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Show A) Mourning dove and band-tailed pigeon season begins Sept. 1 Vemal Express Wednesday, August !!!!rMi'"'''m "J"M" by Dean L. Mitchell, DWR Upland Came Program Coordinator August afternoon thunderstorms are an annual sign to Utah's upland game hunters that the state's upland game seasons are about to begin. Utah wingshooters start fall hunting seasons with two migratory upland game bird species -- mourning doves and band-tailed pigeons. Mourning dove forecast On Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 1), mourning dove hunters will begin Utah's fall 1997 upland game hunting hunt-ing seasons. Because of the holiday opener, many hunters are expected afield. In 1996 more than 23,000 hunters harvested har-vested more than 200,000 mourning doves in Utah. Mourning dove breeding populations in Utah are up slightly this year compared to 1996, based on data collected by Division of Wildlife Resources biologists along 15 dove "call count" survey routes. The number of doves heard along routes is up 12 percent this year. Persistent hot weather across northern Utah will keep doves in the area. However, as seems to be the case every year recently, if low pressure weather patterns arrive that drop temperatures, mourning doves could begin moving south before the Sept. 1 opener. Already this year, we have experienced experi-enced continuous afternoon thunderstorms thun-derstorms across northern Utah. Division biologists have learned that regardless of what the weather does, some mourning doves begin to leave Utah about the first week in August. These birds begin their annual an-nual southward migration based on the length of the day. As daylight wanes in the fall, doves are stimulated stimu-lated to move to their wintering areas ar-eas in Mexico and Central America. The Division is prohibited by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918), and international treaties with Canada and Mexico, from opening doves seasons earlier than Sept. 1 each year. Dove hunters who generally hunt in northern Utah, but get frustrated when there are few birds around, should give Utah's southern counties coun-ties a try. Millar, Beaver, Iron and Washington counties in southwestern southwest-ern Utah, and Emery and San Juan counties in the southeast, generally harbor birds until late in the year. Some of Utah's most prosperous dove hunting occurs in the southern part of the state. The 1997 mourning dove season will remain open through Sept. 30. Bag and possession limits are 10 and 20 respectively. Hunters will notice that the possession limit listed list-ed in the 1997-98 proclamation is "2." What the number "2" means is that hunters can possess 2 bag limits or 20 birds after the first day of the season. It does not mean that a hunter can possess only two birds. The term possession limit has been defined by the Utah Legislature as, "the number of bag limits one individual indi-vidual may legally possess." Please refer to page 1 of the 1997-98 Utah Upland Game Proclamation for definitions. def-initions. Wet conditions, if they continue in Utah until Sept.l, will scatter doves. To be most effective, hunters should keep in mind the daily routine of doves. The birds normally feed early in the morning and again late in the day. Typical feeding areas are small grain crop fields and weedy patches. patch-es. Doves are almost exclusively seed eaters. They prefer areas with wheat stubble, corn, oats, sunflowers sunflow-ers and all kinds of weeds. After feeding, doves pick up grit along gravel roadways and then fly to water. The middle part of the day is spent loafing and roosting in trees. Look to dead trees for roosting roost-ing doves. Although not required by law, it's a good idea to wear hunter orange during the first week of the mourning mourn-ing dove hunt. Ball caps and vests in hunter orange help to tremendously tremen-dously cut down on the chance of a firearms accident while afield with many other hunters. Band-tailed pigeon forecast Utah's 1997 band-tailed pigeon season also begins Monday, Sept. 1. For best success hunters should spend time in the coniferous forests of southern Utah for this native migrant. mi-grant. Although most common in woodlands from the Pine Valley Mountains in the west to the LaSal Mike and Dustin say... Advertise VyTX ; in the C y-f W Express I " 789-3511 ' ' Mike " JJJ"- Dustin 111 Mlfffi ONLY $109.99 Modtl 113 Trimmtr f aturtt: The lightest gas Inmmer m its class -only 7.5 lbs High-perlormance. 21cc engine Up to 60 quieter than the competition 16'cuttmg path Tap N Go line advance DuraChrowe cylinder tor longer engine Ue !year kmittd warranty S (ft Poutan PRO" I H E PRO APPROACH ONLY $379.99 Modal PP2260 Mowtf ftiturtu (J MP Ceritu'a XlC tngme !2 UpaugeuM vacuum eohaxj dec Mufcft Qiate. s(Hrge c"u and 2$ butnei rpar bag mcMed . W hgh mar wtH SrfpwW. frtvn &at dm tSr tc neM aQusiet I year turned warranty intN m and Blue Mountains in the east, scattered sightings of these birds hint they may be pioneering into preferred habitats in the central part of Utah. In 1997, bag and possession limits for bandtails will be five and 10 respectively. re-spectively. The season closes Sept. 30, the same day the mourning dove season closes. Band-tailed pigeons are the only pigeons in Utah with yellow legs and feet. Feral pigeons have red legs and feet. Hunters are encouraged to conduct con-duct pre-season