Doves

I haven't seen anything in the regs either, they are real pests in some areas.

Come to think of it, the regs are pretty silent on crows too, although it is mentioned under the small game section, IIRC it doesn't specifically say anywhere that they are open season year round and in what WMUs.
 
You may only hunt game birds identified in the tables. In
addition, Ontario residents may hunt American crow,
brownheaded cowbird, red-winged blackbird, common
grackle, starling and house sparrows.
 
Resident’s licence tag to hunt small game............... $19.63
. This licence tag is valid for a resident to hunt game birds
. (other than wild turkey), and game mammals (except
. black bear, caribou, deer, elk and moose). Under this
licence tag you may also hunt coyote*, wolf*, raccoon,
red fox, arctic fox, skunk, opossum and weasel. You
may also hunt on game bird hunting preserves with this
licence. A small game licence tag also permits you to hunt
American crow, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle,
house sparrow, red-winged blackbird or starlings and
other animals not protected under the Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Act, 1997 (e.g., groundhogs). This licence is
not valid in northern Ontario and part of central Ontario
from June 16 to August 31, except for hunting by falconry
and hunting game birds on a game bird hunting preserv
 
You may only hunt game birds identified in the tables. In
addition, Ontario residents may hunt American crow,
brownheaded cowbird, red-winged blackbird, common
grackle, starling and house sparrows.

Hunting Regulations 2008 • 2009
Pheasant
WMU(s)
2-41, 45
42-44, 46-50, 53-59, 61-67, 69B
60, 68, 69A, 70-77, 81-86
78
88
79, 80, 87
89, 90, 91, 92
93
94
95
Open Season
Sept. 15 to Dec. 15
Sept. 20 to Dec. 15
Sept. 25 to Dec. 15
Oct. 8 to Dec. 15
Oct. 22 to Nov. 1
Oct. 15 to Dec. 15
Oct. 15 to Dec. 15
Oct. 29 to Dec. 15
Oct. 29 to Nov. 1
Oct. 23, 24, 30, 31
Nov. 6, 7
Nov. 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 27,
28, 29
Dec. 4, 5, 6
Jan. 1 to the last day of
February, in any year
Daily Limit
3 of either ###
3 of either ###
3 of either ###
3 of either ###
3 cocks
3, one hen limit
3 of either ###
3, one hen limit
2 cocks
Daily & Possession Limit
10 of either ###
Daily & Possession Limit
5 of either ###
Daily & Possession Limit
5 of either ###
Hours
1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2
hour after sunset
8 a.m. to 1/2 hour after sunset
1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2
hour after sunset
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1/2 hour before sunrise to
1/2 hour after sunset
Sharp-Tailed Grouse and Ptarmigan
WMU(s)
1A, 1C, 1D
2-9, 11-16, 19, 20, 21
10, 32-39, 41, 45
17, 18, 22-31, 40
42-44, 46-50, 53-59
61-67, 69B
60, 68, 69A, 70, 71
Open Season
Sept. 5 to Mar. 31 of the next year
Sept. 15 to Dec. 31
Sept. 15 to Dec. 15
Sept. 15 to Mar. 31 of the next year
Sept. 20 to Dec. 15
Sept. 20 to Dec. 31
Sept. 25 to Dec. 31
Daily Limit
For all WMUs:
5 Sharp-tailed Grouse
and 5 Ptarmigan
Possession Limit
For all WMUs:
15 Sharp-tailed Grouse and
15 Ptarmigan
Ruffed Grouse and Spruce Grouse
Hungarian Partridge
Game Birds
TOWNSHIP / MUNICIPALITY LICENCES – A township licence is required in addition to a provincial licence for hunting pheasant in regulated
townships (see maps, pp 6-11). Contact the municipal clerk for issuance of township licences and information on firearm restrictions.
Hunting of pheasants with a rifle is prohibited.
WMU(s)
1A, 1C, 1D
2-31
32-41, 45
42-44, 46-50, 53-59
61-67, 69B
60, 68, 69A, 70, 71
72-92
93
Open Season
Sept. 5 to Dec. 31
Sept. 15 to Dec. 31
Sept. 15 to Dec. 15
Sept. 20 to Dec. 15
Sept. 20 to Dec. 31
Sept. 25 to Dec. 31
Sept. 25 to Jan. 15 of the next year
Oct. 29 to Jan. 15 of the next year
Daily Limit
For all WMUs:
combined total of 5
Possession Limit
For all WMUs:
combined total of 15
WMU(s)
13
55-59, 61-67, 69B
60, 68, 69A, 70-75, 88, 89
76
87, 90
Open Season
Sept. 15 to Nov. 8
Sept. 20 to Nov. 8
Sept. 25 to Nov. 8
Oct. 18 to Oct. 24
Oct. 15 to Dec. 15
Daily Limit
8
8
8
8
8
Possession Limit
16
16
16
16
16
Northern Bobwhite
WMU(s)
65
Open Season Daily Limit
Under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA) effective June 30, 2008 Northern Bobwhite may not
be killed or possessed. For more information on the ESA, please see page 4.
 
