Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report - 10/15/2008
October 15, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
North Zone Dove: Rain throughout the Panhandle from a stalling cool front put a damper on the dove flight. Waterfowlers are welcoming the rain as it recharges playa lakes. Doves have been best in milo and sunflowers near Abilene, Amarillo, Dumas and Knox City. More doves have moved into the areas north of Fort Worth. Fields around Paris have been fair to good in the afternoon. Expect more birds in the area with the front. The season ends Oct. 30. Prospects are fair to good.
Central Zone Dove: Lack of hunting pressure has allowed doves to build in Central Texas fields. Brownwood, Stephenville and San Saba have taken birds around watering holes in the afternoon. San Antonio fields have been best in the afternoon on the full moon. Many of the whitewings have been staying in town early then leaving late in the afternoon to feed. Milo and sunflowers near Uvalde and Del Rio have been good for near-limits. Brookshire and Sealy fields of goatweed saw an influx of birds with the recent fronts. Outfitters said few hunters are in the field which has allowed birds to build. The first split of the season ends Oct. 30. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Dove: Best hunts in South Texas have come around water in the afternoon. The full moon and dry conditions have been a factor in the evening flight. Forecasted rain this week with the approaching front could put more water on the parched ground. Good hunts have been posted near Laredo, Harlingen, Freer and George West for mourners and whitewings. In the northern portion of the South Zone, El Campo continues to produce limit shoots in fields of sunflowers. A few more birds are showing around Bay City and Collegeport as well. Prospects are fair to good.
Waterfowl Migration: Despite the mild conditions, significant numbers of specklebellies continue to find the rice prairie. Many are finding wet second-cropped rice fields. With rice prices up, quite a bit more rice acreage was farmed on the prairie this year. This bodes well for all waterfowl. Pintails, teal and shovelers are showing on bay flats and marshes. Expect another push of birds with the front moving through Texas this week. Conditions look good in the High Plains Mallard Management Area. The region has received heavy rains during the past two months which has playas in good shape. The youth season in the HPMMA runs Oct. 18-19. The regular seasons runs Oct. 25-26 and Oct. 31-Jan.25, 2009. Duck season for the rest of the state opens Nov. 1.
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Dove Hunting Regulation and Safety Reminders
August 29, 2008
Doves are migratory birds so hunters must use a plugged shot gun with a capacity not to exceed three shells in the magazine and chamber combined.
Dove hunters must be registered with the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). HIP registration is free and available at all locations where hunting licenses are sold. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service randomly selects a sample of HIP registered hunters and asks them to participate in a harvest survey.
Remember to avoid shooting at doves near power lines and horizontally at low-flying birds where other hunters may be present.
Dove hunters are encouraged to be sure to pick up all litter, including spent shell casings, while hunting. DNR wardens report some dove hunters are leaving behind large numbers of shell casings on public lands and that they will be increasing enforcement of litter laws this season.
“Take a moment to think about how you’d like to find a hunting spot – clean, picked up and with only boot prints left hehind,” said Mike Dickhoff, DNR Rock County conservation warden. “Then extend that same courtesy to the next hunter.”
Always remember the basic rules of firearms safety: TAB-K:
- Treat every gun as if it were loaded.
- Always point the muzzle in a safe direction.
- Be sure of your target and beyond.
- Keep your finger out of the trigger guard until you’re ready to shoot.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Kent Van Horn (608) 266-8841
Mourning dove season opens on Sept. 1 In Wisconsin / 2008 season extended by 10 days
Hunters participating in the 2008 mourning dove season in Wisconsin will enjoy an extra 10 days of hunting opportunity, and those hunters hunting on state and federal lands will only be able to use nontoxic shot.
The 2008 season opens Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 9, which is 10 days longer than previous seasons. In a June 2008 decision, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided for states to select an additional 10 days of dove hunting. In August, the state Natural Resources Board approved extending the Wisconsin mourning dove season to Nov. 9. Because the change was made so late, the 2008 Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlet does not reflect this increase of 10 additional hunting days.
