that new disease...

[judge jb]

seen on tv where the nile virus was reported in Florida with a heavy out break.. one person diagnoised with the desease and numerous birds affected... makes me wonder about the new eurasion doves that are showing up... kinda scary ain't it.. i would hate to see the day when the only fowl we could eat had to be raised under a controlled enviroment... any ideas?

judge jb

[BrianB]

I wouldn't worry too much. Those ring neck doves are invading from the south, and the virus is invading from the north so to speak. Besides, I don't think the virus is trouble for adults who are healthy. Kids and immunosuppressed are the only ones that have been infected I think.

[Model12]

Wow, thats the first I've heard of that, but I saw something yesterday near my home that I wasn't going to mention because I thought I'd lost my marbles. I saw a HUGE dove light on a limb. At first I thought it might be a pigeon, by after a closer look it seemed to be a dove about the size of a pigeon. No judge, I wasn't drinking and driving....

[Unkljohn]

Anyone eaten one of the ring necked doves yet?? I haven't yet, but I've been seeing lots of them around lately,may get to try one this year. They should improve my % if they are flying around the dove field this year [img]images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img] They are huge and very slow flyers!!

[Ringbill]

I haven't killed one but GF&P tell me that they are "bonus" birds...I gotta think that they taste pretty good.

Ringbill

[AccountingDucks]

Looks like the Nile Virus is spreading pretty quick. The found a dead Cooper's Hawk in Marietta, Ga (surburb of Atlanta) a few days ago. Damn Mosquitos!

[Unkljohn]

If they are "Bonus Birds" do they count towards your limit???

[chance]

Game warden in Desoto county said the same thing about the ring necked dove being a bonus bird. He said it would not count agaist your limit because the Mourning dove is the only one with stated bag limits. we have seen quite a few around a sunflower field near Southaven.

[Unkljohn]

That's what I had heard too, BUT I'm definately going to ask a warden myself before the season starts!!! [img]images/smiles/icon_eek.gif[/img]

[judge jb]

the eurasion dove is not regulated in the state of MS. therefore they can be harvested and will not go against your mourning dove limits.. you can ask your local warden of his ideas, but bottom line is the law and the judge.....

judge jb

[DUCKAHOLIC]

Judge is right the Eurasian Collard Dove will not count aginst your bag limit,And they taste the same as a regular dove just more of em.

[MSDuckmen]

Really don't matter does it guys?

I'll stop at 15 regardless, I hunt them buggers all three seasons, I like to leave the seed around for tomorrows shoot.

[img]images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif[/img]

[cmducks]

judge - the west nile virus seems to infect a variety of bird species (I think its now been documented in individuals of over 70 avian species) but seems to be most common in Corvids (crows, jays, etc.). Just saw a report including the information about FL as well as high incidences of infections in Maryland (localized around Baltimore) http://www.nando.net/healthscience/story 50832p-758051c.html (sorry, I haven't figured out how to enable the HTML). The article points out that the incidence of infection in humans may be underrepresented, and this may be the case of birds as well. Just a caution however, that just because you find a dead bird doesn't mean its infected with West Nile. However, it would be a good idea to report it, especially if you find more than one dead bird in an area.

I'm not sure what the predictions are about the virus affecting birds other than passerines (i.e. ducks, geese, shorebirds, etc.). I'll try to find out more and post it.