Harvest Information Program (HIP)

Requirement for Hunting All Migratory Game Birds
HIP is issued in conjunction with the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp.  All persons (including landowners and other persons entitled to hunt without a license) must be “HIP Certified” and have the printed receipt showing certification in their possession while hunting migratory game birds (dove, coots, rails, snipe, waterfowl, and woodcock).  HIP is a national, cooperative state and federal program to improve the information collected regarding the harvest of migratory game birds.  All HIP certified hunters will become part of a pool of hunters from which samples for federal harvest surveys will be drawn.

When you purchase your Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp, you will be asked a few questions about your hunting success during the last season.  You will be asked:

• Do you plan to hunt brant this coming hunting season?

• About how many of these migratory birds did you bag last season? Ducks, geese, doves, woodcock?

• Which of these types of migratory birds did you hunt last season? Sea ducks [long-tailed duck (old squaw and scoters], coots, snipe and rails? 

Please be sure that your license agent asks these HIP questions. 

Responses to these questions improve survey efficiency and the quality of harvest information used to manage migratory game birds.  If you were not asked these questions or if you have additional questions regarding HIP, please contact the Wildlife & Heritage Service at 410-260-8540.