The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has announced that Alabama’s 12th annual Youth Dove Hunts will be held in September.

The north zone hunts begin Sept. 8 and will be held in Calhoun, Chilton, Clay, Colbert, Crenshaw, Cullman, Dallas, DeKalb, Elmore, Greene, Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Lowndes, Macon, Marshall, Monroe, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Walker and Wilcox counties.

The south zone hunts begin Sept. 22 and will be held in Baldwin, Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Mobile counties.

The hunts are sponsored by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) with support from many partners.

Hunt schedules and registration information are available at outdooralabama.com. Although the hunts are free, pre-registration is necessary. Online registration begins August.

“The youth dove hunts are a perfect way to introduce kids to hunting,” said N. Gunter Guy, Jr., Conservation Commissioner.  “Spending quality time with family members, while enjoying a safe hunting experience, is a great way to help ensure our hunting heritage.”

Alabama’s Youth Dove Hunting events are held in open fields and staffed by ADCNR personnel, which encourages a safe, secure environment for both parents and participants. The program also makes use of private lands and fields opened for use by community members.

To participate in the hunts, youth hunters must be age 15 or younger and accompanied by an adult at least 25 years old (or a parent) who holds a valid state hunting license and a Harvest Information Program (HIP) stamp.