Fall hunting opportunities kick off in a popular way with the beginning of dove hunting season, with opening day scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 5, at noon.
“The opening day of dove hunting season is a fantastic time to introduce someone new to hunting,” said Tina Brunjes, Programs Operation Manager with the Wildlife Resources Division. “There is a fun-filled ‘tailgate’ like atmosphere to the day and with all the work that has been done on Georgia fields, on public and private properties, you are sure to have a wonderful experience.”
Preparation work is almost complete on approximately 40 state public dove fields, and countless private fields, so be sure you have a plan in place.
This year there are six new dove field properties ready for the public. These properties are privately owned but made available through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Voluntary Public Access (VPA)/Habitat Incentive Program. This program provides grants to states and federally recognized Indian tribes that help increase public access to private lands for recreation activities, such as hunting, fishing or hiking.
Want a shot at a quota hunt? Hurry and make sure your quota application is in by midnight on Aug. 15. Those interested can apply at www.gohuntgeorgia.com/hunting/quota.
Want to know what a field is expected to look like before you commit a quota application? Each year, Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division personnel prepare a dove field forecast for wildlife management areas and some additional fields identifying available crops and anticipates the conditions for opening day. This forecast notes if fields are in excellent, good, fair or poor condition and is now available at www.georgiawildlife.com/DoveForecast.
For more information on dove hunting rules and regulations, hunters should review the 2015-2016 Georgia Hunting Seasons and Regulations guide, available at www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting/regulations.
