Dove hunting table of contents

2003Early Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons

Teal season longer, dove season same length as last year
Missouri's early teal season will run 16 days, and hunters will have 70 days to pursue doves.
 

JEFFERSON CITY-- Missouri's dove season remains unchanged from last year, but hunters have an extra seven days for teal hunting. The 2003 teal season will run for 16 days and dove season for 70. The 2003 early teal season opens Sept. 6 and runs through Sept. 21. The daily limit remains four, with a possession limit of eight. Shooting hours are from sunrise to sunset. Dove season runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 9, with a daily limit of 12 and a possession limit of 24. Common snipe season runs from Sept. 1 through Dec. 16, with bag limits of eight and 16. Sora and Virginia Rail season opens Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 9. The possession limit is the same as the daily limit, 25 rails in the aggregate. Woodcock season runs from Oct. 15 through Nov. 28, with limits of three and six. Shooting hours for doves, snipe, rails and woodcock are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has set population triggers to determine the length of the early teal season each year. If the population index for blue-winged teal is at least 4.7 million, the season is 16 days long. Season length decreases to 9 days if the blue-winged teal population index is between 3.3 and 4.7 million. A population index of less than 3.3 million results in closure of the early teal season.
 
 

JEFFERSON CITY -- Federal wildlife management officials remind hunters of the importance of buying a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit if they plan to hunt any migratory bird this year.

Missouri was one of three pilot states that introduced the Migratory Bird Hunting Information Program (HIP) card in 1992. The HIP program was designed to help biologists gather information that would enable them to more effectively manage migratory birds. That first year, hunters were required to buy the HIP card ($2), a state duck stamp ($5) and a federal duck stamp to hunt doves, snipe, rail, woodcock, ducks, geese or other migratory birds.

In 1996, the Conservation Department changed to the point-of-sale permit system and rolled the HIP card and the state duck stamp into the state Migratory Bird Hunting Permit. This reduced the number and cost of permits that migratory bird hunters had to buy. Some hunters missed the change, however.

Today, hunters who pursue doves, snipe, rails, woodcock or other migratory birds in Missouri need the $6 Migratory Bird Hunting Permit and a state hunting permit. Those who hunt ducks, geese or other waterfowl also need a federal duck stamp.

Federal officials say a significant number of people who hunt doves and other migratory birds besides waterfowl aren't buying the state migratory bird permits or HIP cards. This is particularly true in the increasing number of states with point-of-sale permit issuing systems like Missouri's.

Poor compliance with the requirement to buy a HIP card or the equivalent permit is a problem for two reasons. The obvious one is that hunters who aren't aware of the requirement can get expensive citations if caught hunting without the permit.

The other reason is that not participating in the HIP program reduces the effectiveness of post-season harvest surveys that help biologists set seasons and limits. Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sends questionnaires to a representative sample of hunters who bought state migratory bird hunting permits or HIP cards the previous season. Survey responses and statistics about the number and location of permit buyers help federal and state waterfowl managers understand how hunting affects migratory bird populations. Without HIP data, they can't provide maximum hunting opportunity while still protecting migratory bird populations.

"Reliable information is the foundation of scientific wildlife management," said Conservation Department Wildlife Research Biologist Dale Humburg. "Our management of migratory birds can only be as good as the data we have to work with. Buying a Migratory Bird Hunting Permit is more than just a legal requirement. It's an investment in the future of hunting."

Missouri MDC Managed Dove Hunting Areas

Dove Hunting South Missouri by Allen Morris If you have never been dove hunting around Sikeston, Mo. then you have never been dove hunting. I cannot recall which magazine it was in but at one time Sikeston, Missouri was considered the Dove Hunting Capitol of Missouri. How could you spend any better day in September, with green fields and a blue and white sky.

These small Mourning Doves may be sitting at first daylight. But, within minutes they will become fast flying missles. The morning skies will fill with doves like bees from a hive, around Southeast Missouri.

Photo by Allen Morris

I have taken hundreds of doves over the years but hunting with my son Tyler for the first time and taking one dove and calling it a day. Make's for a perfect day. TAKE A KID HUNTING - THEY ARE THE FUTURE

Final note be sure you have lots of shells. I believe it has been said shooting one dove for every five shoots is considered a good shooter. photos and story by Allen Morris

Dove hunting prospects bright for Missouri
Surveys show good numbers of doves for the Sept. 1 opener.