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Because they make a cute "Cooo coo cooo" noise. :redface:

Have you ever watched the dove hunting videos from South America...you hunt with 2 guns, the guide reloads and you shoot...ALOT.
 
Doves are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, same as ducks and geese, etc. I have heard heresay that many years ago, doves were accidently omitted from the legal documents that would have allowed the MNR to sustain a hunting season for them. Nobody noticed or cared at the time, and thats the way it's been since.
Some US States have a dove hunting season, and some don't. Parts of agricultural South America are plagued by Torcazas, similar to our mourning dove. Farmers poison them and visiting hunters shoots hundreds of thousands of them, but they still number in the tens of millions down there.
 
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A small game license tag also permits you to hunt American crow, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird or starlings and other animals not protected under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 (eg., groundhogs).**

**Not all wildlife species can be hunted; consult the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and Endangered Species Act at ontario.ca/e-laws.
Click to expand...

COSEWIC doesn't have anything about Mourning Doves:
http://www.cosewic.gc.ca/eng/sct1/SearchResult_e.cfm?commonName=&scienceName=Zenaida+macroura&Submit=Submit

It's also not listed at the SARA website (Species at Risk Act):
http://www.sararegistry.gc.ca/sar/index/default_e.cfm?stype=species&index=1&cosid=&common=&scientific=&population=&taxid=2&locid=0&desid=0&schid=0&desid2=0&

Ok, so we know that Mourning Dove's aren't endangered...and that the government agrees. So, on to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act. This is a big one, and it is not a searchable database like the other two...yuck!

http://www.search.e-laws.gov.on.ca/en/isysquery/d9ed6594-5ff9-447c-a521-ef259294b931/3/frame/?search=browseStatutes&context=

No hunting or trapping of certain species

5. (1) A person shall not hunt or trap,

(a) a specially protected mammal;

(b) a specially protected amphibian;

(c) a specially protected reptile;

(d) a specially protected invertebrate; or

(e) a specially protected bird or any other bird that belongs to a species that is wild by nature and is not a game bird.

Exceptions

(2) Clause (1) (e) does not apply to,

(a) an American crow, brown-headed cowbird, common grackle, house sparrow, red-winged blackbird or starling;

(b) a bird that is declared to be a migratory game bird in the Convention set out in the Schedule to the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (Canada);

(c) a bird that has been transported into Ontario, or propagated from stock that was transported into Ontario, and that is released with the Minister's authorization under section 54, other than a specially protected bird or a member of a species prescribed by the regulations for the purpose of this clause; or

(d) any other bird, other than a specially protected bird, that is hunted with the authorization of the Minister. 1997, c. 41, s. 5.
Click to expand...



Well crap...I guess that's that. No shooting Doves in Ontario because they didn't give them an explicit exception.
 
Hmmm, looks like one CANNOT hunt doves here any more.........when I did look it up, they were listed as a maigratory bird and there were no prohibitions on hunting them in Ontario. Now I see that the ONTARIO section of the Canadian Wildlife Service (who are responsible for migratory birds) have a statement on their website to the effect that one cannot hunt mourning doves in Ontario. Not that I can find any details in the website.........

Sorry for the bum steer............

Doug
 
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back to Quaid: I found the same statement on the CWS website, with no amplification that I could find anywhere else on the website.

But that is their "enforcement" site, which suggests that the information should be accurate.

I am going to make it my business to look into this..........and in the meantime edited my first post......

Doug
 
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