Pasted below is a press release from the Iowa Department of Natural
Resources regarding the Natural Resources Commission passing the final rule
establishing a hunting season for doves and the banning of toxic shot for
hunting doves.

 

 

For immediate release: July 14, 2011

 

COMMISSION APPROVES DOVE HUNTING,  ADDS NON-TOXIC SHOT REQUIREMENT

DES MOINES - Final approval of a rule that will allow the hunting of
mourning doves in Iowa was approved Thursday by the Iowa Natural Resource
Commission which also added an amendment that would require hunters to use
non-toxic shot.

 

The non-toxic shot requirement follows several discussions by the commission
during the past year concerning the impacts of lead shot to the environment
and on wildlife. Lead - or toxic - shot used in hunting can be ingested by
wildlife. There has been a national ban on the use of lead shot for
waterfowl hunting since 1991 with non-toxic shot for waterfowl being in
place in Iowa since 1987.

 

The rules approved by the commission allow for a dove season starting Sept.
1st and ending Nov. 9th. The final rule allows the harvest of 15 doves a day
and can be either mourning or Eurasian collared-doves. The possession limit
is 30 and the season is open state-wide.

 

Commissioners added and approved an amendment on Thursday that would require
hunters to only use non-toxic shot while hunting doves anywhere in the state
of Iowa.

 

The decision to ban toxic shot for dove hunting was based largely on the
fact that much of the hunting occurs over a small area which would increase
the likelihood of lead concentrations being created.

 

"There will be a number of hunters who will be opposed to this decision, but
at the end of the day, this action by the commission will help protect
Iowa's environment and wildlife from the adverse affects of lead," said DNR
Director Roger Lande.

 

Media contact: Greg Drees, chairman of the Natural Resource Commission,
712-320-0610.

 

-30-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Baskins

Communications Bureau Chief

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

515-281-8395

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