By Jessica Domel
Multimedia Reporter

There are a few things Texas hunters should keep in mind as we the opening day of dove hunting season approaches in the north and central zones Thursday, Sept. 1.

Dove hunting season in the south zone opens Wednesday, Sept. 14. That means hunters who have put feed out to attract doves must put it away soon.

“There are federal baiting regulations and state law, as well,” Owen Fitzsimmons, webless migratory game bird program leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD), said. “They can be confusing, but one of the big ones is if there is any bait, any deer corn or anything that is going to attract those birds, it has to be removed. You have to wait at least 10 days after that removal and have a game warden out there to check it to be sure that you’re totally legal and that all the bait has been removed.”

Hunters should also ensure they have all the necessary paperwork and permits before hunting.

“Along with your hunting license, you’re going to need to be sure that you have the $7 migratory game bird endorsement. That’s a state endorsement on your license,” Fitzsimmons said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network. “You want to be sure that you are HIP certified. HIP is the Harvest Information Program. You can get that online or when you get your license at an outside vendor like Walmart or Academy. They’ll ask you a few questions about last year’s migratory bird hunting activity.”

Hunters born on or after Sept. 2, 1971 must also carry proof they’ve completed Hunter Education or have an approved deferral.

There are no changes to dove hunting regulations or zones this year.

“Basically all the seasons are the same. Season dates just calendar shifted this year,” Fitzsimmons said. “This is the second year in a row that we’ve had six Special White-Wing Days down in the south zone, which would be the first two Friday, Saturdays and Sundays of September.”

Bag limits remain at 15 for the north, central and south zones with no more than two white-tipped.

The possession limit remains at three times the daily bag.

“The only bag limit difference is for the Special White-Wing Days. It’s 15 to include no more than two mourning doves and two white-tipped doves,” Fitzsimmons said.

The falconry bag limit is three birds.

Eurasian collared-doves, which are invasive, do not count toward the daily bag limit.

“It’s not required to keep any identifying plumage like a wing or anything on doves, but we do highly suggest that if you are bagging any Eurasian collared-doves, just go ahead and leave a wing or some other identifying plumage just to make sure they’re not counted as part of your game bird bag limit,” Fitzsimmons.

Legal hunting hours for dove are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. During the Special White-Wing Dove Days, legal shooting hours are from noon to sunset.

Hunters should also remember to have a plug in their gun to ensure it’s limited to only three shells at a time.

“That’s a big one. That’s probably one of the most common citations that bird hunters will get,” Fitzsimmons said.

Hunters who find a silver band on a dove in their bag are encouraged to report that tag number as soon as possible.

“We band mourning and white-wing doves as part of an annual regulatory program to determine harvest rate, survival and a few other demographics,” Fitzsimmons said. “It’s really important for hunters to report those. Each leg band will have a website on it, ReportBand.gov. You can just go to that website and put in the band number, the location, your name and stuff, and you’ll get to keep the band. The bird banding lab will send you a certificate telling you where the bird was banded. We’ll be able to use that information to better conserve the species.”

If hunters find a Eurasian collared-dove with an orange band, those should be reported to the Texas Dove Hunters Association.

It’s part of a research project to study the habits of the invasive species.

Although it’s not required by law, Fitzsimmons suggests hunters add “water” to their dove hunting equipment checklist.

“One thing that hunters should definitely be aware of is staying hydrated and staying cool, and that goes for themselves and a dog if they decide to bring one out on the hunt with them,” Fitzsimmons said. “These temperatures can be very dangerous. So keep it safe. Don’t overdo it. Make sure you get home safe.”

As for this season’s prospects, Fitzsimmons said it depends, but he recommends hunting near a water source.

“Depending on how much rain we get between now and Sept. 1, I think it’ll still be key to focus on those waterholes and food sources because it’s been a really, really dry summer, and those birds are going to be grouped up,” Fitzsimmons said.

For hunters that do not have a lease this season, he recommends checking out the public hunting opportunities in Texas.

“We’ve got over a million acres, total of public hunting land and different opportunities, and with a $48 annual public hunting permit, that gives you access to a lot of private land leases that are located across the state. These are walk-in areas,” Fitzsimmons said. “You can also get a few of the draw hunts that are still available. We’ve got some premium private land draw hunts that I think we’ve already hit the expiration date for, but there’s some other e-postcard hunts in our WMAs, in our wildlife management areas that you can get, as well.”

Additional details are available here.

This year’s dove season dates and regulations are available in the Outdoor Annual, on OutdoorAnnual.com and via the Outdoor Annual app.