The dove season in the central zone (north of Interstate 10) opens Sept. 1 and with it comes a number of legal requirements. Annually there are many citations written by game wardens in early dove season due to the actions of forgetful hunters.

    State wildlife officials remind hunters that a valid 2008-2009 Texas hunting license is required and this is the third year that a state migratory game bird stamp is also required for doves, waterfowl and sandhill cranes.

    It is important not confuse this with the upland bird stamp, which is for hunting quail, pheasant and turkey. Hunters should be Harvest Information Program (HIP) certified.

    HIP according to state officials is a federally mandated survey of migratory bird hunters required to hunt doves, ducks and geese. If the license vendor does not ask you about HIP remind them or else you could get ticketed in the field.

   I have had to ask or HIP certification in the pas and have spoken with a number of hunters who had the same experience.

    A more confusing aspect to dove hunting is the laws pertaining to baiting and where hunting is legal and where it is not.

    According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines the following are LEGAL areas to hunt:

    #Lands or areas where seeds or grains have been scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural operations, which include normal agricultural harvestings, normal agricultural post-harvest manipulations, or normal agricultural practices.

    #Lands planted by means of top-sowing or aerial seeding where seeds have been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural planting, a planting for agricultural soil erosion control, or a planting for post-mining land reclamation.

    #Lands or areas where grain or feed has been distributed or scattered solely as the result of the manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land where grown.

    #Standing crops.

    #Lands planted as wildlife food plots, provided the seed is planted in a manner consistent with Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service recommendations for the planting of wildlife food plots. In states without Cooperative Extension Service recommendations for the planting of food plots, the seed must be planted in accordance with Extension Service guidelines for producing a crop.

   #Lands planted as pasture improvements or for the purpose of grazing livestock. (The Fish and Wildlife Service will not make a distinction between agricultural fields planted with the intent to gather a crop and those planted without such intent provided the planting is carried out in a manner consistent with the recommendations of State Extension Specialists).

   #Standing or manipulated natural vegetation.

   #A blind or other place of concealment camouflaged with natural vegetation.