MIGRATORY & WATERFOWL SEASONS

2009-2010 MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS HUNTING SEASONS

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Calling All Waterfowl Hunters! 

The University of Georgia and the Georgia Division of Public Health have partnered to conduct a research study on avian influenza viruses (bird flu) and potential human exposures.  Since the Asian strain H5N1 virus has not reached North American bird populations, the United States must rely on data from other countries for avian influenza planning.  Your participation in our study will provide researchers, planners and stakeholders with data that may help to identify differences between the United States and other countries. 

As a hunter, we?d like to know a few things about where you hunt, what you hunt, and what you do with your harvested birds.  In addition, we have a few questions about avian influenza or ?bird flu.?  This survey is completely anonymous!  It does NOT collect any identifying information, such as name, phone number, or address. 

Please click on this link to complete the survey http://sendss.state.ga.us/sendss/!dynamicsurvey.surveypublicprompt?pQATemplateId=618. It will only take about 5-10 minutes.  We appreciate your help with this important research!  Each and every survey counts!  Thank you for your time!

2009-10 Dove Season

The term "dove" refers to the following species, and only the following species: mourning doves, white-winged doves, Eurasian collared-doves, and ringed-turtle doves.

Bag Limit

Dove Hunting Zones

Public Dove Hunting Opportunities 2009-10

Wildlife Management Areas

Note: The drought this past summer resulted in greatly reduced production or failure of many of the crops planted as dove fields. However, vegetation in fields will be managed to encourage use by doves.

• Bayou Pierre WMA, Red River Parish - 100 ac. sunflower, millet, and 1 year-old winter wheat. September 5th (opening day) is limited to successful lottery applicants only.
  
• Big Colewa WMA, West Carroll Parish - 20 ac. sunflower
  
• Boeuf WMA, Caldwell Parish - 60 ac. sunflower and sorghum on Topan tract (north of LA Hwy. 4) and 20 ac. of sorghum and sunflower in Crowe field (south of Duty Ferry).
  
• Buckhorn WMA, Tensas Parish - 30 ac. sunflower and sorghum (intersection of LA Hwy 128 and 573).
  
• Camp Beauregard, Rapides Parish - <10 ac. millet.
  
• Elbow Slough WMA, Rapides Parish - 16 ac. millet. Open Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesday only - Sept. 5-20 and Oct. 10-Nov. 8. Steel shot size 6 and smaller only. Parking only permitted in parking lot south of Hwy. 3170, next to check-in station. No more than 50 dove hunters at a time will be allowed on opening day.
  
• Loggy Bayou, Bossier Parish, 20 ac. millet, sunflower, oats. September 5^th (opening day) limited to youth hunters only.
  
• Point Aux Chenes, Pointe Farm Unit, Terrebonne Parish - 80 ac. (50 acres millet and 30 acres sunflower) Opening weekend shooting hours are noon to sunset. After opening weekend, shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise until 12:00 noon. Hunting will be permitted each day during the September split and each day of the second and third splits (AFTER the last youth deer hunt day). Gates will be opened on Saturdays during the first and second segments EXCEPT during waterfowl season and Youth Deer Hunt weekends. Parking will be allowed in designated areas only; but note that last year's storms deposited large amounts of soil in parking areas so parking areas may become sloppy after rains.
  
• Red River WMA, Concordia Parish - 80 ac. Originally planted to sunflower, millet, and sorghum at Union Point (1 mile north of intersection of LA Hwy 15 and 910), but drought resulted in crop failures' manipulating naturally occurring vegetation and 70 ac. sunflower and sorghum at Yakey tract (30 miles south of Vidalia and adjacent to LA Hwy 15).
  
• Sandy Hollow WMA, Tangipahoa Parish - North Tract: 40 ac. millet. South Tract: 14 ac. millet. During 1st split, entire area is open only on Sept. 5 and Sept. 12-20. On Sept. 5, tract north of La. Hwy. 10 is open only to youths younger than 16 and supervising adult. Adults with youth are permitted to hunt.
  
• Sherburne WMA, Point Coupee Parish, 63 ac. browntop millet (2nd split hunting is usually better on this area, so additional acreage will be cut and prepared for 2nd split)
  
• Floy McElroy WMA, Richland Parish; 20 ac. sunflower. Youth only hunt on September 12 and 13. No hunting at any other time. Only youth 15 years old and under with an accompanying adult will be admitted. Only the youth may hunt. The gate on LA Hwy 137, 2 miles north of Rayville will open at 11:30 a.m. on September 12 and 13. Shooting will be allowed from 12 p.m. to sunset. No ATVs allowed.
  
• Other WMA dove hunting opportunities: Additional opportunities can be found on upland pine dominated WMAs such as West Bay, Jackson-Bienville, Sabine, Bens Creek, and Clear Creek. Doves will often congregate in new clear-cuts to feed on native grass seeds and goatweed.
  
  

For specifics on the current dove situation, you should contact the nearest department office to the dove fields.

Minden: 318-371-3050

Monroe: 318-343-4044

Pineville: 318-487-5885

Ferriday: 318-757-4571

Lake Charles: 337-491-2575

Opelousas: 337-948-0255

Baton Rouge: 225-765-2360

Public Dove Field Leases

2009-10 Migratory Bird Season

• Migratory Bird Hunting: Late Seasons and Bag and Possession Limits for Certain Migratory Game Birds

• Migratory Bird Hunting: Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations on Certain Federal Indian Reservations and Ceded Lands for the 2009-10 Late Season

• Teal: September 12 - September 27
  Daily bag limit 4, possession limit 8, blue-winged, green-winged and Cinnamon teal only. Federal and state waterfowl stamps required.
• Rails: Split Season, Statewide, 70 days
  September 12 - September 27
  Remainder of season to be set in August with the duck regulations.
  King and Clapper: Daily bag limit 15 in the aggregate and possession 30 in the aggregate. Sora and Virginia: Daily and possession bag 25 in the aggregate.
• Gallinules: Split Season, Statewide, 70 days
  September 12 - September 27
  Remainder of season to be set in August with the duck regulations.
  Common and Purple: Daily bag limit 15 in the aggregate, possession of 30 in the aggregate.
• Woodcock: December 18 - January 31, Statewide
  Daily bag limit 3, possession limit 6.
• Snipe: Deferred to be set in August with the duck regulations.

Extended Falconry Season

• Mourning Doves: Statewide
  September 21 - October 6
• Woodcock: Split Season, Statewide
  October 28 - December 17
  February 1 - February 11

Falconry daily bag and possession limits for all permitted migratory game birds must not exceed 3 and 6 birds, respectively, singly or in the aggregate, during the extended falconry seasons and regular hunting seasons. Remainder of extended falconry seasons for ducks, rails, gallinules to be set in August with the duck regulations.

Shooting and Hawking Hours:

Dove: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset except 12:00 noon to sunset September 5, 2009.

Teal, rails, gallinules, and woodcock: One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Zoning

Waterfowl Hunting Zones