JEFFERSON CITY - If you are the type who thinks the perfect hunting trip is one where you get to fire your shotgun a lot, dove hunting may be the sport for you.

Missouri's 70-day dove season begins Sept. 1. Hunters ages 16 through 64 must purchase a Small Game Hunting Permit and a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit to pursue doves. Shooting hours are one half hour before sunrise to sunset.

New to the 2002 season is the addition of the Eurasian collared-doves and white-winged doves in the aggregate. The change provides for the incidental taking of the two species during the mourning dove season. The combined daily bag limit of all three dove species is 12, with a combined possession limit of 24.

Full details on dove season regulations are available in the 2002 Migratory Bird Hunting Digest. The booklet is available free of charge at Conservation Department offices and wherever permits are sold.

Mourning doves should prove irresistible to anyone excited by speedy, erratic targets. Doves can fly as fast as 40 miles per hour, but they seem much faster when you are trying to follow them with a shotgun. They twist in flight, evading most shots fired at them. The average hunter expends three to five shells for every dove that goes in the bag.

Dove hunting can be a great sport for beginners as equipment needs are minimal. A shotgun, ammunition and a container for carrying doves and empty shells from the field are all you need. A small cooler provides a handy seat and is useful for carrying cool water and keeping the doves you shoot cool.

A healthy statewide dove population bodes well for the upcoming season. Annually the Missouri Department of Conservation conducts two surveys to estimate changes in the dove population. The Mourning Dove Call-Count Survey tracks the number of doves heard calling along about 20 survey routes. The Roadside Dove Survey documents doves observed in every county in the state except Jackson, St. Charles and St. Louis counties. This year, both surveys found dove numbers slightly higher than in 2001. Last year, Missouri hunters harvested 754,599 doves.

Hunting on private land can be good where crops such as corn, sorghum or wheat have been harvested recently, leaving waste grain exposed on bare ground. Such feeding areas can be found on conservation areas statewide. Taking a walk around conservation areas near you can be all it takes to find a good spot for opening day.

The Conservation Department also offers intensively managed dove hunting opportunities at several conservation areas around the state. Some of these areas have restrictions on hunting party size and hunting hours. For details, contact the area manager at August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area (CA) in St. Charles County, 636/441-4554; Bois D'Arc CA in Greene County, 417/7513856; Eagle Bluffs CA in Boone County, 573/445-3882; James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area in Jackson County, 816/524-1656, and Pony Express Lake CA in DeKalb County, 816/675-2205.

- Arleasha Mays -
 

Researchers look for causes of dove decline

The continuing slide of mourning dove numbers continent-wide is the focus of attention for North America's best and brightest
wildlife experts.

JEFFERSON CITY -- Prolific and ubiquitous, the mourning dove is North America's most plentiful game bird. Americans take
for granted the presence of these somber yet handsome birds in backyards and grain fields. Wildlife managers aren't so
complacent, however. They're putting the species under a microscope to ferret out the causes of a five-decade population
decline.

Biologists who monitor populations of migratory birds have been eyeing the downward trend in mourning dove numbers since
the mid 1950s. When first detected, it might have been a natural phenomenon, part of a normal cycle common in many wild
species. But with 2001 population surveys showing mourning dove numbers at one quarter of the species' 1955 abundance,
wildlife research biologists are sharpening investigative spades to turn up answers.

"The mourning dove is kind of a special case," says John Schulz, a wildlife research biologist for the Missouri Department of
Conservation. "With almost any other species, the cause of a population decline can be linked, at least in part, to habitat. With
ducks, it has been loss of wetlands, with quail and rabbits, elimination of fence rows and brush piles. But that answer doesn't
work with doves."

The mourning dove, said Schulz, is a "habitat generalist." About the only places they don't thrive are wetlands and the forests of
the far north. They adapt equally well to row-crop agriculture, cattle ranches, oak-hickory forest and prairie. In the absence of
trees, they will even nest on the ground, rearing as many as nine broods per year from February through October. While many
species dwindled in the face of intensive agriculture, mourning doves actually flourished.

