Migratory bird hunters must get HIP

Migratory bird hunters prepare for the season by planning their hunt, cleaning their guns, checking their gear and buying their license. They also prepare by "getting HIP."

Anyone who hunts migratory birds - not just ducks and geese, but mourning doves, woodcock or other migratory birds - must be HIP certified. HIP stands for Harvest Information Program, through which hunters provide information that helps biologists manage North America's migratory game birds.

HIP certification provides contact information so the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USWFS) can survey selected migratory bird hunters throughout the United States. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and other state wildlife agencies collect the name, address and some additional information from each migratory bird hunter when those hunters get HIP certified. The USFWS then randomly selects a sample of those hunters and asks them to provide information on the kind and number of migratory birds they harvest during the hunting season. Those reports are used to develop reliable total harvest estimates of all migratory birds throughout the country, according to Steve Cordts, waterfowl specialist for the Minnesota DNR Section of Wildlife.

"In this way, hunters serve as biologists' eyes and ears in the field, helping to improve wildlife conservation efforts and protect the hunting heritage," Cordts said.

To comply with HIP, hunters must identify themselves as migratory bird hunters when they purchase their licenses. They must do this in every state in which they hunt migratory birds. Hunters are also asked to voluntarily answer several questions about their hunting experience during last year's season. Answers to these questions are not used to compile harvest estimates, but are used to identify what types of birds they usually hunt. This allows the USFWS to mail its surveys to the appropriate hunters. For example, most surveys about dove harvest are sent to hunters who usually hunt doves, while most waterfowl harvest surveys are sent to hunters who usually hunt ducks or geese.

Minnesota hunters are required to be HIP certified if they hunt ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, mourning doves, woodcock, rails, snipe or gallinules.

For more information, visit the DNR Web site at or the USFWS Web site at .