Applications are due Aug. 15 for an opening day (September 1, 2008) adult dove hunt and youth dove hunt at Draper Wildlife Management Area in York County.

Public drawings will be held at noon Tuesday, Aug. 19 to select participants for the opening day dove hunts at the Draper Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in York County. This year on opening day, a special youth dove hunt will be held in addition to the regular public dove hunt at Draper WMA. Dove season opens this year on Monday, Sept. 1, 2008.
           
Like last year, the number of hunters on opening day will again be limited at this popular dove field near Historic Brattonsville. “This is being done entirely because of safety concerns,” said Jeff Witt, S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) unit wildlife biologist.
           
Eighty-five hunters will be selected to hunt at the regular Draper public dove field, and this hunt will begin as usual at noon. This year, a separate field is being reserved to accommodate 30 youths, age 17 and under, who must be accompanied by a licensed adult who is 21 years of age or older. An adult can bring one or two youths. The Draper WMA youth dove hunt will begin at 2:00 p.m.
           
There is no cost to apply for either of the hunts. Applicants must designate for which hunt they are applying (regular public hunt or special youth hunt) and can apply by mail or fax. Applications can be typed or printed clearly but must provide the name, mailing address, telephone number and age of all hunt participants. Up to five people can apply together for the adult hunt, but complete information for each person must be included on each application. Applications that are incomplete or cannot be read and understood will be discarded and all duplicate entries will be disqualified.

Applications should be sent to the following address: Union DNR Office, Draper Dove Hunt Application, 124 Wildlife Drive, Union, SC  29379.
           
All applicants will be notified of the selection, and successful applicants will be mailed a permit by August 23 and will be required to have this permit in their possession while on the field during opening day of dove season. Hunt permits are not transferable.
           
Contact the Union DNR Office at (864) 427-5140 or by fax at (864) 427-8460 for additional information about the public dove hunts at the Draper WMA or other public dove hunting opportunities.

DNR protects and manages South Carolina’s natural resources by making wise and balanced decisions for the benefit of the state’s natural resources and its people.