In a few areas, notably in Hew York, reports were reoeived of nor- 

 mal nunbers of woodcock* It oannot be denied, however, that the 1940 

 breeding population of this speoies has been re diced through a combina- 

 tion of hunting and abnormal weather conditions* 



Mourning Dove 



While open seasons are provided on the mourning dove in several 

 States, the bird is important as a game species only in California and 

 the South, particularly in the latter region. Doves are difficult sub- 

 jects for proper administration because they are multi-brooded and be- 

 cause the number of broods in the southern part of the range increases 

 with a breeding season that extends from March or February to October* 

 In faot, eggs are laid every month in the year, with the possible excep- 

 tion of November. 



For many years it had been the practice to open the season on mourn- 

 ing doves on September 1. Investigations at the cooperative research sta- 

 tion in Alabama, and elsewhere in the South, furnished abundant evidence 

 that this early opening date was the poorest kind of management, since 

 nesting is aotive during this month over most of the southeastern region* 

 Pending completion of investigations in the northern part of the section, 

 it appears that the shooting season should not open before October 1 for 

 all areas south of the 36th or 37th parallels* 



Studies of the movements of the speoies show that, while large num- 

 bers of western mourning doves regularly migrate well into Mexico, the 

 eastern form does not leave the United States in winter but is heavily 

 concentrated in the Southeastern States* This being the case, it will be 

 readily understood that these birds were particularly vulnerable when the 

 severe weather conditions of January struok deep into the South* Actually, 

 mourning doves were affected as severely as any other speoies, muoh more 

 so than most birds. Literally thousands of dead doves were found, appar- 

 ently victims of starvation and cold* 



Field personnel were accordingly instructed to survey and report on 

 the situation in their respective districts. The study was nation-wide 

 in scope, and more than 150 reports were received for analysis. As ex- 

 pected, these showed the greatest losses to be in the Atlantic and Missis- 

 sippi Flyways, the number reporting decrease being 27 as against only 8 

 noting even a small increase* The situation in the Central and Pacifio 

 Flyways (western subspecies) was much better, the populations being about 

 normal, with a slight gain reporced in the Paoifio Flyway* 



On April 23, 1940, at a conference at Charleston, S* C*, with the heads 

 of conservation departments of most of the Southeastern States, the Bureau 

 made arrangements for regulatory action that will probably greatly improve 

 the management of the mourning dove in the Southeast* In a few States to 

 the north and west, the situation needs improvement and this will be at- 

 tended to as soon as adequate information is available. 



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