What, then, could the problem be? Disease is one possibility. Schulz is studying the effects of a disease known as
trichomonaisis on dove populations. If the disease is affecting dove numbers, that will raise questions about how the disease
spreads and why it is a problem now.

Another possible factor that Schulz is exploring is lead poisoning. Spent pellets from shotgun shells have long been known to
harm waterfowl and predators that eat ducks and geese. Water birds pick up lead pellets accidentally while feeding in areas
where hunting occurs. But early results of Schulz's research indicate that doves actively look for lead pellets. They may eat them
as grit to help grind food in their gizzards, or they may mistake the pellets for seeds.

"Ducks develop chronic lead poisoning from ingesting small numbers of pellets," says Schulz. "We're finding that doves eat so
much lead shot that they develop acute poisoning and die. It's too early to know if this is enough of a problem to contribute to
population declines, but it's important to find out, one way or the other."

Competition from exotic species is an emerging threat to mourning doves. Eurasian collared-doves, which entered the United
States through Florida in the 1980s, have extended their range throughout Missouri. Originally found only in northern Africa, the
species colonized Europe in the 1940s and 1950s. If they become plentiful here, they could reduce the availability of food and
nest sites for Missouri's native mourning doves.

Meanwhile, the white-winged dove, originally native to the southwestern United States and Mexico, has been extending its
range north and east, turning up in Missouri and as far north as Nebraska. And banded turtle-doves, sold in pet shops, also
have adapted to the wild in Missouri.

Researchers also are examining the possible effect of hunting on mourning dove numbers. "The assumption has always been that
mourning doves' tremendous reproductive potential could offset a carefully regulated harvest," said Schulz. That assumption is
being tested in studies so we can adjust regulations if necessary.

"The good news is that doves still are plentiful throughout their range," said Schulz. "By examining the problem early, we hope
we can gain an understanding of the situation before it becomes critical."

- Jim Low -
 

Public land a good bet for dove hunters

A little knowledge, some advance preparation and common courtesy make for successful dove hunting on public land.

JEFFERSON CITY -- Thousands of dove hunters find fun and excitement on land managed by the Missouri Department of
Conservation. Hunting doves on a conservation area (CA) isn't a sure thing, however. Getting the most out of public-land dove
hunts requires a little work and some basic knowledge.

A few conservation areas host specially managed hunts for doves each year. Rules for these hunts vary. Some are very formal,
assigning hunters to designated shooting stations by random drawing. Others only require hunters to sign themselves in and out.
Some are only half-day hunts, while others last all day.

To learn more about managed dove hunts on conservation areas, contact: James A. Reed Memorial Wildlife Area in Jackson
County, 816/524-4394; Eagle Bluffs CA in Boone County, 573/445-3882; Columbia Bottom CA in St. Louis County and
August A. Busch Memorial CA in St. Charles County, 636/441-4554; Bois D' Arc CA in Greene County, 417/7513856;
Pony Express CA in DeKalb County, 816/675-2205.

The Conservation Department also manages fields at dozens of other conservation areas to appeal to mourning doves' appetite
for high-energy foods, such as wheat, sorghum and sunflower seeds. There are no sign-in requirements or special rules at these
areas. A list of areas with active dove habitat management is available online at
www.conservation.state.mo.us/hunt/gamebird/dove/index.htm.

Preseason scouting is critical. Visiting the area ahead of time allows you to pinpoint the location of dove food plantings and the
nearest parking lot. This alone is no guarantee of success, however. Arriving early for the hunt is critical on heavily used areas.
Latecomers get the least productive spots. At some areas you must arrive well before daylight to get the best locations.

Don't let crowding ruin your hunt or create unsafe conditions. The first rule of etiquette for public dove fields is not to crowd
your neighbors. Leave at least 50 yards between yourself and the nearest hunter to minimize the chance of injury from stray
shotgun pellets.

If a hunter takes up a position inside your comfort zone, don't just cuss under your breath. The interloper might a beginner who
doesn't recognize the importance of minimum spacing for safety. Leave your shotgun to hold your position and go have a
friendly chat to explain your concern. Then ask the new arrival to find a spot that affords safety for both of you.

