Do you hunt ducks, doves, geese, woodcock, rails, snipe, coots or gallinules in Louisiana? If so and you purchase your hunting license after June 1, 1998, you must become part of the Harvest Information program (HIP). All resident, non-resident and lifetime license holders must be HIP certified. In addition, we encourage all senior citizens and youth under 16 to participate in this program.
The process is simple. When you apply for your license you will be asked, "Do you intend to hunt migratory game birds in Louisiana this year?" If you answer "yes", you will be given a questionnaire that will ask for the number of ducks, doves, geese, woodcock, rails, snipe, coots and gallinules you bagged last season. Once those questions are answered you will return the questionnaire to the clerk and will be given a HIP permit that must be placed on your license carrier. You will then be HIP certified, a simple process.
If you answer no to the question, you will not be certified and it will be illegal for you to hunt any species of migratory game bird in Louisiana that year. If you obtained your hunting license and indicated you did not want to be HIP certified and later decide to hunt migratory game birds in Louisiana you can easily become certified by stopping at any license outlet and make that change.
That's it. There is no cost to you. By becoming HIP certified, you may become part of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) survey of migratory bird hunters.
HIP certification in this program means that better information will be available to wildlife professionals so they can better manage your wildlife resources. Inadequate information about the impacts of hunting on species populations has been used as a reason to challenge hunting regulations in some states. Thus, your cooperation is invaluable.
For a number of years the USFWS surveyed a small number of federal duck stamp buyers about their hunting of migratory birds but the main emphasis was waterfowl. However, the precision of the estimates for the waterfowl harvest was not adequate. In addition, the survey did not include the millions of dove, woodcock and other migratory game bird hunters who did not hunt waterfowl. Differing methods and timings of state surveys made it impossible to calculate valid estimates of the migratory game bird harvest at the regional and national levels.
The USFWS will randomly select a sample of HIP registered duck hunters, woodcock hunters, snipe hunters and other migratory bird hunters and ask them to participate in a harvest survey. These selected hunters will receive hunter record cards prior to the migratory bird hunting season or soon thereafter. They will be asked to record their daily harvest of various migratory game birds and return the completed record card at the end of the season. This survey will provide more accurate harvest information than previous ones and will make it possible for the USFWS and Louisiana to more accurately determine the status and needs of our migratory game bird resources.
Your cooperation and support of HIP is greatly appreciated. Harvest information obtained as a result of HIP will help USFWS and LDWF manage your migratory game bird resources so your children and grandchildren can also enjoy the thrills of migratory game bird hunting during their lifetime.
For more information about HIP in Louisiana call 504/765-2881.
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