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Dove Hunting Requires Safety, Responsibility and Courtesy

  • 30 August 2010
  • Number of views: 12178

RALEIGH, N.C. (Aug. 31, 2010) – One of the most popular hunting traditions in North Carolina is dove season, bringing family and friends together afield. The “Home from the Hunt” safety campaign reminds everyone that a rewarding experience happens only when all hunters are safe and responsible.

The 2010–11 season for mourning and white-winged dove is Sept. 4 – Oct. 9; Nov. 22 – Nov. 27; and Dec. 18 – Jan. 14. Daily bag limit is 15 and possession limit is 30. For doves, shooting hours are from noon until sunset on opening day only and from a half hour before sunrise until sunset thereafter.

Hunter Education Specialists 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.
  • Alert companions when a bird is too low to safely allow a shot.

Be Responsible

  • Know your field of fire. Don’t pepper people, buildings or vehicles with falling shot.
  • Never place decoys on utility lines, which is trespassing and risks electrical shock.
  • Don’t combine game bags, which is a hunting regulations violation.

It is an individual hunter’s responsibility to know the legal status of the area being hunted. Don’t hunt over baited fields; take time prior to hunting to “walk the field” and inspect the area. According to state regulations, the 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.

In North Carolina, all first-time hunting license buyers must successfully complete a Hunter Education Course, offered free across the state. Go to www.ncwildlife.org to consult the online version of the 2010-2011 N.C. Inland Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Regulations Digest or call (919) 707-0031 for more information.

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Media Contact:
Geoff Cantrell
(919) 707-0186
geoff.cantrell@ncwildlife.org
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