Youth Dove Hunt schedule announced
Dove season in Alabama begins next month, and young hunters will again have special opportunities to participate with the 17th annual Youth Dove Hunts by the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division.
The free hunts, intended for youths 15 years old or younger, are scheduled to open for registration on Aug. 28 at 8 a.m. The north zone hunts will begin on Sept. 9, and the south zone hunts begin on Sept. 16.
A parent or mentor is allowed to register up to two youth hunters to participate in the hunts, and the registered adult is also allowed to participate.
Hunters submitting a registration for participation in a youth dove hunt must be an adult at least 21 years old and have a Conservation ID.
The Conservation ID is a new program developed by the WFF as a new identification number that will stick with hunters for the rest of their lives, said WFF Wildlife Section Assistant Chief Chris Smith.
In the past, hunters needed to know their 16-digit hunting license number for hunting registrations, reporting a harvest or any other WFF processes, he said.
To make things easier, people will now only need to remember their 6-digit Conservation ID number that will never change, Smith said.
“It’ll be an easier process to do everything,” he said.
Conservation IDs are being given to people who sign up for or renew their hunting licenses and can also be acquired on the Outdoor Alabama website.
When registering for the Youth Dove Hunt, it will be a quicker process if a person already has a Conservation ID, but a link to get one will also be provided, he said.
As in previous years, registration will be first come, first served, but a new process is in place this year that should allow more people to participate in the hunts, Smith said.
He said over the last few years, the WFF has received calls from people who were unable to register for certain hunts after others signed up for multiple hunts.
This year, people will be able to register for as many hunts as they want when registration opens, but will have to confirm their registration for one hunt and will be unregistered from the other ones, Smith said.
People who have registered for a hunt will be unable to sign up for another hunt until after the date of the registered hunt has passed.
For example, if you sign up for a hunt that takes place on Sept. 9, you must wait until Sept. 10 to register for another one, Smith said.
“This way, it’s going to open it up for a lot more folks to have a chance,” he said.
The full details for the youth hunts and a link to registration can be found at outdooralabama.com/youth-dove-hunts.
2017 Youth Dove Hunt schedule
Hunts are subject to change and/or cancellation
* District I Northwest Alabama
– Colbert County, Sept. 9, 45 groups
– Lawrence County, Sept. 9, 35 groups
– Limestone County, Sept. 9, 50 groups
– Madison County, Sept. 9, 40 groups
– Madison County, Sept. 16, 20 groups
– Madison County, Sept. 16, 40 groups
* District II North Central/Northeast Alabama
– Calhoun County, Sept. 9, 35 groups – contingent on corn harvest
– Jackson County, Sept. 9, 35 groups
– Talladega County, Sept. 9, 15 groups
– Talladega County, Sept. 16, 25 groups
– Marshall County, Sept. 16, 25 groups
– Calhoun County, Sept. 16, 50 groups
*District III Central/West Central Alabama
– Dallas County, Sept. 9, 20 groups
– Dallas County, Sept. 16, 20 groups
– Greene County, Sept. 9, 10 groups
– Hale County, Sept. 9, 30 groups
– Hale County, Sept. 16, 30 groups
– Lowndes County, Sept. 9, 25 groups
– Lowndes County, Sept. 16, 25 groups
– Sumter County, Sept. 16, 10 groups
– Tuscaloosa County, Sept. 9, 10 groups
– Tuscaloosa County, Sept. 16, 10 groups
* District IV East Central/Southeast Alabama
– Crenshaw County, Sept. 9, 25 groups
– Elmore County, Sept. 9, 20 groups
– Macon County, Sept. 9, 120 groups
– Crenshaw County, Sept. 16, 25 groups
– Henry County, Sept. 16, 65 groups
– Barbour County, Sept. 23, 25 groups
– Covington County, Oct. 7 (May change), 35 groups
– Dale County, Oct. 21 (May change), 30 groups
– Henry County, Oct. 7, 65 groups
* District V Southwest Alabama
– Monroe County, Sept. 9, 35 groups
– Mobile County, Sept. 16, 30 groups
– Mobile County, Sept. 23, 30 groups
– Escambia County, Sept. 16, 160 groups
– Escamia County, Sept. 23, 160 groups
– Baldwin County, Oct. 14, 12 groups
– Baldwin County, Oct. 21, 12 groups