Mourning Dove, Sandhill Crane Seasons Open

The 2012 mourning dove and sandhill crane seasons open Saturday, September 1. The mourning dove season runs through September 30. The daily bag limit is 10, and the possession limit after first day of season is 20. 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 your aggregate bag limit of mourning doves as long as they are identifiable. Eurasian collared-doves may be taken in any number and at any time by holders of a valid Idaho hunting license, provided such taking is not in violation of state, county, or city laws, ordinances or regulations. Sandhill crane season opens September 1 and runs through September 15 in hunt areas 2, 3, 4 and 5. It runs through September 30 in hunt areas 1 and 6. The daily limit is three birds and the season limit is nine. Season and limit details are available in the sandhill brochure available at license vendors and online at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/docs/rules/uplandCrane.pdf. Anyone hunting mourning doves or sandhill cranes in Idaho must have a valid Idaho hunting license with a federal Migratory Game Bird Harvest Information Program validation. The validation costs $1.75 for residents and $4.75 for nonresidents, and it is available at any license vendor. It is valid from January 1 through December 31 of each year. Shooting hours for mourning doves and sandhill cranes are listed on Page 19 of the upland game seasons and rules brochure and on the Fish and Game website at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/docs/rules/uplandDoveCraneInfo.pdf.