Hunting season is a specified period of time when it is legal to hunt a particular type of game. Local jurisdictions normally set hunting season dates based on the time of year when it is beneficial to local wildlife and the environment to thin the ranks of a particular animal. In order to engage in game hunting, it is necessary to purchase a hunting license from a local probate or registry office. Generally, the hunting license is only in effect for one hunting season.
Designating specific hunting seasons is one way to prevent the population of any one wild animal from being reduced to a level that would create an imbalance in the local ecology. Usually, the hunting season does not occur during the time of year when a particular game is in the middle of mating season. Taking this precaution helps to ensure that the process of propagating the species is not disturbed and that the game population will continue to remain within acceptable limits.
While a hunting season makes it possible to legally hunt game, the season does impose a few restrictions in order to prevent killing young animals or hunting a disproportionate number of females. For example, a typical deer hunting season only allows bucks with a minimum number of points on the rack of antlers. This helps to ensure that deer under a certain age are not hunted, and that does remain safe from hunters.
It is not unusual for local jurisdictions to require that hunters comply with certain standards in order to obtain a license. Hunters usually have to be of a certain age and must have proper identification, such as a driver’s license or state issued picture identification cards. In addition, the prospective hunter may be denied a license if there is a history of circumventing any restrictions associated with the hunting season, such as hunting in areas that are not posted for hunting, or killing game out of season.
A hunting license is usually issued for one particular hunting season. This means that a license issued for deer season is only valid for deer season. In addition, the license is only in effect for one season in most jurisdictions. In order to hunt during the next hunting season, it is necessary to obtain a new license.