Georgia's dove hunting season now underway

According to fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu, the mourning dove, or Zenaida macroura, is the most hunted game bird in the United States. It is grayish-brown on the head and backside, and pinkish-beige on the breast and belly, the website states. Dark spots are present on the wings. The bill is small. - photo by Photo provided.

dove hunting.jpg — According to fishesofgeorgia.uga.edu, the mourning dove, or Zenaida macroura, is the most hunted game bird in the United States. It is grayish-brown on the head and backside, and pinkish-beige on the breast and belly, the website states. Dark spots are present on the wings. The bill is small. - photo by Photo provided.

Georgia’s dove hunting season opened this past Saturday according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

“One of the best times of the year to introduce someone to hunting is during dove season,” said John W. Bowers, Chief of WRD Game Management. “Georgia offers more than 50 public dove fields, including opportunities on private land made available to the public through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Voluntary Public Access/Habitat Incentive Program.”

The official 2018-2019 dove seasons are Sept. 1-16, Oct. 13-31 and Nov. 22 - Jan. 15. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset for the season dates.

Dove season tips and information:

• Regulations: The daily bag limit is 15 doves per hunter. Collared doves may be taken and do not count toward your daily limit. Any auto-loading or other repeating shotgun must be plugged to hold no more than three shot shells while hunting doves. And, as always, hunters must obtain permission from landowners before hunting on private property.

• Report banded doves: In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, Biological Research Division and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in cooperation with several states, including Georgia, initiated an ongoing dove banding project. Hunters can participate in this conservation effort by examining harvested doves for leg bands and reporting band numbers to the USFWS at www.reportband.gov.

• Private field plans? Make sure field is legal: Check out the online brochure, “Dove Hunting and Agricultural Practices in Georgia,” available at http://georgiawildlife.com/migratory-bird-info.

• Licenses needed: Hunters age 16 years of age and older need to have a hunting license and a Georgia Migratory Bird Stamp. This stamp is how Georgia participates in the federal Harvest Information Program (HIP). Some licenses allow the license holder to get the Georgia Migratory Bird Stamp at no cost. Hunters may purchase licenses online at www.GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com, by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at license vendor locations (list of vendors available online).

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