Bird shooting season opens August 23

August 23 will mark the start of the 2025 bird shooting season which will run for six weekends closing on September 28.

The season was declared under the Wild Life Protection (Game Birds) (Declaration of Shooting Season) Order, 2025. Hunting sessions are from sunrise to 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to sunset on Saturdays and sunrise to 9 a.m. on Sundays.

In a statement announcing the opening date for the season, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) noted that only four game birds are to be hunted during the period.

They are the Zenaida Dove/Pea Dove; the White-winged Dove; the White-crowned Pigeon/bald pate; and the Mourning Dove/Long-tailed Pea Dove.

The overall bag limit per hunting session is 20 birds, and no more than 15 shall be White-crowned pigeons/bald pate. No hunting is allowed within game reserves or sanctuaries, forest reserves or within 50 metres of their boundaries, public roads and or within 50 metres of residential areas.

Hunter’s Licence

Anyone who wishes to take part in the 2025 bird hunting season must obtain a hunter’s licence from the NEPA at its head office at 10 Caledonia Avenue in Kingston or at its office at the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, Portland, or any of its authorised vendors strategically located across Jamaica. The cost for a hunter’s licence is $25,000. All applicants must possess a valid firearm licence or user’s permit for a shotgun and a tax registration number to be eligible for purchasing a hunter’s licence.

Hunters who failed to submit the required hunting report for previous seasons will be required to pay a late processing fee of $8,000 before they are granted a hunter’s licence for the current hunting season.

For more information, persons may contact NEPA on weekdays at (876) 754-7540, extension 3602 or toll free at (888) 991-5005.