BY CHRIS McDaniel
KAWC NEWS
YUMA — Officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department say they expect plenty of doves for the season opener on Sunday.
The 2024 Dove Hunting Season officially opens one half hour before sunrise September 1st, and runs through sunset on September 15th.
AZFGD officials say the greatest number of doves — and dove hunters — will be concentrated in the state’s agricultural areas, particularly those that produce small-grain crops such as wheat, barley, oats and sorghum.
All National Park Service parks and monuments are closed to hunting unless specifically opened in Commission Order.
With hunters expected throughout the area, officials with the Yuma County Sheriff's Office remind the public to obey existing laws while out on the hunt:
· Prohibited areas — Individuals are prohibited from hunting within all municipal and county parks and preserves, including the Yuma East Wetlands, West Wetlands Park, golf courses and airport properties.
· Discharge firearm within 0.25 miles — It is unlawful to discharge a firearm while taking wildlife within 1/4 mile of an occupied structure without permission of the owner or resident.
· Shoot across roads — No person may knowingly discharge any firearm or shoot any device upon, from, across, or into a maintained road or railway.
· Trespassing — A person may not trespass on private property for taking wildlife if that property is posted “No Hunting,” “No Trespassing,” or if a person is asked to leave by the owner.
· Littering — Pack it in. Trash left behind is unacceptable. This can include shotgun hulls and remnants of dead wildlife.
NEW DAILY BAG LIMIT
AZGFD officials say, the daily bag limit is 15 total mourning and white-winged doves, of which no more than 10 may be white-winged.
The possession limit is 45 mourning and white-winged in the aggregate after opening day, of which no more than 15 may be taken in any one day.
Of the 45-dove possession limit, only 30 may be white-winged, of which no more than 10 may be taken in any one day.
There is no daily bag limit or possession limit on the invasive Eurasian collared-dove.
A fully feathered wing must be left attached to each dove for identification purposes until a hunter reaches his or her permanent residence or where the game meat will be consumed.
All hunters 18 and older must possess a valid Arizona hunting license, as well as an Arizona migratory bird stamp — both of which can be purchased online. A youth combination hunt/fish license, for youth hunters aged 10 through 17, is $5 and includes the Arizona migratory bird stamp.
All dove hunters should review the “2024-2025 Arizona Dove and Band-tailed Pigeon Regulations,” which are posted online.
