Columnist Paula DelGiudice: Bird hunters watch forecast

Paula DelGiudice

Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

Paula DelGiudice's outdoors notebook appears weekly. Reach her at PDelGiudice@compuserve.com.

We've waited for the rain showers for half a year now and you wouldn't have to be a weatherman to predict they'd come this week. Anyone who hunts doves knows that the weather will change just a few days before the dove season opener, which is today. Sure enough, rain has been sprinkling the valley the past few days.

While the rain may be enough to send the local birds packing for a Mexican vacation, also keep an eye on the weather forecasts for locales north of us. If the wet weather is prevalent throughout the West, it should be enough to get birds moving.

Unless we receive a deluge of rainfall, it's still pretty dry in Southern Nevada. Therefore, the birds are apt to be closely tied to water. If you're interested in looking for doves, you might check out the guzzler map provided by the Nevada Division of Wildlife. The map shows where artificial drinkers have been built throughout the area.

For hunters interested in hunting doves at the Overton Wildlife Management Area, opening day reservations were drawn Monday. The NDOW is now accepting reservations for the two weekends following the drawing. For more information, call 486-5127. Dove hunting will run through Saturday, Sept. 30.

If you need information on seasons and regulations, stop by the NDOW office, visit a license agent, or look them up on NDOW's website at www.state.nv.us/cnr/nvwildlife.

Sponsored by the club and NDOW, the range will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for hunters to sight-in their rifles and handguns. Targets will be furnished by NDOW. Hunters should provide their own ear and eye protection.

Reservations are required. To register for a sight-in time, call NDOW at 486-5127.

Waterfowl seasons begin with duck hunting that will be held from Oct. 7 through Jan. 20 in all counties except the Moapa Valley portion of the Overton Wildlife Management Area in Clark County. The season at the management area runs Nov. 4-Jan. 20.

Canada and white-fronted goose season will be held Oct. 21-Jan. 20 in all counties except Clark and Lincoln. The season in those two counties is set Nov. 18-Jan. 20.