MIGRATORY GAME BIRD REGULATIONS

• September Teal

• Special resident Canada goose seasons

• DOVE (mourning, white-winged & Eurasian collared)

License Requirements

Residents & Nonresidents: A hunting license and a Legacy permit or proof of exemption. In addition, all hunters, unless otherwise exempt, must carry afield the HIP permit.

Seasons on public lands may vary from statewide seasons. Consult WMA regulations.

One-half hour before official sunrise to official sunset, unless otherwise provided. See Special Resident Canada Goose season.

Shotgun (conventional or muzzleloading) archery equipment or legal raptors and as otherwise provided under General Hunting Regulations.

No person shall take migratory game birds:

• With a trap, snare, net, rifle, pistol, swivel gun, shotgun slug, shotgun larger than a 10 gauge, punt gun, battery gun, machine gun, fishhook, poison, drug, explosive, or stupefying substance.

• With a shotgun capable of holding more than three (3) shells, in the magazine and chamber combined, unless otherwise provided. See Special Resident Canada Goose season.

• From a sink box (a low floating device, having a depression affording the hunter means of concealment beneath the surface of the water.)

• From or with the aid or use of a vehicle or other motor-driven land conveyance, or any aircraft, except that paraplegics and single or double amputees of the legs may take from any stationary motor vehicle or stationary motor-driven land conveyance. Paraplegic means an individual afflicted with paralysis of the lower half of the body with involvement of both legs usually due to disease of or injury to the spinal cord.

• From or by means of any motor boat or sail boat unless the motor has been completely shut off and/or the sail furled, and its progress there from has ceased.

• By the use or aid of live decoys. All live, tame or captive ducks and geese shall be removed for a period of 10 consecutive days prior to hunting, and confined within an enclosure which substantially reduces the audibility of their calls and totally conceals such tame birds from the sight of migratory waterfowl.

• Using records or tapes of migratory bird calls, or sounds or electronically amplified imitations of bird calls, unless otherwise provided. See Special Resident Canada Goose season.

• By driving, rallying, or chasing birds with any motorized conveyance or any sail boat to put them in range of the hunters.

• By the aid of baiting on or over any baited areas where a person knows or reasonably should know that the area is or has been baited. A baited area is considered to be baited for 10 days after complete removal of any bait. Baiting includes placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of salt, grain, or other feed that could serve as a lure or attractant for migratory game birds to, on, or over areas where hunters are attempting to take them. Agriculture areas must be prepared in accordance with official recommendations to be legally hunted. It is a separate offense to place or direct placement of bait on or adjacent to an area that causes, induces, or allows another to hunt by the aid of bait on or over a baited area. Hunters are responsible for ensuring that an area has not been baited and should verify its legality prior to hunting.

No person shall possess more than one (1) daily bag limit, tagged or not tagged, while in the field or while returning from the field to one’s vehicle, hunting camp, home, etc.

All downed migratory game birds shall be retrieved, if possible, and retained in the custody of the hunter in the field.

No person shall give, put or leave any migratory game birds at any place or in the custody of another person unless the birds are tagged by the hunter with the hunter’s, address, total number of birds involved by species and the dates such birds were killed.

Tagging is required if the birds are being transported by another person for the hunter, or if the birds have been left for cleaning, storage (including temporary storage), shipment, or taxidermy services.

Wounded birds shall be immediately killed and included in the daily limit.

No person shall completely field dress any migratory game bird (except doves and band-tailed pigeons) and then transport the birds from the field. The head or one (1) fully feathered wing must remain attached to all such birds while being transported from the field to one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility.

No person shall ship migratory game birds unless the package is marked on the outside with the name and address of the person sending the birds, the name and address of the person to whom the birds are being sent, and the number of birds, by species, contained in the package.

For information regarding the importation of migratory birds killed in another country, hunters should consult 50 CFR 20.61 through 20.66. One (1) fully-feathered wing must remain attached to all migratory game birds being transported between the port of entry and one’s home or to a migratory bird preservation facility. No person shall import migratory game birds killed in any foreign country except Canada, unless such birds are dressed (except as required in 20.63), drawn, and the head and feet are removed. No person shall import migratory game birds belonging to another person.

Violations of state migratory game bird regulations are also violations of federal regulations.

A hunter who hunts in two (2) states having separate daily limits, may not exceed the largest number of birds that can legally be taken in one (1) of the states in which they take birds.

When dove, rail, gallinule, woodcock or snipe seasons overlap with youth deer gun, deer muzzleloader, deer gun, holiday antlerless deer gun (in open zones), elk gun (in open counties) or antelope (in open areas) seasons all migratory bird hunters must conspicuously wear either a head covering or an outer garment above the waistline consisting of hunter orange.

Federal regulations related to migratory game birds are located in Title 50, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 20, Caution: more restrictive regulations may apply to National Wildlife Refuges open to public hunting. For additional information of federal regulations, contact Special Agent-In-Charge, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, (405) 715-0617.

Sept. 1 - Nov. 9, 2008; statewide.

25 daily, 25 in possession after first day.

Sept. 1 - Nov. 9, 2008; statewide.

15 daily, 30 in possession after first day.

Nov. 1 - Dec. 15, 2008; statewide.

Three (3) daily, six (6) in possession after first day.

Oct. 1, 2008 - Jan. 15, 2009; statewide.

Eight (8) daily, 16 in possession after the first day.

September Teal & Special resident Canada goose seasons

Migratory Bird Hunting & Conservation Stamp: Federal law requires that each waterfowl hunter 16 years old or older must carry on his person a valid Migratory Bird Hunting & Conservation Stamp (federal duck stamp), signed in ink across the face. Hunters must also carry the HIP permit, unless otherwise exempt.

Oklahoma Waterfowl Hunting License: All nonresidents and residents 16 years old or older must have in their possession proof of purchase of an Oklahoma waterfowl license or proof of exemption while hunting waterfowl.

Nontoxic Shot Regulations: All waterfowl and coot hunting is restricted to the use of federally-approved nontoxic shot in all areas of the state. Possession of lead shot while hunting waterfowl or coots is prohibited.

Sept. 13 - 28, 2008; statewide.

Four (4) daily, eight (8) in possession after the first day.

Sept. 1 - 10, 2008; statewide.

Five (5) daily, 10 in possession after the first day.

Shooting hours are one half-hour before official sunrise to one-half hour after official sunset. Electronic calls and unplugged shotguns are allowed.

DOVE (MOURNING, WHITE-WINGED & EURASIAN COLLARED)

Dates: Sept. 1 - Oct. 30 and Dec. 27 - Jan. 5 (70-day season)

Daily Limit and Possession Limit: 12 daily, 24 in possession after first day combined. The limit may consist of any combination of mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves.

Dates: Sept. 1 - Oct. 30 (60-day season)

Daily Limit and Possession Limit: 15 daily, 30 in possession after first day combined. The limit may consist of any combination of mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared doves.

updated July 11, 2008 01:58 PM