Also new this year is a requirement for nontoxic shot for hunting mourning doves on all DNR managed lands in addition to the previous requirement for nontoxic shot on National Wildlife Refuges and federally owned Waterfowl Production Areas.
Between 10,000 and 15,000 hunters have taken to the fields in pursuit of mourning doves in recent years, according to Kent Van Horn, migratory game bird ecologist with the Department of Natural Resources.
“During this same period, mourning doves have shown a 1 to 5 percent increase in population, while hunters were harvesting 100,000 to 200,000 doves annually,” Van Horn notes.
The mourning dove is a fast flying game bird, which Van Horn says, presents a challenging target but fine food on the dinner table. Additional information on dove hunting is available on the DNR Web site.
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Dove Season Set to Open on Sept. 1st Throughout North Carolina
August 26, 2008
RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina’s dove season opens statewide on Monday, Sept. 1 at noon with a daily bag limit of 15 doves per hunter per day.
Traditionally Labor Day weekend is the opening of dove season in North Carolina and includes both Saturday and Monday – giving most hunters two days off from work to hunt. However, under the federal frameworks for hunting migratory birds the season cannot open before Sept. 1, so the season will open on the Monday of Labor Day weekend this year.
After opening day, hunting opens a half hour before sunrise to sunset. Dove season will be split into three segments this hunting season, with the first segment from Sept. 1 through Oct. 4. The second segment is from Nov. 24 through Nov. 29, and the final segment from Dec. 12 through Jan. 10.
When dove hunting, wildlife officers with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission advise:
- BE SAFE: When hunting in a group, know where others are and communicate. Never shoot at low-flying birds and alert companions when a bird is too low to safely allow a shot. Wearing proper eye and ear protection is advised.
- SHOOT RESPONSIBLY: Know your field of fire and don’t pepper people, nearby buildings or vehicles with falling shot.
- KNOW THE RULES: Don’t hunt over baited fields. According to state regulations, placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of salt, grain or other feed that could serve as a lure for migratory game can constitute a baited area.
- ENROLL IN HUNTER EDUCATION: First-time hunting license buyers must successfully complete a Hunter Education Course, offered free across the state.
- FOR MORE INFORMATION: Click here
to consult the online version of the 2008-2009 N.C. Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest or call (919) 707-0031.
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HIP Certification Required for North Dakota Migratory Bird Hunters
August 15, 2008
As early Canada goose season opens Aug. 15, and with dove, sandhill crane and regular waterfowl seasons soon to follow, migratory game bird hunters are reminded to register with the Harvest Information Program prior to hunting in North Dakota this fall.
HIP certification is required for all migratory bird hunters, regardless of age, before hunting ducks, geese, swans, mergansers, coots, cranes, snipe, doves or woodcock.
Hunters who purchase a license through the North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s Bismarck office, website (gf.nd.gov), or instant licensing telephone number (800-406-6409) can easily get HIP certified.
Otherwise, hunters must call 888-634-4798, or log on to the Game and Fish website, and record the HIP number on their fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate.
Those who registered to hunt the spring light goose season in North Dakota do not have to register with HIP again, as it is required only once per year. However, hunters must HIP register in each state for which they are licensed before hunting migratory game birds.
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Picking the Best Spot in the Dove Field
August 14, 2008
Authored by Lee McClellan
Frankfort, Ky. – You are the second truck in the parking area at the public dove field on Sept. 1, the opening day of this year’s dove season in Kentucky. You’ve shot some trap to get ready for dove season, bought some quality shells and feel ready to get your 15-bird daily limit.
You set up beside a clump of bushes on a hill that allows an unobstructed view of the entire dove field. You figure this is the best spot. The dove field gradually fills as the morning burns toward public shooting hours at 11 a.m., but no one else sets up within 75 yards of your spot. Doves dive-bomb sunflowers nearest a dead tree in the corner of the field.