scouting for band-tails. band-tails. Locate areas where birds are feeding and note their movements from feeding areas to mid-day roosting areas. Pigeons prefer foods such as pine buds, acorns, berries, seeds and some pine needles. Hunters can intercept pigeons on their flight paths. Pigeon hunters are required to visit vis-it any Division office and pick up a free permit prior to hunting band-tails. band-tails. The permit allows Division biologists bi-ologists to contact pigeon hunters and collect more information about Utah's band-tailed pigeon population. popula-tion. Pigeon hunters who take birds are encouraged to clip and save a wing from each bird. Wings can be put in a zip-lock bag and placed in the freezer. Bandtail hunters will be contacted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provided with envelopes in which to mail wings. Wings from pigeons help biologists determine sex and age structures, as well as reproductive successes in the four-corners population of band-tailed band-tailed pigeons. Mourning dove and band-tailed pigeon hunters are no longer required re-quired to purchase an Upland Game Habitat Stamp. The stamp was eliminated as of Jan. 1, 1996. However, upland game hunters must purchase a $5.25 Wildlife Habitat Authorization before purchasing pur-chasing a small game or combination combina-tion license. The Division uses part of the funds generated from the sale of Habitat Authorizations the same as funds from the previous Upland Game Habitat Stamp -- to improve upland game habitat and populations popula-tions statewide. Mi r ' Winner in the 4th and final heat in the Demolition Derby, Grady Martin, displays his trophy. Club championships held August 15-17 2nd BarbThorne-l35 Dinaland Golf Course was the site of the men's and women's club championships Aug. 15-17. Several players competed in six different flights for the bragging right of Club Champion. The winners in each flight were as follows: Men's Championship Gross: 1st Rafe Johnson-148 2nd Stacey Hall-148 3rd Bill Johnston-149 Men's "A" Flight Gross: 1st Rod Anderson-152 2nd Tom Goodman-156 3rd Wayne Jenkins-161 Men's "A" Flight Net: 1st Kevin Ash-137 2nd Calvin Emmctt-140 3rd Lee Gardiner-141 Men's "B" Flight Gross: 1st Bruce Bodkin-173 2nd Austin Weddlc-174 3rd JoeRowell-178 Men's "B" Flight Net: 1st Kent Stringham-135 Tie 2nd and 3rd Dick Morrow-145and Morrow-145and Darwin Erickson-145 Women's Championship Gross: 1st Laura Arnold-165 2nd Gerri Buckalcw-167 Women's Championship Net: 1st Jean Johnston-128 Women's First Flight Gross: 1st Corrine Pease-190 2nd Helen Atwood-193 Women's First Flight Net: 1st Deann Stringham-141 2ndNemaStricker-151 Women's Second Flight Gross: 1st Lucy Cook-205 2nd Maureen Johnson-216 Women's Second Flight Net: 1st MarLynn Dart-145 2nd Joann Timothy-155 Top 10 Sporis Citiea (NAPS) If you live in these I. n cities you've a lot. to cheer about. ..and probably have. They were named the top ten best spurt, cities in the United States by 7'V Sporting News. In order, they are: 1. Denver 2. Dallas-Fort Wort h 3. Miami 4. Chicago 5. Oakland-San Kranciseo-San Kranciseo-San Jose 6. Detroit 7. Los Angeles-Anaheim 8. New York-Long Island-New Island-New Jersey 9. Baltimore-Washington 10. Philadelphia Utah farmers are wired Daily Horseback Rides 4 Guided Trail Rides One Hour Two Hours 12 Paf Kid's Stable Rides (wphoio!) v Private Riding Lessons Partners in Recreation with the Ashiev Nat on.il l oic Nwy 44, Filming Ccrjc fiRA 801-889-3759 I According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, about 13 percent of the nation's farmers have Internet access, 31 percent own or lease a computer and 20 percent use their computers for farm business. According to Larry Bond, Extension Economist at Utah State University, Utah farmers are well ahead of national averages, lie says 68 percent of Utah's 13,400 farmers have access to a computer, 52 percent per-cent own or lease a computer, 31 percent use computers for farm business and 29 percent have access to the Internet. In fact, Utah farmers arc more "wired" than the average U. S. household. Currently only about 40 percent of all U. S. households own or lease a computer and about 20 percent have Internet access, he says. Bond says he has no exact statistics statis-tics on how Utah farmers use computers, com-puters, but the most common uses are finding weather reports, financial finan-cial record keeping, cowcalf records, decision aids (weather to feed calves to higher weights or sell), ration balancing and individual individu-al metering of feed to dairy cows. For those farmers wiih Internet access, Ikmd suggests his web site (htt((:ext. usu.edu) as great resources re-sources for Utah farmers. W.W,.W,.V.-,.V,.W..U YABA Youth Bowling Sign - Ups (Ages 3 - 20) Youth bowling sign-ups: Saturday, Aug. 23rd & Sunday Aug. 24th 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. DINAH BOWL (1 free game of bowling at time of sign-up) 5 Youth Leagues (Based on Ages) begin Saturday, Sept. 13th Call 789-3302 or 789-3838 for details if i i THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ABU CALL l-S00-897-tlHK ta . tat, jmJ, Please come dressed for your physical. Example: Boys wear shorts and t shirt. Girls wear a swimsuit under your clothes. It Is advised that even if you are not participating In fall sports, that vou take advantage of this opportunity and gel your physical for winter .mti spring sporis. |