Aug. 6, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 331

For more information, contact Matthew DiBona, Fish and Wildlife, 302-735-3600, or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

DNREC to require non-toxic shot
on public lands for 2009-2010 dove season

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife will require hunters to use non-toxic shot when dove hunting on state wildlife areas for the upcoming the 2009-2010 mourning dove season during the month of September. The Division has made this change in response to new research and growing concern within the wildlife management community about the effects of spent lead ammunition on upland bird species, especially mourning dove. 

Field studies have confirmed that doves are consuming spent lead shot pellets deposited in fields and laboratory studies have demonstrated that consuming one to two pellets is enough to cause acute lead poisoning in doves, often resulting in death. Lead shot deposition is particularly severe at sunflower fields planted for dove hunting where pellet densities have been shown to reach several hundred thousand pellets per acre. 

The majority of dove hunting activities in Delaware occur during the month of September. Because many state wildlife areas contain managed dove fields for hunting that receive a lot of public use, it is hoped that mandating use of non-toxic shot during September will greatly reduce the amount of lead shot deposited annually on these areas. These changes do not apply to hunting on private property.   

In addition to publishing the change in the 2009-2010 Hunting Guide and Migratory Game Bird pamphlet, the Division will be holding three public workshops in August to inform hunters and address any questions or concerns. The workshops will be held as follows:

•          Sussex County: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, Cape Henlopen State Park Nature Center, 42 Cape Henlopen Drive, Lewes
  
  
•          Kent County: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, DNREC Auditorium, Richardson and Robbins Building, 89 Kings Highway, Dover
   
•          New Castle County: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, Ommelanden Range and Hunter Education Center, 1205 River Road, New Castle

The Division of Fish and Wildlife has contacted sporting goods stores in Delaware to inform them of these changes in an effort to ensure that there is an adequate supply of non-toxic shot ammunition available for the upcoming dove season. The first part of the 2009-2010 dove season will open on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and run through Wednesday, Sept. 26.

For more information, please call 302-739-9912.