That same corner erupts with shotgun fire at 11 a.m. The same few hunters appear every few minutes to retrieve their birds. You shoot at a few high flying birds and miss. The only things you take home in your vest are empty shell hulls.
Even if you’ve honed your shooting skills, you may come home empty-handed if you don’t pick a good spot to set up. Jon Gassett, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, has some tips.
“I like corners of a field with an outcropping of trees,” he said. “Doves are like fish - they like structure. Dead trees are good as well. They like to light into dead trees and rest.”
So a hunter preparing to stake out a spot on a dove field should look for a dead tree or a clump of trees in a corner of the field. Other spots work well if hunters already claimed the corners.
“A power line running near the field is another great spot to set up,” Gassett explained. “Doves love to perch on power lines before flying down to feed.”
Power lines also provide doves a sight line to follow in flight. Doves use power lines, driveways and lines of trees to lead them to resting, watering and feeding spots.
“Bare dirt is a big draw for me when I’m deciding where to set up in the dove field,” said Lexington resident James Charas, an avid dove hunter and expert wing shooter. “Doves love bare dirt. If I can find a spot with bare dirt and a dead tree, power line or a couple of large trees nearby, that is where I will be hunting.”
Doves often fly through a gap in a line of trees at the edge of the field or through a gap between two hills. A hunter set up on either side of the gap should enjoy good shooting.Â
Concealment plays a great role in hunter success. Doves are notoriously naïve on opening day. They fly slow and close. This gives the impression to some hunters that you don’t need to wear camouflage for doves. Wearing camouflage, staying hidden under a tree or behind a hay roll until ready to shoot and donning a wide brimmed camouflage hat all increase hunter success. This is especially true after opening weekend.
“I can’t believe what some people wear to the dove field,” Charas said. “They’ll wear a white T-shirt, white socks and khaki shorts. You can see them a mile away. I wear at least a camouflage shirt and hat every time I dove hunt.”
Dove hunters will enjoy 10 more days to hunt for the 2008-2009 season. The first segment of dove season opens Sept. 1 and closes Oct. 24. The second segment opens Nov. 27 and closes Dec. 5, while the third segment of dove season opens Dec. 27, 2008 and closes Jan. 2, 2009.
The 2008-2009 Kentucky Hunting Guide for Doves, Wood Duck, Teal, Woodcock, Snipe and Crow is available now over the internet at fw.ky.gov. This guide lists dozens of public dove fields all over Kentucky that hunters may use.
If you hunt one of these fields or get invited to a private hunt, set up in a good spot and be ones of those leaving with a vest bulging with doves, not spent hulls.
Author Lee McClellan is an award-winning associate editor for Kentucky Afield magazine, the official publication of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. He is a life-long hunter and angler, with a passion for smallmouth bass fishing.
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Ask the Wyoming Game and Fish - 8/11/2008
August 11, 2008
Question:Â What licenses and permits are required to hunt doves in Wyoming?
Answer. Licensed hunters must have a bird license, conservation stamp and HIP permit (Harvest Information Program) to hunt doves. In Wyoming a license is not required until age 14 so no HIP permit is needed for youth under 14. All other license holders including those who have Pioneer or Lifetime licenses must obtain a HIP permit. It may be obtained free online by accessing the WGFD Web site or for $.50 if obtained from license agencies or Game and Fish offices.
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Mississippi Dove Field Rules and Regulations
August 4, 2008
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Hunting allowed only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays after 12:00 PM.- Hunting will be allowed during the dates of September 1-21, 2008 and October 3- November 9, 2008 for dove zone 1 and September 1-14, 2008 and October 11-26, 2008 for dove zone 2.
- Hunters must hunt from a designated stand on Sept 1 and Sept 3. A hunter’s permit number will be their stand number for these two days. Hunters may be able to hunt from any designated stand location on a first come first serve basis on any hunt date after Sept 3.
