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Mourning dove reclassification HF 2607

Fishbonker

Life Member
This bill would reclassify mourning doves as migratory birds. As a result hunters would have to pay the migratory game bird fee to hunt them.

https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=HF2607&ga=88

When I purchase my hunting license I always say yes to hunting mourning doves. I have never gone but I always say yes just in case the opportunity presents itself. If I need to start paying the migratory bird fee on the off chance that I may actually hunt doves then I probably won't pay for the privilege.

I don't know if this is in some way an effort to get the hunting season on mourning doves eliminated or maybe the converse is true the bill would solidify the season. The bill was introduced by a dem whom I am unfamiliar with but he is on the House Natural Resource Committee.

Any thoughts?

Also, I haven't hunted ducks since I was 16. I remember purchasing a "duck stamp". Is the duck stamp the same as the migratory fee?

Also also, I'm not sure how this bill gets introduced after the first funnel but here it is. The same thing could happen with deer tags and methods of take.
 
The last time I hunted waterfowl was probably with JKratz. If I recall, you needed a state stamp and a federal migratory stamp. I don't think HIP registration had started yet.

With needing all these stamps and registration, then buy non-toxic shot, for birds I don't care to clean/eat, I said I'm out......

Would love to have a free landowner opportunity to shoot skycarp off the pond.

Never said yes to doves or shot one.
 
Seems like they are already migratory in some respects on the federal level, but the Feds and state do not require the migratory fees like for waterfowl. Just a guess, but this could be just a money grab to get more people to buy the Iowa migratory bird fee or even be aimed at making it more expensive to hunt doves so less people do it. It was not very popular on the Dem side of the isle when it passed if I recall correctly. It could also be a back door to trying to requiring steel shot for doves, it was a big deal when they Natural Resource commission required steel shot and then the legislature slapped them down and allowed lead shot.

Maybe it is a good bill, but I would be suspicious until proven otherwise knowing how things went early on when dove hunting first passed.

From DNR website:

Register for HIP to Hunt Doves
To hunt doves and other migratory birds in Iowa, federal regulations require that hunters be registered with the Harvest Information Program (HIP). Hunters who hunt waterfowl or other migratory birds such as woodcock register for HIP when they pay the state migratory bird fee (stamp). Although dove hunters are not required to pay the state or federal migratory bird fee they must still register for HIP to legally hunt doves. Landowners who are only going to hunt on their own land or hunters such as those 16 and under who do not need a license do not need to register for HIP.

This year, hunters who purchased their hunting licenses after August 14th should have been asked whether they were going to hunt doves. If they responded “yes” then: “Dove: Y” was printed on their license. If a hunter changes their mind they need to register with HIP to hunt doves even if they paid the state migratory bird fee.
 
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