The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is seeking fields to lease for the upcoming 2014 dove season. The first segment of dove season opens at noon on Monday, Sept. 1.
Mourning doves are a popular game bird and one of the most widely distributed and abundant birds in North America. More mourning doves are harvested than all other migratory bird species combined in 39 of the continental states. In Tennessee, about 40,000 hunters harvested approximately 300,000 mourning doves last year.
Landowners can earn up to $2,400 for providing a dove field for public hunting. These fields must be available for a minimum of three priority hunt dates in September.
TWRA began its leased dove field program in the late 1980s and the program has been very successful in providing quality hunting opportunities for hunters. In addition to leased fields, many public dove fields are provided on wildlife management areas in each TWRA region. The TWRA website has specific information about WMAs and leased dove fields in each region.
The standard fall leased field is a harvested grain or millet/hay field to which TWRA leases the hunting rights for three priority dates. Rates paid to landowners for traditional fall leased fields may be up to $60 per acre for a maximum field size of 40 acres with a total maximum contract of $2,400 per field. These fields must be signed up by Sept. 1.
Anyone interested in leasing a dove field to TWRA should contact their TWRA regional office. The TWRA has four regional offices across the state that interested landowners can contact: Region I (West Tennessee) 731 423-5725 or toll free 800 372-3928; Region II (Middle Tennessee) 615 781-6622 or toll free 800 624-7406; Region III (Upper Cumberland) 931 484-9571 or toll free 800 262-6704; Region IV (East Tennessee) 423 587-7037 or 800 332-0900.