- No more than two shooters per stand, of which only one may be an adult. Two youths may be able to hunt from a stand but only under the direct supervision of a non-hunting licensed adult, 21 years old or older. One limit of doves is allowed per hunter per day.
- Any hunter under the age of 16 years old is considered a youth and must be under the direct supervision of a licensed adult, 21 years old or older.
- No shooting at low flying birds. All rules of gun safety must be followed.
- No littering. All spent shotgun hulls must be picked up and removed.
- Vehicle parking will be in designated areas only.
- No alcoholic beverages will be allowed.
- All State and Federal laws will be enforced and must be followed.
- Any unsafe act or violation of any of these rules and regulations can lead to loss of hunting privileges on any MDWFP Private Lands Dove Field Program field.
Dove Field Permit Types and Costs
Dove field permits may be bought in your name or in the name of another licensed hunter. If multiple permits are bought in your name, you may be able to take guests hunting on those extra permits. The person whose name is on the permit must be on the field hunting while his guest(s) are hunting. Example: A person who may want to take different persons with them on different hunts would want to purchase multiple permits in their name. If any of these guests would want to be able to go to the field on their own, they would need to buy their own individual permit.
During the online purchasing process, permit ownership may be changed prior to the close of the sale. Once the sale is final, permits are not transferable or refundable.
  Permit Type 1 - Individual Field Permit
Allows a person to hunt a reserved stand in an individual field on opening weekend (see rule #3) and that same individual field for the entire season. (Price as listed)
 Permit Type 2 - Dove Club Permit with Opening Weekend Privileges
Allows a person to hunt a reserved stand in an individual field on opening weekend (see rule #3) and that same and all other dove fields after opening weekend. ($200.00)
 Permit Type 3 - Dove Club Permit without Opening Weekend Privileges
Allows a person to hunt all dove fields after opening weekend only. ($150.00)
Hancock County / Kemper County  / Leake County /  Lincoln County / Pike County
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Special Hunts Application Deadline In Kansas Is July 15
June 27, 2008
Limited but high-quality hunts designed for everyone; application deadline July 15
PRATT — Each year, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP) offers a number of special hunts on KDWP land. Hunters looking for a high-quality hunting experience are encouraged to apply for these special hunts. Dozens of specially-planned, limited-draw hunts for upland birds, doves, waterfowl, and deer are available by application only. There is no charge for the hunts. This year’s application deadline is July 15, and applications may conveniently be submitted online. Just go to the KDWP website, www.kdwp.state.ks.us, and click “Hunting,” then ” Special Hunts” in the left-hand column.
Many of these hunts provide opportunities on public areas that are normally closed to hunting. By limiting the number of hunters on these areas, KDWP offers a special hunting experience not always found on a public wildlife area or private land.
Most of the hunts are open to all hunters, but some are designed specifically to accommodate young or disabled hunters. All are part of KDWP’s “Pass It On” program, designed to recruit new hunters and retain existing hunters in order to ensure the future of hunting in Kansas. Descriptions, locations, and hunt dates are outlined in the application booklet, available at KDWP offices, most license vendors, as well as the KDWP website.
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Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program State Championship is June 7
June 4, 2008
LITTLE ROCK – In sports there’s a saying about a lull in the second year of an athlete’s career being known as the “sophomore slump.” For the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program, that saying couldn’t be further from the truth.
After its initial year in 2007, where over 900 youth participated in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission program, the program picked up more steam this year with over 2,400 kids participating. Statewide competition winds down this weekend with 160 kids competing in Arkansas’s second state championship. The championship culminates a full year of competitive shooting around the state and will be held June 7 at the Remington Arms Gun Club in Lonoke. Youths will be competing in junior and senior divisions for the state title.
Competition gets underway on Saturday at 9 a.m. The gun club is located just off Interstate 40 at Exit 169. Turn south onto Arkansas Highway 15 and the facility is located just south of the Remington plant on the west side of the road.
