HONOLULU – The 2009 bearded turkey spring hunting season will open Sunday, March 1, officials at the state Department of Land and Natural Resources have announced.

The spring season will run 31 consecutive days through Tuesday, March 31.

The spring season will be for bearded turkeys only in specified locations. The season length, bag limits, and hunting areas are established under Title 13, Chapter 122, "Rules Regulating Game Bird Hunting, Field Trials and Commercial Shooting Preserves."

The recent appellate court ruling (Tanaka v. State, Dec. 31, 2007) removed the department's ability to make any seasonal adjustments.

The following conditions and restrictions will be in effect:

• The daily bag limit shall be two bearded turkeys per hunter with a season limit of two.

• All hunters are required to have a current unused turkey tag in their possession while hunting.

Tags are currently free of charge. Turkey tags are nontransferable and must be fastened with snaps and secured tightly around the neck of any bird taken immediately after the kill.

Tags may be obtained from any Hawai'i Island Division of Forestry and Wildlife office and K-Mart in Kona. Hunters must present a current State of Hawai'i Hunting License when obtaining tags. Turkey tags are also required on private land.

Information may be obtained by contacting Division of Forestry and Wildlife offices at the following phone numbers: Hilo: (808) 974-4221; Kamuela: (808) 887-6063 or the main office in Honolulu at (808) 587-0166. Or visit the DOFAW website http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dofaw under "Announcements."