Dove Field Brochure-8/04 - MS Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks

1 Dove Field Preparationand Hunting Regulationsin MississippiPrepared by theMississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks1505 Eastover , MS 39211-6374has a thin black line on the back of its neck. Collareddoves may be harvested and do not count towards ahunter s daily bag limit on mourning doves. QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKEDABOUT BAITINGCan I legally hunt doves over top sown winter wheat?Yes, as long as it is done in a manner consistent with anormal agricultural practice. For example, the planting ofwheat for wildlife food plots, winter grazing for livestock,and a planting for agricultural erosion control are allconsidered normal agricultural wheat be sown on prepared ground?

2 No. Wheatcan be no-till drilled into unprepared ground. Also,overseeding of wheat or rye prior to harvesting soybeans,corn or cotton to establish a cover crop is recognized as anormal agricultural practice. What is the planting rate for wheat?Wheat is to beplanted at a rate not greater than 90 lbs (1 1/2 bushels) per acre that is spread evenly across thearea. It may not be piled or clumped. Can I sow a wheat Field , say every three days, and huntover it? No. It is not a normal agricultural practice to sowseed several times in quick succession.

3 In the absence ofdrought or flood, a planting should be done only one timeon a seed bed prepared sufficiently to reasonably ensuregermination. After a corn Field is harvested, the entire Field or stripsare plowed up and planted in wheat, is this considereda legal Field for dove hunting?Yes, if it is done in anormal agricultural part of a Field be bushhogged at different times,such as four rows now and four rows later, and so on?Yes. Manipulating a standing crop in this fashion is themost reliable way to attract doves over a longer period oftime and to avoid any uncertainty regarding the legality ofthe practice to attract doves for standing grains be bushhogged and additionalgrains be added to the Field ?

4 No. Can millet or sunflowers be top sown?No. Japanesemillet is the only millet seed that is top sown, and it isnormally done on mud flats for waterfowl. All othermillets, corn, sunflowers, milo, and many other grains arecovered with soil when planted and are planted in thespring and early summer. Can I top sow wheat (broadcast) over an unpreparedpasture? No. Winter wheat is not normally sown overpastures with adequate vegetative I plant a wildlife food plot in the fall and huntdoves that are attracted to it?

5 Yes. As long as the properplanting rates and dates are followed, and it is done in afashion considered to be a normal agricultural I harvest a corn, milo, or sunflower Field and thenredistribute the seed over the Field ?No. You can notdistribute or scatter grain or other feed once it has beenremoved from or stored on the Field where grown. What can I do to have a legal Field and a good doveshoot?The best way is to plant a grain crop preferred bydoves that will ripen just prior to the time you want tohunt. After the grain is ripe and before the hunt, it may beknocked down or bushhogged.

6 Preferred grains inMississippi include both browntop millet and bare ground areas by disking throughout theplanted areas also will help attract doves. between the Field and his/her primary means of landtransportation. This is referred to as fieldpossession. After Field possession ends (at theprimary means of land transportation), the huntermay give his birds to someone else provided they aretagged with the name and address of the hunter whokilled the birds, the hunter s signature, the totalnumber of birds involved, and the date the birds werekilled.

7 Remember, on the opening day of the season,a daily bag limit is the possession limit and no huntermay possess more than the daily limit, tagged or opening day, a possession limit is 2 daily limitsalthough only one limit of 15 doves may be harvestedper day. To receive free Migratory Game Bird Tags,send a size #10 self addressed stamped envelope toMDWFP, ATTN: Migratory Game Bird Tags, 1505 Eastover Dr., Jackson, MS hunter must make a serious effort to retrieve anydowned bird. The hunter must have on his or her person a valid MShunting license or proof of exemption and a MS HIPcertificate, which is indicated by a MB on thesportsmen license or HIP Certified on a Point-of-Sale paper auto-loading or repeating shotgun must beincapable of holding more than three shells whiledove , hawks, owls, killdeer, nighthawks,chimney swifts, woodpeckers.

8 And other species ofbirds are protected by State and Federal regulationsand killing them or shooting at them is Collared DoveThe Eurasian collared dove is an exotic species thathas made its way from the Bahamas to Florida andnorthward to Mississippi. This species can be foundin most counties of the state, and it is more prevalentin residential areas and in close proximity to homesand farmsteads in rural areas. This dove is larger insize and lighter in color than the mourning dove and August 2006 DOVE HUNTINGM ourning doves are an abundant natural resource andare federally protected under the Migratory BirdTreaty Act.

9 The mourning dove is the most huntedmigratory game bird in North America. Dove huntingis a popular hunting activity and social event inMississippi . This publication reviews and summarizes currentrules on baiting, Field preparation and other dovehunting regulations. As a hunter or land manager, it isyour responsibility to know and obey all laws thatpertain to the sport. Please remember that federalregulations are more restrictive for waterfowl huntingthan for dove hunting. This guide is a reference fordove hunting IS BAITING?

10 Primary dove hunting problems include baiting,hunting over bait, and a basic misunderstanding ofwhat constitutes baiting. Federal law states that noperson shall take migratory game birds on or over anybaited area or by the aid of bait. Federal regulationsfurther define baiting as the direct or indirect placing,exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering ofsalt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure orattraction for migratory game birds to, on, or over anyareas where hunters are attempting to take DAY RULE AND DISTANCEAny baited area is considered to still be baited for 10days after the complete removal of all grains, salt, orother feed that is not a result of a normal agriculturalpractice.