Columnist Barb Henderson: Bird hunting season just around the corner

Barb Henderson

Friday, Aug. 15, 2003 | 9:38 a.m.

Barb Henderson is an outdoors enthusiast, freelance writer and producer/host of outdoors radio television programming. Her column appears Friday in the Sun.

Bird hunters are gearing up and getting ready to flock to the fields when the upland game bird hunting seasons open in Nevada.

They'll grab their shotguns and sporting dogs and head to the field to spend time in the great outdoors with a few of their hunting partners.

According to Geoff Schneider, information officer with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, upland game-bird hunting depends on Nevada's weather.

"When we get moisture from fall through early spring, the hatch of young quail and chukar can be very good," Schneider said. "When the rains don't come, the hatch is poor and this is reflected in the fall hunts."

Blue and ruffed grouse will be the first upland game bird hunting seasons to get under way in Nevada on Saturday, Aug. 30.

The opening of the mourning dove hunting season will be Monday, Sept. 1.

NDOW's reservation drawing for the Sept. 1 dove season opener at the Overton Wildlife Management Area will be Aug. 25. Bird hunters hoping to hunt on the WMA for opening day and the first weekend of the season must have a reservation. The reservation drawing will begin at 8 a.m. at NDOW's Las Vegas and Henderson office and at the Overton WMA headquarters.

Hunters or their representatives must attend the drawing in person. A reservation can be made for one day only and is limited to a maximum of three to a party.

Hunters are required to have a Harvest Information Program number written on their hunting license when hunting for doves and other migratory birds (waterfowl). To obtain a HIP number, call (800) WETLAND.

Upland game bird seasons for chukar and quail will begin on Saturday, Oct. 11.

"The outlook for quail and chukar in the northern part of the state is for hunting to be similar to slightly better than last year," Schneider said. "Late-winter moisture in the north was very beneficial and this year's production of young birds was fairly good. So hunters should have good success.

"Last season, Southern Nevada had the lowest quail harvest in more than four decades. This was primarily the result of long-term drought conditions. This year is looking better, but we're still not out of the woods. Quail and chukar will be more available than last year, although this is not expected to be a great year. Look for hunting to be fair, at best."

Sage grouse hunting will also begin on Oct. 11 in Elko, Eureka, Nye and White Pine counties and portions of Lander, Washoe and Humboldt counties.

For complete information on all of Nevada's upland bird hunting seasons, dates, bag limits, licenses, regulations and/or for general hunting information contact the NDOW office or visit NDOW's website on the Internet at: www.ndow.org.

Bird hunters still have plenty of time to head out to one of the local gun ranges and shoot a few rounds of Trap, Skeet or Sporting Clays. These three shotgunning sports allow the bird hunter an excellent opportunity to keep his/ her marksmanship skills sharpen before the opening day of bird hunting seasons.