What You Need to Hunt Migratory Birds

• All waterfowl hunters are required to have federal and state waterfowl hunting stamps.

A Nevada State Duck Stamp ($10.00) is required for any person 12-64 years old who hunts migratory birds, except mourning or white-winged dove, snipe, coot, or moorhen. A federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp ($16.00 at NDOW) is required for any person 16 or older who hunts any migratory waterfowl.

• Nontoxic shot is required in Nevada (NAC 503.183)

1. A hunter of ducks, mergansers, geese, swans, coots, gallinules or snipe shall use nontoxic shot in muzzle loaders or in shells for a shotgun when hunting in this state.
2. The possession of shells for a shotgun which contain other than nontoxic shot is prohibited while hunting any bird designated in subsection 1.
3. The possession of shot for a muzzle-loading shotgun other than nontoxic shot is prohibited while hunting any birds designated in subsection 1.
4. As used in this section, "nontoxic shot" means any shot which has been approved by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service pursuant to 50 C.F.R. Part 20.134.


• Shotguns must be plugged to limit overall shell capacity to three.
  
  
  
• Harvest Information Program (HIP)

  The Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) is a method by Nevada Department of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are developing more reliable estimates of the number of all migratory birds harvested throughout the country. These estimates give biologists the information they need to make sound decisions concerning hunting seasons, bag limits, and population management.

  Any person 12 years or older who plans to hunt any kind of migratory game bird, including ducks, geese, swans, rails, coot, doves, snipe, or gallinules in Nevada this year, is required to ANNUALLY obtain a Harvest Information Program (HIP) validation number and write it on their hunting license before entering the field.

  How to Get Your HIP Number

  The validation number is free, and is available by one of two ways:

  • Call 1-866-703-4605 or
  • Go online to www.ndowlicensing.com.

   The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is conducting the nationwide harvest survey to better understand the impact of hunting on these wildlife resources. Some migratory bird hunters may be surveyed to collect harvest information.

Additional Regulations

• For laws and regulations concerning waterfowl, boating, and other use regulations on state and federal lands, see the 2004 Nevada Hunt Book, which will be available on this site, and at license agents and NDOW offices. 
  
  
  
• Waterfowl hunting is open to non-residents.
  
  
• Waterfowl hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.  Waterfowl season and limit brochures will be available in on September 30 at NDOW offices and license agents. 
  
  
• Migratory game birds are ducks, mergansers, geese, swans, coots, moorhens, snipe and dove. 
  
  
• Head or fully feathered wing must remain attached while in transit from the field for ducks, mergansers, coots and moorhens, snipe, geese and swans.
  
  
• Please report bird bands.  Call 1-800-327-BAND.
  By reporting band numbers, you will be helping to manage our continental waterfowl resource. When you call the Bird Banding Lab, they will ask when and where you encountered the bird. You can then find out when and where the bird was banded.

Protected Non-Game Birds

• Non-game birds, such as shore birds, song birds, hawks, ravens, owls, etc., are protected by state and federal law, and as such must not be hunted, killed or possessed.

Please review the 2005-2006 Migratory Bird Seasons, Limits, and Regulations.