For Release: October 10, 1997

Contact: Michael L. Lapisky 277-3075

Stephanie Powell 277-2771 ext. 4418

PROVIDENCE - The RI Department of Environmental Management's Division of Fish and Wildlife has set the seasons and bag limits for the Rhode Island small game hunting season, which begins Saturday, October 18.

All users of state management areas and all hunters statewide are reminded that they must wear at least 200 square inches of solid daylight fluorescent orange material above the waist and visible in all directions from October 18 to February 28. Hunters during the shotgun deer season must wear a total of 500 square inches of this material. "This requirement is a vital part of the State's hunter safety effort and has been proven to reduce the incidence of hunting accidents," Michael Lapisky, DEM's Deputy Chief for Wildlife Resources, said.

The legal shooting hours for most small game, which includes partridge (ruffed grouse), pheasant, bobwhite, rabbits, hare, squirrel, and fox, are sunrise to sunset, except on October 18 when the hours are 7 a.m. to sunset. The hunting season for raccoons has already begun and they can be hunted at any hour. Season end dates differ. For ruffed grouse and quail it is January 15; for pheasant, January 31; for rabbits, hare, squirrel, raccoon, and fox, February 28. As in past years, all small game hunting stops during the shotgun deer season which runs from December 6 to December 19, except in Bristol and Newport counties where it will remain open. Daily bag limits for small game are consistent with previous years: pheasant (2), bobwhite (3), ruffed grouse (1), rabbits (3), hare (2), and gray squirrel (5). There is no bag limit for fox or raccoon.

DEM's Fish and Wildlife Division plans a pheasant stocking program that will result in the release of about 3600 pheasants on wildlife management areas between opening day through the end of November. Pheasant stocking will occur at several locations including Arcadia, Great Swamp, Carolina, Durfee Hill, Black Hut, Buck Hill, Sapowet, Nicholas Farm, and Big River Management Areas.

Season and bag limits for Rhode Island migratory game birds are established following guidelines set by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The mourning dove season will reopen October 18 at 7 a.m. and run, thereafter, from sunrise to sunset until December 3. The daily bag limit for dove is 12 birds.

Woodcock hunting opens November 6 and closes on December 5, with a daily bag limit of three birds. The rail season, already open, runs to November 21. The snipe season, also open

now, runs to December 5, then is open again from December 20 to January 12. Federal law requires that migratory bird hunters must use a shotgun that is capable of holding no more than three shells.

"The state management areas are in good condition for the start of the hunting season as a result of extensive food plot plantings and other land management activities designed to benefit wildlife," Lapisky said. To assist DEM gather information on hunter effort and game harvested, all hunters using Arcadia, Great Swamp, Carolina and Durfee Hill Management areas on weekends between October 18 and November 16 must check in and out of check stations and record their harvest.

No special permits are required to hunt small game other than a valid 1997 hunting or combination license. Special permits are required to hunt waterfowl at Great Swamp and to hunt in the Burlingame North Camp area. Hunting licenses, as well as the hunting and trapping season abstract which summarizes various laws and regulations affecting wildlife and specifies seasons and bag limits by species, are available from various license vendors throughout the state and DEM's Licensing Office at 235 Promenade Street, Providence. A resident hunting license is $9.50, with all money collected going into a special restricted account used specifically to fund the State's wildlife restoration program. Hunters are advised to check with local authorities before hunting in unfamiliar areas, as municipalities may impose additional restrictions on hunting within their boundaries, Lapisky said.

Hunters may contact the Division at 789-3094 or 789-0281 for further information.