portion of West Kentucky WMA near Paducah; opens new tract in Fulton County

As part of an economic development project announced Gov. Beshear in November, Tract 1 of the West Kentucky Wildlife Management Area in McCracken County is now closed to public access. 

The remaining 5,760 acres of the wildlife area will continue to be available for access as usual throughout the year.

The Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission agreed to a land exchange allowing the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development to pursue a major economic development project with Global Laser Enrichment LLC,  establishing a uranium enrichment project that's expected to create up to 300 full-time jobs.

In exchange for the 665 acres that bordered the main site of the new GLE project, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife received ownership of 1,068 acres adjacent to the Mississippi River in Fulton County. 

The new property will be owned and managed by Kentucky Fish and Wildlife as the Choate Tract of the agency's Obion Creek WMA.

The new tract will open for hunting and fishing in time for Youth Turkey Season this weekend.