Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program

The Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) and State wildlife agencies (States) are cooperatively establishing a national Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (Program). The Program requires licensed migratory game bird hunters to supply their names, addresses, and other necessary information to the hunting licensing authority of the State in which they hunt. The Program improves the quality and extent of information about the harvests of migratory game birds to better manage these populations. The Program requires hunters to have evidence of current Program participation (Program validation) on their person while hunting migratory game birds in participating States. Hunters' names and addresses will provide a sample frame for voluntary hunter surveys needed to improve harvest estimates for all migratory game birds. States will gather migratory bird hunters' names and addresses and the Service will conduct the harvest surveys. This specific action adds five States to the list of those participating in the Program, bringing the total to 22.