Ask Fish and Game: Dove Hunting

Q. With dove hunting season approaching, and doves listed as a migratory bird, do I have to worry about nontoxic shot? A. The simple answer is no. Nontoxic shot rules apply primarily to migratory waterfowl, not doves or other upland game birds, except in some restricted areas, such as islands in the Snake River that are part of the Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Dove hunters must have federal Migratory Game Bird Harvest Information Program validation and a valid 2007 hunting license. Doves may be hunted with shotguns capable of holding no more than three shells.