HARVEST INFORMATION PROGRAM

The Harvest Information Program (HIP) Certification is required of all licensed hunters who hunt migratory bird (ducks, geese, coots doves, rails, gallinules, snipe, and woodcock), including lifetime license holders.

This federal program is design to develop better harvest estimates for all migratory birds. Hunters will be asked how many of each species that they bagged last season to allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to better identify persons for sampling of a specific species such as woodcock. However, even some migratory bird hunters who indicate that they did not hunt a particular species will be sampled because a percentage that did not hunt a particular species may hunt them the following year. All migratory bird hunters will not receive the federal harvest surveys. Hunters to be sampled will be randomly chosen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from the certified hunters.

When buying your hunting license, vendors should automatically ask whether you intend to hunt migratory birds. Should this not happen and you plan to hunt migratory, you should request that the HIP questions (Privilege 09) be completed. If you initially indicate that you are not planning on hunting migratory birds and later decide to hunt them, you must complete the certification process. If no other hunting licenses are being purchased, simply request the vendor to certify you for Privilege 09. There is no cost for the certification. Migratory bird hunters who do not require hunting licenses, such as 15 year-olds and younger, are also encouraged to become HIP certified. Lifetime license holders are required by law to be HIP certified if hunting migratory birds and may become certified at any Louisiana license vendor.

For more information about HIP in Louisiana call 225-765-2887.