Dove season opened this past week-end statewide and runs through Sept. 19. The second season begins on Oct. 9 and stays in until Oct. 17. The third and longest season runs from Nov. 25 until Jan. 8, 2011.

Shooting hours are noon until sunset on opening day of the first season, and one-half hour before sunrise to sunset every day thereafter. The daily limit is 15.

Dove hunters must have on his/her person a valid Georgia hunting license and a valid Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit. The HIP permit is free and can be obtained from any license dealer by completing a migratory bird hunter questionnaire. Honorary license holders are exempt from the HIP permit requirement. Any autoloading shotgun or other repeating shotgun must be plugged to hold no more than three shotshells while hunting doves.

More information on legal dove hunting in Georgia can be found at www.gohuntgeorgia.com.

Department of Natural Resources Sergeant Don Dasher of Jenkins County would like to provide suggestions and strategies for successfully and legally attracting mourning doves, as well as tips for recognizing dove fields that may be baited.

Although the mourning dove is a common game bird on Georgia’s farms, it is also considered a migratory bird. Federal and state laws prohibit hunting migratory game birds over baited areas. Sergeant Dasher says that what constitutes baiting for mourning doves occasionally has been a source of confusion for hunters, farmers and land managers.

The key to hunting doves legally in Georgia is understanding the differences between “baiting” and “normal agricultural operation”.

“Baiting” is the practice of direct or indirect placing, exposing, depositing, distributing, or scattering of salt, corn, wheat, or any other grain or feed that could serve as a lure or attraction for doves to, on, or over any areas where hunters are attempting to take them. Any baited area remains baited for ten days following the complete removal of any salt, corn, wheat, or any other grain or feed which constitutes bait. Dove hunting over or near a baited area at any time within ten days after the bait is completely removed is a violation.

Because doves have neither strong beaks nor feet developed for scratching, they must feed primarily on small grains and other seeds lying free on the ground. Therefore, open grain fields are preferred over areas with thick ground cover. This characteristic of doves makes them very susceptible to baiting.

A “normal” practice or operation is one conducted in accordance with official recommendations of State Extension Specialists of the Cooperative Extension Service of the US Department of Agriculture. In Georgia, these are the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, Extension Agronomists; these are NOT the county extension agents. There are several of these specialists, each one dealing with specific crops or agricultural practices such as grains, soybeans, peanuts, soil erosion, etc.

Hunting doves over manipulated fields that were planted in the spring or early summer is a legal activity and by far the most common situation in Georgia says Sergeant Dasher. For early season shooting, browntop millet has long been the preferred crop, since it is a favorite dove food and matures early with minimum attention. Other commonly planted grain crops for dove fields are: proso millet, sunflower, corn, grain sorghum and wheat that was planted the previous fall.

These dove fields must be well planned if they are to attract large numbers of doves and the crops should mature 10-14 days before the desired period for shooting. Once grown, these grains can be manipulated by activities that include, but are not limited to, mowing, shred- ding, disking, rolling, chopping, trampling, flattening, burning, “hogging” or herbiciding to make the seed more available to the dove.

Two things that should never be done to these prospective dove fields is to harvest the grain or seed and redistribute them on the field at a later time, or add seed to what was already grown on the field. This second practice is commonly known as “sweetening” the field. Either of these practices can cause an otherwise legal field to become a baited field, making it illegal to hunt doves over.

Sergeant Dasher goes on to say that hunting doves over fields planted in late summer or fall is also legal, provided that the field has been planted as part of a normal agricultural operation. Normal agricultural operation implies a planting that is conducted in accordance with the official recommendations of the UGA Cooperative Extension Service.

Aerial or top sowing of small grains without covering the seed is not a recommended practice by the UGA Cooperative Extension Service. Dove hunting over a field planted by top sowing is illegal warns Sergeant Dasher. Also, normal planting operations do not involve placement of grains in piles or other concentrations. Piles of small grains, or small grains that have been broadcast on top of the ground, are possible warning signs of a baited field that hunters should look for.

Another very important component of “normal agricultural practice” is planting dates. All of Jenkins County lies in what is considered the coastal region of Georgia. As such, the UGA Cooperative Extension Service recommends planting dates of Oct. 1 through Dec.15 for all small grains (wheat, rye, oats and barley) and canola. Hunters may not hunt doves over or around late summer/fall planted fields if the plantings are outside of the recommended dates.

The application rate guideline for all small grains (wheat, rye, oats and barley) planted for crop or forage production is 1.5 to 2.5 bushels per acre. Also, it is not a normal agricultural operation to sow grain several times in succession. If you find yourself on a dove field where seed has been sown more than once, it may be baited.

Fields planted in crops that continually supply mature grain are most attractive to doves. Planting multiple crops with varying planting dates well ahead of dove season will ensure a supply of seed prior to and throughout dove hunting season. Start manipulation of crops as they mature and continue throughout the summer and the dove season. For late season dove hunting, leave portions of crops standing until late fall and winter. These standing crops will also provide places for hunter concealment during the early dove season.

Sergeant Dasher goes on to say that cracked corn, rock salt, scratch feed and wild bird seed are not part of a normal agricultural practice and may indicate to the hunter that a field is baited. Small seeds or grains that are broadcast over grass or pasture land is not part of a normal agricultural practice and should warn hunters that the field may be baited. Also, the hunter should make sure that the seed that is visible matches the field conditions. For example, on a millet field there should be millet seed present. If the hunter finds a row of shelled corn or sunflower seeds spread about, that may indicate a baited field.

Whenever a hunter experiences doubt as to the legality of a field, he or she should unload their shotgun and leave. Hunters, landowners, hosts, and land managers should always call their Wildlife Resources Division regional office or local Conservation Ranger for any questions regarding field preparation efforts.