The Texas dove season will be one of the best we’ve seen. There will be an estimated 12.8 million white-winged doves – a record high, and more than 34 million mourning doves. This is not a season you want to sit out!
Regular fall season dates allow hunting from onehalf hour before sunrise to sunset: NorthZone:Sept.1–Nov.10 Central Zone: Sept. 1– Oct. 27 South Zone: Sept. 14– Oct. 27 The South Zone also has 6 Special White-Winged Dove Days when hunting is allowed from noon to sunset:
• Sunday, Sept. 1 to Monday, Sept. 2
• Friday, Sept. 6 to Sunday, Sept. 8
• Friday, Sept. 13
Get your complete regulation information including zones, bag limits and all season dates in the Outdoor Annual online or in the app.
Discover a new place to hunt dove on public hunting lands. Annual Public Hunting Permits are available for $48.
Find out more about what to expect in this exceptional season, including tips on where to find large concentrations of birds, in our 2024 dove forecast.
Some of the most common hunting violations during dove season are lack of a Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, lack of a Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification, or hunting with an unplugged shotgun.
How you can avoid receiving a citation: 1. Purchase a Texas Migratory Game Bird Endorsement (Stamp). Use the free Texas Hunt and Fish app to view all your current endorsements and licenses.
2. To get HIP-certified, just answer a short survey when you buy your license or Stamp. If that's in-person, tell the clerk you need to be HIP-certified. If you already have your license, you can still go online and update it with HIP certification.
3. Shotguns used to hunt dove must be incapable of holding more than 3 shells. Shotguns made to hold more than 3 shells MUST be plugged with a onepiece filler which cannot be removed without disassembling the gun.
