By Gary Joiner
TFB Radio Network Manager

Hunters headed afield for the second dove season in Texas have a challenge in their sights—finding birds.

The second hunting season is underway in all three zones. The second season opened today in the North and Central zones.

“Second season is my favorite time to hunt. It’s cooler, and it’s easier on the dogs. But this year is going to be a little bit questionable as to where we’re going to find birds,” Bob Thornton, co-founder of the Texas Dove Hunters Association, said in an interview with the Texas Farm Bureau Radio Network.

Thornton said the problem with the second season is you just never know. One day, birds are there, and the next day, they’re gone.

“Finding those birds right now is a trick. We’ve found numbers of mourning dove in the country, and white-wings are starting to come back out of town and feed a little more regularly on some of the black oil sunflower fields that have been planted around towns,” Thornton said. “It’s something you have to keep on top of.”

Thornton noted when scouting for birds and hunting locations he looks first for water sources, then habitat and what small grains are nearby. And, during the second season, he said he looks for nesting trees.

“You need to find trees in the second season, because they’ll go to the trees right after watering in the late afternoon. I look for that in a mourning dove hunt,” he said.

Thornton said doves north of Interstate 20 haven’t migrated south, yet, and there has been a huge influx of Eurasian collared-doves in the North Zone.

The second season in the North Zone (105 counties) and Central Zone (138 counties) is Dec. 21, 2018 – Jan. 14, 2019.

The second season in the South Zone (54 counties) continues through Jan. 21, 2019.