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Show Page j I I t f 7 tDic Wednesday, Wednesday, August 20, 2003 (Eimes-JCrln- s Nephi, Utah Mourning dove and band-taile- d pigeon hunting seasons begin September 1st EXPLANATION OF AD In just a few weeks, Utah shotgun hunters will begin the states 2003 upland game hunting seasons with the mourning dove and bandtailed pigeon hunts, which get underway Sept. 1. Dean Mitchell, upland game coordinator for the Di- FOR PROPOSED TAX INCREASE vision of Wildlife Resources, provides the following pre- view: Utah is in its fifth year of drought. Historic temperature records were shattered in July as the state endured countless days of 100 degree-pluweather. As a result, there are still a lot of mourning doves in Utah. They thrive in warm climes. If hot, dry weather persists until Sept.. 1, prospects should be ideal for hunters to bag a few of these two migratory game birds before they leave the state for southern wintering areas. Mourning Dove Data collected by Division of Wildlife Resources biologists from 15 mourn- s ing dove call count survey routes scattered throughout the state indicated that 2003 mourning dove breeding populations in Utah were down slightly from 2002. During call count surveys, conducted during the last weeks of May, the number of doves heard calling along the 20-mil- e long call count survey routes was down 4 percent from 2002. The number of doves observed along routes was down 54 percent. 2003 habitat conditions for doves throughout Utah are slightly better than in 2002. Spring showers, and a few summer showers, stimulated growth in grain (wheat and barley) fields as well as annual sunflowers-preferre- d foods for mourning doves. Despite there being a good number of birds in Utah right now, many could head south before the season opener. Mid- - and end of August cloudbursts annually push doves on their southward migration. And, regardless of what the weather is doing, some mourning doves begin to leave Utah during the first couple of weeks of August. These birds begin their annual southward migration based on the photo period or length of the day. As daylight diminishes in the fall, doves are stimulated to move to their wintering areas in Mexico and Central America. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (1918) prohibits the DWR from opening dove seasons earlier than Sept. 1 each year. Dove hunters who normally hunt in northern Utah, but get frustrated when there are few birds around, should give Utahs southern counties a try. Millard, Beaver, Iron and Washington counties in southwestern Utah, and Emery and San Juan counties in the southeast, commonly retain birds until later in the year. Some of Utahs most prosperous dove hunting occurs in the southern parts of the state. The 2003 mourning dove season will remain open through Sept. 30. Bag and possession limits arelO and 20 respectively. Mourning dove and band-taile- d pigeon hunters are reminded that they are required to register under the federal migratory game bird harvest information program (HIP) before going afield for these two The ad below, required by State law, implies that the Juab School District is increasing its property tax levy. In fact, the District is proposing the same total levy as last year. A comparison of last years rates and the proposed rates follows: migratory species. Registration requirements and the process for obtaining a HIP number are described beginning on page 7 of the 2003-200- Upland Game 4 Proclamation. HIP numbers may also be obtained through the DWR Upland Game Web Page at wildlife.utah.gov uplandgame index.htmlhip. To be most effective during DIAPER DERBY WINNERS Winners in the Diaper Derby at the Juab County Fair are 1st place, Cheyenne Lounsbury, daughter of Cache and Brooke Lounsbury ; 2nd place, Daylen Christensen, son of Hadley and Stephanie Christensen; and 3rd place, Kaleb Curtis, son of Sam and Marcie Curtis. the season, hunters should keep in mind the daily activity routine of doves. Birds normally feed early in the morning and again late in the day. Doves are almost exclusively seed eaters and as such, prefer areas with wheatstubble, barley, corn, oats, and all kinds of weedy patches. Annual sunflowers often harbor many doves and provide birds with an excellent source of food and cover. After feeding, doves pick up grit along roadways and then fly to water. The middle part of the day is spent loafing and roosting in trees. Doves usually roost in dead trees. BIKE BARREL RACE WINNERS Winners in the Bike Barrel Race at the Juab County Fair are age Cashe Lynn; age Taran Wright; and age 11, Kimberly Worwood; age Blake Greenhalgh. 3-- 6-- 9-1- Although not currently required by law, its a good idea to wear hunter orange during the first week of the mourning dove hunt. Ball caps and vests in hunter orange help tremendously to reduce the chance of a firearms accident while afield with many other hunters. Respecting private property goes a long way in maintaining future access privileges for hunters. Small things like picking up and packing out spent shotgun hulls and other trash when exiting the shooting field, closing gates and avoiding livestock areas are common etiquette that demonstrates to landowners that hunters are responsible. Please do your part! Band-taile- d Pigeon Hunters should plan to spend time in the coniferous forests of southern Utah for the native pigeon. Bandtails are most common in woodlands from the Pine Valley Mountains in the west to the La Sal and Blue Mountains in the east. In 2003, bag and possession limits for bandtails will band-taile- d be 5 and 10 respectively. The WATERMELON SEED SPITTING CONTEST WINNERS Winners in the watermelon seed spitting contest are Women, Lori Veater; Men, Kelly Lynn; and Teen, Devin Day. season closes on Sept. 30. Band-tailepigeons are the only pigeons in Utah with yellow legs and feet. Feral pigeons have red legs and feet. Hunters are encouraged to d conduct scouting for bandtails. Locate areas that birds are feeding in and note their movements from pre-seaso- n feeding areas to mid-daroosting or loafing areas. Pigeons prefer foods such y as pine buds, acorns, berries, seeds and some pine needles. Flight paths can lie intercepted. In addition to the HIP registration, pigeon hunters are required to obtain a free permit prior to hunting bandtails. Hunters may drop by any DWR office and pic k See Hunt on page 5 NOTICE OF PROPOSED TAX INCREASE The Juab School District is proposing to increase its property tax revenue by imposing a judgment levy. The total tax refund amount for the District is $33,685. The tax impact on a $150,000.00 residence (the average market value) will be $9.24 per year, and the tax impact on a business having the same value as the average value of a residence in the taxing entity will be $13.20 per year. All concerned citizens are invited to a public hearing on the decision to impose a judgment levy to be held on August 20, 2003, 7:00 p.m. at 346 East 600 North, Nephi, Utah 84648. |