Hunting seasons, shooting hours, and bag and possession limits for 1963 on doves and pigeons in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were announced today by the Department of the Interior.
In Puerto Rico, the season for both pigeons and doves will open June 29 and end September 29, with shooting hours from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. For all species of doves, the daily bag and possession limit is 15, singly or in aggregate. The daily bag and possession limit for all species of pigeons is eight, singly or in the aggregate, except on Mona Island, where the limit will be 15 pigeons per day and in possession.
The hunting season for both pigeons and doves in the Virgin Islands will open July 15 and close September 1. For all species of doves, the daily bag and possession limit is 10. No pigeon except the red-neck may be hunting in the Virgin Islands. This will protect white-crowns which are presently in short supply. The daily bag limit on red-necks will be five and the possession limit two. Shooting hours for both pigeons and doves in the Virgin Islands will be the same as in Puerto Rico—one half hour before sunrise until sunset.
Proposed 1963 dove and pigeon regulation for the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were published in the Federal Register May 1 and the public was given 30 days to comment on the new rule.
Following review of the comments received and at the suggestion of Puerto Rico, the opening and closing dates for the season were changed slightly from the original proposal. The final regulations are being published in the Federal Register.
