PRIVATE LAND DOVE FIELD PROGRAM
Of the dove fields accessible to the hunting public, some are in state wildlife management areas, while others will be found on private land opened to public use through the Private Land Dove Field Program. It has proved popular with dove hunters and has grown from one field in 2003 to 11 in 2006. The 11 counties listing a field in the program in 2006 were Simpson, Coahoma, Leflore, Humphreys, Kemper, Hinds, Grenada, Pike, Amite, Rankin and Noxubee.

Hunters wishing to shoot on these private plots can purchase one of three special permits offering multiple hunting opportunities throughout the season at either the same location or all of the locations. You can also pay a one-time fee to hunt any of the locations for a single day, based on availability. Rates at each location vary, depending on the crop grown, the intensity of the management and the number of hunters that the area can safely hold.

The same rules and regulations apply to all of these private dove fields, which are regulated by the state, not the landowners. Hunting is allowed only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays after 12:00 noon, and only during the first two dove seasons. Each of those seasons runs approximately three weeks.

Hunters shoot from designated stands assigned on the basis of their permit numbers on the first Saturday and Monday of the season. Thereafter it's first come, first served for all the designated stands.

No more than one adult hunter is allowed per stand, but one adult and one youth may occupy the same spot. Also, two youths under the direct supervision of a non-hunting adult may hunt from one stand. (Any hunter 16 and younger is considered a "youth.")

Basic rules of safety and etiquette apply: no littering, no alcohol consumption, no vehicles (including ATVs) except in designated parking areas, no shooting at low-flying birds, etc. And always pick up those used shot-shell hulls.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks' object in sponsoring the Private Land Dove Field Program is that of providing additional hunting opportunities for the state's hunters. Participating farmers are paid a per-acre amount based on the type of crop. Eligible fields will be at least 30 acres in size and planted with a grain both suitable for doves and compatible with the farm's operations -- corn or wheat, for example, as well as fields planted in milo, browntop millet or sunflowers. In most cases, such crops may be harvested and sold by the farmer, the department leasing only the dove-hunting rights during the first two seasons.

The MDWFP handles the reservations and manages the entire hunt process. The lease agreement releases the landowner from all liability while the field is under lease. The program has proven to be farmer-friendly, and past participants have been eager to renew their fields.

Mississippians in the southern half of the state especially benefit from the Private Land Dove Field Program. With leases offered in Pike and Amite counties dove, hunting is available in the deep southern part of the state. Additionally, Simpson County, located south-centrally in the state, and Hinds and Rankin counties, near Interstate 20, provide more options for downstate hunters.

WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREAS
Wildlife management areas provide additional options for dove hunters. A number of our state's WMAs allow hunting on fields planted for dove-attracting value. At least 14 WMAs provided dove hunting for the 2006-07 season.

The rules and regulations may vary on each of the WMAs, so be sure to check the MDWFP Web site for the dove fields available this season and for the regulations applicable to each. Wildlife Management Area User Permits are required (in addition to a regular license) to hunt these areas. Residents can obtain a WMA permit for $15 and permits for non-residents are $30.

District 1 in the upper northeast corner of the Magnolia State has hosted dove shoots on Black Prairie, Divide, Hell and Tuscumbia WMAs. Special Youth hunts are held at Black Prairie and Hell Creek on opening day as well.

Hamer and O'Keefe WMAs, in District 2 in the northwest corner of the state, also offer dove hunting during the season. Five WMAs within District 3 of the Mississippi Delta region offered dove hunting in the 2006 season. Leroy Percy and Mahannah WMAs offered opening weekend youth hunts, with Lake George, Shipland and Twin Oaks also providing dove fields.

In District 4, in the east-central part of the state, are the Nanih Waiha and Okatibbee WMAs, which were open to dove hunting in recent seasons. Further south, in District 5, Copiah WMA also provided dove fields last season. Look online at www.mdwfp. com, or call the WMAs in your area to see if they are open for dove hunting this coming season.