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Dove launch
Published 9/1/2010 in Commentary : Editorial
Dove hunting, which began today in Kansas, signals the start of the fall hunting season.
The Sunflower State is known for its bountiful mourning dove population, as the annual dove harvest is among the top five in the United States. Last year, about a half-million doves were taken by hunters in Kansas.
So, it's no wonder hunters from throughout the region flock to Kansas each year to tackle the challenge of bagging the small, fast-flying birds.
As they embark on this year's season, hunters should make a point to help the state in its effort to track mourning doves.
Kansas is among states participating in a dove banding project. The nationwide program helps biologists manage the migratory game bird, to include estimating annual harvest rates (percentage of the population shot by hunters) and survival rates (percentage of the population surviving one year), and help them provide information on the geographical distribution of the harvest.
According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, the banding data can be used to estimate the size of the mourning dove population, and monitor trends in the migratory game bird's numbers. That helps guide harvest-management decisions.
Biologists can't put the information to good use if hunters don't help. Because dove bands are relatively small and easier to miss than the bands on waterfowl, for example, hunters need to take time to look for them.
KDWP officials noted that out of 15,000 doves banded in Kansas since 2003, hunters have reported only 500 bands.
Hunters who harvest banded doves should report the band number to the Bird Banding Laboratory at its website, reportband.gov, or by calling 1(800) 327-BAND.
Good hunters do what they can to assist in wildlife management efforts. Unfortunately, too many hunters ignore those opportunities when they head to the field.
Whether it's the quest for birds or other game, hunting has long been a valued part of Kansas' heritage.
Doing something as simple as checking for and reporting dove bands can go a long way in improving at least one popular hunting experience for years to come.
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