The program is aimed at teaching Arkansas’s youth how to safely handle a firearm. Young hunters have sharpened their skills and children who have no desire to pursue ducks, doves or other game still get to enjoy the challenge of shooting clay targets as they streak away.
The program teaches safe gun-handling skills to children who may never take a hunter’s education course and gives children from all backgrounds the chance to learn how much fun waits for them beyond the video screen.
Through this competitive trap-shooting league, high-school-aged children have experienced the excitement of real-world shooting without the need for expensive leases or equipment.
For more information on the Arkansas Youth Shooting Sports Program, contact program coordinator Chuck Woodson, (501) 978-7326 or visitwww.agfc.com/education-class/programs/ayssp.aspx.
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Public Hearings Scheduled Regarding Dove Hunting Season Regulations
May 13, 2008
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) will hold three public hearings to receive input on proposed changes to the dove season structure for the 2008-2009 season. The purpose of the proposed regulation changes is to manage Georgia’s migratory game birds according to sound principles of wildlife management and to meet public objectives for use of these renewable natural resources. Those interested are encouraged to bring these hearings to the attention of others who also may wish to participate.
In March, WRD proposed regulations that would modify the current structure of the dove season based on public input that indicated a desire for more late season (January) dove hunting. More specifically, this proposal sought to reduce the September season by six days and place those days in January to provide more late-season opportunity. Based on public input, this proposal sought to shift the October season one week later and provide full-day hunting on the opening date in October.
Since this proposal was put before the public, WRD held four public hearings at which there was support (Bainbridge), opposition (Gainesville), a draw (Claxton) and no comments (Hamilton) regarding this proposal. Through additional written and electronically submitted comments, WRD received escalating widespread public comment in opposition to the reduction of the September dove season. In consideration of the growing opposition to shortening the September season, WRD has reconsidered the original proposal.
Dove hunter opinions are regionally diverse on the distribution of available days for establishing a dove hunting season. Under the regulatory frameworks established nationally by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), there is no season structure that will satisfy all dove hunting interests in Georgia. As such, WRD must balance the diverse regional public desires to provide reasonable statewide allocation of dove hunting days in September, October and November – January.
To this end, WRD is recommending a dove season structure that, 1. maintains the current days in the September and November – January seasons; 2. shifts the October season back one week, and; 3. provides full-day hunting on the October opening day. WRD believes this proposal is the best compromise in balancing regional public desires for the mourning dove season while conforming to Federal regulations.
Members of the general public will have an opportunity to provide input at the following WRD-sponsored public hearings:
-Monday, May 19, 2008/The Farmer’s Market/2055 Eisenhower Pkwy./Macon
-Tuesday, May 20, 2008/Coal Mountain Park -Community Building/3560 Settingdown Road/Cumming
-Wednesday, May 21, 2008/Tift County Agricultural Services Center/1468 Carpenter Rd., S/Tifton
Any participant at the hearing may present data, make a statement or comment or offer a viewpoint or argument, either orally or in writing. Statements should be concise to permit everyone an opportunity to speak. Participants are required to register upon arrival and notify the registering official of their intent to give a statement. Those unable to attend the hearings may submit statements electronically through the WRD website at www.gohuntgeorgia.com or by mail prior to close of business May 21, 2008. Written statements should be mailed to:
Georgia Department of Natural Resources/Wildlife Resources Division/Game Management Section/Attn: John Bowers/2070 U.S. Highway 278, S.E./Social Circle, Georgia 30025
These meetings are accessible to people with physical disabilities. Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids should be directed to John Bowers at the above address by May 16, 2008.
The Board of Natural Resources will consider the proposed changes and any comments received during the public hearing process May 28, 2008 at 9 a.m. at the DNR Boardroom at 2 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, SE, Suite 1252, Atlanta, Georgia.
For more information on the scheduled public hearings or to view the proposed regulation changes, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com. For additional information, contact WRD’s Hunter Services office at (770) 761-3045.