Helpfulness and courtesy go a long way toward ensuring a pleasant public dove hunting experience. Alert other hunters in the
field when doves approach in their blind spots. If you see a bird coming in too low for a safe shot, calling "Low bird, no shot!"
will alert inexperienced shooters to your location and the fact that they should let the low-flier pass.

To protect your eyes, wear safety glasses with shatterproof lenses, even if you don't need glasses for vision correction.

Mark the location of birds downed by other hunters so you can help direct their search if a bird proves hard to find. If a hunter
drops a bird near you, pick it up and meet him halfway to make the job of retrieving his game easier.

Retrieve each bird as soon as you shoot it. Finding one bird that you carefully mark down is hard enough, even in sparse cover.
Shooting more than one at a time leads to lost birds.

Before retrieving a bird, check for approaching doves. Stepping into the open causes approaching birds to shy away, depriving
your hunting companions of their chance at a shot.

When retrieving birds, leave your shotgun at your shooting position. Chasing crippled doves with a gun in hand is dangerous.
Furthermore, shooting from locations other than your carefully chosen position increases the chances of accidentally injuring
another hunter.

Make a mental note of areas where your field of fire overlaps those of neighboring hunters. Let others take shots for which they
are better positioned. On birds that are toss-ups, take turns. You can let your neighbor know you don't plan to shoot by calling
"Your bird."

A good retrieving dog can add to the enjoyment of a dove hunt, but a crowded dove field is no place for an inexperienced
puppy or a poorly trained dog. Keeping your retriever under control is critical to his safety and others' enjoyment of the hunt.
Bring enough water to ensure that both you and your dog are protected from heat stroke.

Hot weather can cause doves to spoil rapidly. Bring a cooler with plenty of ice to chill birds as soon as possible. If the cooler
isn't camouflaged or is too large to carry into the field, make periodic trips back to your vehicle to ice down game. Slipping
each dove into a sealable plastic sandwich bag will prevent them from getting soaked by melting ice and keep cold beverages
and food clean.

Hunting should be safe and fun. If crowding or careless field mates make either of these two impossible, you can probably find
a better place to hunt or something better to do. If you see other hunters taking more than the limit (12 doves daily) or violating
other game laws, report this immediately to the nearest conservation agent, Conservation Department office or sheriff's
department. Being neighborly doesn't mean you have to tolerate slob hunters.

- Jim Low -
http://www.mdc.state.mo.us/hunt/gamebird/dove/

The Dove Sportsman's Society
By Allen “horntagger” Morris

THE MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY

Today dove hunting has become on of North America favorite upland game birds to hunt. Every walk of life can be found in the Dove hunting field. You'll find everyone from farmers, doctors, salespeople, lawyers, truck drivers, construction workers, students and of course outdoor writers and photographers trying to capture the moment. We all enjoy the outdoors and a great day of wingshooting with our friends and family.

Like I said it can be a family event taking the kids a field when they are young can be one of the best ways to introduce a young child into the heritage of hunting. They can point out the doves coming in, help you find them after they are down, help pick up shells and are a great time to show them gun safety. I almost forgot they get to play in the dirt without getting in trouble. Don’t forget the snacks.

Here in Missouri the latest report from John Schulz Wildlife Biologist for the Missouri Department of Conservation 41,492 took to the field in 2000 taking 687,264 doves state wide. 

With Mississippi Lowlands or better know as Southeast Missouri with one of the highest harvest of 157,419 doves. Since early on Southeast Missouri has been know as the Dove hunting capital of the world. With the harvest of agricultural crops taking place about the same time it’s know wonder.

Then with places like BACKWATER HUNTER SERVICE or www.backwaterhunting.com of Bertrand, Mo. managing for doves by leaving nesting and roosting cover along fence rows, irrigating crops and providing water for birds during the dry times of the year and providing sunflowers fields for food. It just on example on how farmers in the area have taken the lead in wildlife management and why Southeast Missouri is the Dove hunting capital of the world.

Quail Unlimited National Headquarters 31 Quail Run or P.O. Box 610 Edgefield, South Carolina, 29824 Phone: (803) 637-5731 Fax: (803) 637-0037 www.qu.org

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