This should be subtitled: So he shot a banded dove?
 
Yep, it's a banding study -- for hunters.
 
The three-year study is to determine dove harvest and survival rates to improve mourning dove management -- and how to improve banding studies, such as using "rewards" (we won't call them "bounties" yet) -- check the rationale link below for details.
 
USFWS: Brief info and rationale (and in a readable albeit PDF format).
 
FWC: Florida takes part.
 
Songbird Protection Coalition: Annoyed about dove hunting in Michigan.
 
Roy Lukes, former USFWS bander: With Doves Dead, How About Open Season On Robins? - on dove hunting in Wisconsin.
 
On the off chance that someone reading this does find a banded dove, the FWC link above has information on how to report it.
 
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