BIRD SHOOTING SEASON OPENS SATURDAY 23 AUGUST 2025

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                                                                 BIRD SHOOTING SEASON OPENS SATURDAY 23 AUGUST 2025

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Saturday 23 August 2025 marks the start of the 2025 Bird Shooting Season.  The season runs for 6 weekends and closes on Sunday 28 September 2025.

The season was declared under the Wild Life Protection (Game Birds) (Declaration of Shooting Season) Order, 2025.  Hunting sessions are from sunrise to 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to sunset on Saturdays and sunrise to 9:00 a.m. on Sundays.

Only the following game birds are to be hunted during the season: 

1. Zenaida Dove/Pea Dove
2. White-winged Dove
3. White-crowned Pigeon/Bald-pate
4. 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.

Hunters’ Licence

Anyone who wishes to take part in the 2025 Bird Hunting Season must obtain a hunters’ licence from the National Environment and Planning Agency (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 authorized vendors strategically located across Jamaica.  The cost for hunters’ licence is $25,000.  All applicants must possess a valid firearm licence or user's permit for a shotgun and a Tax Registration Number (TRN) to be eligible for purchasing a hunters’ 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, please contact the National Environment and Planning Agency, weekdays, at (876) 754-7540, extension 3602 or toll free at (888) 991-5005.

Photograph 1: The White-crowned Pigeon (locally known as the Baldpate), is one of the four species of birds allowed for hunting.

For more information, please contact:

Public Education and Corporate Communications Branch

National Environment and Planning Agency

10 and 11 Caledonia Avenue, Kingston 5

Telephone: (876) 754-7540, extension 2761 or (876) 564-9250

Email: robyn.miller@nepa.gov.jm

Website: www.nepa.gov.jm