Mourning dove, sandhill crane, and early goose seasons open Sept. 1

The 2015 mourning dove, sandhill crane, and new early Canada goose seasons open Tuesday, September 1. The mourning dove season runs through October 30. The daily bag limit is 15, and the possession limit after the second day of season is 45. Eurasian collared-doves are an introduced species that have expanded their range into Idaho. Eurasian collared-doves harvested while dove hunting, should be left unplucked so they can be distinguished from mourning doves. They will not count as part of the aggregate bag limit of mourning doves as long as they are identifiable. There is no daily bag or possession limit for Eurasian collared-doves. Sandhill crane season runs through September 15 in all five hunt areas. The daily and season limit is two birds. Season and rule details are available in the sandhill brochure available at license vendors and online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=127. Anyone hunting mourning doves or sandhill cranes in Idaho must have a valid Idaho hunting license with a federal Migratory Bird (HIP) validation available at any license vendor. The validation costs $1.75 for residents and $4.75 for nonresidents, and is valid from January 1 through December 31 of each year. Shooting hours for mourning doves and sandhill cranes are listed on page 23 of the 2015 upland game seasons and rules brochure and on the Fish and Game website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=358. Also opening September 1 is a new early Canada goose hunt in a portion of southeast Idaho. The season was implemented this year to help reduce crop damage in Bear Lake and Caribou counties, and that portion of Bingham County within the Blackfoot Reservoir drainage. The season will run through September 15, with a daily bag limit of five and a possession limit of 15. License requirements, shooting hours, and a hunt area description is listed in a season information brochure available at Fish and Game's offices, license vendors in the Southeast and Upper Snake regions, and online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/hunt/?getPage=360.