1501:31-7-05. Seasons and limits on rail, common snipe (Wilson's snipe), woodcock, gallinules (common moorhens), teal, geese and mourning doves

(A) Throughout the state, it shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, kill, wound, take, or attempt to take, or to possess any of the migratory game birds specified in this rule except as provided in this rule or other rules of the Administrative Code.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess any rails except sora and Virginia, which may be hunted and taken from September 1, 2020 through November 9, 2020.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess more than twenty-five rails singly or in the aggregate in one day, or to possess more than seventy-five rails singly or in the aggregate at anytime after the second day.

(3) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess common snipe (Wilson's snipe) at any time, except from September 1, 2020 through November 24, 2020 and December 12, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess woodcock at any time, except from October 10, 2020 through November 23, 2020.

(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take rails, common snipe (Wilson's snipe), woodcock, or gallinules (common moorhens) at any time, except from sunrise to sunset daily during the open season.

(6) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than three woodcock in one day or possess more than nine woodcock after the second day.

(7) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than eight common snipe (Wilson's snipe) in one day or possess more than twenty-four common snipe (Wilson's snipe) at any time after the second day.

(8) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess gallinules (common moorhens) at any time except from September 1, 2020 through November 9, 2020.

(9) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than fifteen gallinules (common moorhens) in one day or possess more than forty-five gallinules (common moorhens) at any time after the second day.

(10) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess Canada geese, except Canada geese may be hunted statewide and taken from September 5, 2020 through September 13, 2020.

(11) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than five Canada geese in one day or possess more than fifteen Canada geese at any time after the second day during the special early goose season.

(12) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take teal or Canada geese at any time, except from sunrise to sunset daily during the special early Canada goose/ teal seasons.

(13) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess teal at anytime except from September 5, 2020 through September 20, 2020 or during the open season for ducks as specified in rule 1501:31-7-06 of the Administrative Code.

(14) It shall be unlawful for any person to take more than six teal in one day during the September 5, 2020 through September 20, 2020 open season for teal or possess more than eighteen teal taken during the September 5, 2020 through September 20, 2020 open season for teal any time after the second day.

(15) Licensed falconers may hunt the migratory game birds listed in this rule during the specified season dates for that species.

(16) For licensed falconers, it shall be unlawful to exceed the daily bag limit of an aggregate of three migratory game birds of any species while hunting with a raptor.

(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, take, or possess mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves at any time except from September 1, 2020 through November 8, 2020, and December 12, 2020 through January 1, 2020.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt or take mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves at any time except from sunrise to sunset daily during the open season. Provided further, it shall be unlawful to hunt or possess mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves except during the posted hours on any public hunting area posted with signs stating the restricted hunting hours.

(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to take or possess more than fifteen mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves singly or in the aggregate in one day, or possess more than forty-five mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves singly or in the aggregate after the second day.

(3) It shall be unlawful to hunt mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves on any public hunting area designated as a controlled hunt area without a permit from the chief of the division of wildlife.

(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to take a mourning dove or Eurasian collared-doves that is on any type of building, utility wire or utility pole.

(C) It shall be unlawful for any person to transport any migratory game bird, except mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves, unless the head or one fully feathered wing remains attached to each bird at all times while being transported from the place where taken until they have arrived at the personal abode of the possessor or a commercial preservation facility.

(1) No person who legally takes and possesses any mourning doves or Eurasian collared-doves shall place or leave any such birds in the custody of any other person for picking, cleaning, freezing, processing, shipping, transportation, or storage, including temporary storage, or dispose of such birds by gift to another person, unless such birds have a tag attached signed by the hunter stating his address, the total number and kinds of birds, and the date such birds were killed.

(2) No person may receive or have in custody any mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves belonging to another person, or receive and possess any mourning doves taken by another person, unless such birds are tagged as required under paragraph (C)(1) of this rule.

(3) No person who legally takes and possesses any mourning doves and Eurasian collared-doves shall place or leave such birds at any place for storage, including temporary storage, other than at his personal abode unless such birds are tagged as required under paragraph (C)(1) of this rule. Legally possessed mourning doves being transported in any vehicle as the personal baggage of the possessor shall not be deemed to be in storage or temporary storage.

(D) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt any migratory game bird or migratory waterfowl without first having been harvest information program (HIP) certified, provided further all hunters shall carry their HIP certification when hunting migratory game birds or migratory waterfowl.

(E) It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt ducks, geese or brant on the lands of another without first obtaining an annual wetland habitat stamp. This paragraph does not apply to persons under eighteen years of age nor to persons exempted from procuring a hunting license under section 1533.10 or division (A) of section 1533.12 of the Revised Code.

(F) All definitions set forth in rule 1501:31-1-02 of the Administrative Code shall apply to this rule.

Effective: 7/1/2020
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 3/23/2020 and 07/01/2025
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1531.10
Rule Amplifies: 1531.06, 1531.08, 1533.02
Prior Effective Dates: 08/25/1976 (Temp.), 08/15/1977 (Temp.), 08/30/1978 (Temp.), 08/31/1979 (Temp.), 08/31/1980 (Temp.), 08/31/1981 (Temp.), 08/31/1982 (Temp.), 08/30/1983 (Temp.), 08/10/1984 (Temp.), 08/09/1985 (Temp.), 08/09/1986, 08/09/1987 (Temp.), 08/09/1988 (Temp.), 08/09/1989 (Temp.), 08/09/1990 (Temp.), 08/11/1991 (Temp.), 08/17/1992 (Temp.), 08/15/1993 (Temp.), 08/19/1994 (Temp.), 08/17/1995 (Temp.), 08/16/1996 (Temp.), 08/10/1997 (Temp.), 08/11/1998 (Temp.), 08/13/1999 (Temp.), 08/13/2000 (Temp.), 08/13/2001 (Temp.), 08/15/2001 (Emer.), 11/30/2001, 11/13/2002, 11/27/2003, 09/01/2004 (Emer.), 11/22/2004, 08/31/2005 (Emer.), 11/18/2005, 11/27/2006, 07/01/2007, 09/01/2007 (Emer.), 11/08/2007, 09/01/2008 (Emer.), 11/24/2008, 09/01/2009 (Emer.), 09/01/2010 (Emer.), 11/04/2010, 09/01/2011 (Emer.), 11/10/2011, 08/30/2012 (Emer.), 11/12/2012, 09/01/2013 (Emer.), 11/24/2013, 08/28/2014 (Emer.), 11/07/2014, 08/31/2015 (Emer.), 11/09/2015, 07/01/2016, 01/01/2017, 07/01/2017, 07/07/2018, 07/01/2019