Dove Season Opens Statewide September 1 for the First Time in History
For a third year in a row, Texas received significant rain in the spring across most of the state, bolstering the previous year’s healthy dove populations. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) biologist’s estimate both mourning and white-winged doves are near record highs again.
These new population reports are good news for hunters hitting the field on Sept. 1, a historic early opening date approved earlier this year.
Surveys Say ‘More Dove’
Spring population surveys conducted by TPWD staff found mourning and white-winged dove numbers continue to trend near historic highs. Combined with strong habitat conditions across much of the state, hunters should expect solid opportunities when the 2026 dove season opens statewide on Sept. 1.
Estimates place the statewide mourning dove population at 36.7 million birds, a two percent increase from 2025 and just shy of the record high of 37.5 million in 2016. White-winged dove numbers increased ten percent from 2025, with an estimated 12.9 million birds, the highest estimate on record.
Birds may still be scattered across the landscape while food and water remain widely available. As August heat dries things out, hunters are likely to find larger groups gathering at available watering holes. Doves typically feed and water twice a day, so scouting their movement throughout the day is key to a successful hunt. Hunters should focus on agriculture fields or areas with native food sources like sunflower, croton and other annual forbs and grasses.
Historic Change to South Zone Season Opener
The South Zone has historically been restricted by federal regulations from opening in early Sept. due to longstanding concerns about the impacts of hunting on late-nesting mourning doves. After an extensive review of recent biological data, TPWD biologists determined that there was no longer a need to delay the opener and worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to change federal regulations to allow the South Zone to mirror opening day and daily bag limits in the North and Central Zones.
“For over 100 years, the South Zone has opened later than the rest of the state, frustrating a lot of hunters,” said Owen Fitzsimmons, TPWD Webless Migratory Game Bird Program Leader. “I’m very excited about the earlier opener, especially in a year when we are seeing record numbers of doves down south, but it will be a big adjustment for both hunters and the birds. We plan to do our due diligence and conduct extra monitoring to assess any impacts to dove populations, as well as get plenty of feedback from the hunting public over the next few years.”
With the earlier start to the regular season, the Special White-winged Dove Days typically held before the regular season opener were eliminated. These changes are allowed under federal regulations on a three-year experimental basis—a common procedure for any major changes to federal migratory game bird regulations. This gives TPWD time to properly evaluate any impacts to doves before the change is made permanent.
Doves in Texas
Texas is home to seven species of native doves and pigeons, including the three legal game species— mourning, white-winged and white-tipped doves.
Texas continues to lead the nation in dove hunting, accounting for 32 percent of the mourning dove and 87 percent of the white-winged dove harvest in the U.S. annually. More than 300,000 hunters take part each year, generating more than $500 million in economic activity.
Preparing for the Season
TPWD reminds hunters to prepare for the early season heat. Bring plenty of water, seek shade during peak hours and be mindful in dense vegetation when retrieving downed birds. Hunters should also be mindful when parking in tall grass to reduce the risk of starting a fire.
Hunters using dogs should watch for signs of overheating in dogs and inspect for wounds before leaving the field. New World screwworm has been detected in Texas, and all hunters are encouraged to report suspicious wounds, or larvae in a wound, to their veterinarian. For more information about movement guidelines and inspections, visit New World Screwworm (NWS) Guidance — AgriLife Alert System.
The regular dove seasons are as follows:
- North Zone: Sept. 1 – Nov. 8, resuming Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 7, 2027
- Central Zone: Sept. 1 – Oct. 25, resuming Dec. 11, 2026 – Jan. 14, 2027
- South Zone: Sept. 1 – Oct. 25, resuming Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 21, 2027
Full hunting regulations are available on the Texas Outdoor Annual mobile app or online at outdoorannual.com.
All dove hunters must carry:
- A valid hunting license
- A Migratory Game Bird Endorsement
- HIP certification (survey completed during license purchase)
Additionally, anyone born after Sept. 1, 1971, must complete a hunter education course before hunting in Texas. Certification is valid for life and recognized in all states and provinces. Lack of hunter education certification and the Migratory Game Bird Endorsement rank as the two most common hunting violations during dove season. Please make sure you have the appropriate licenses before heading afield this next dove hunting season.
Article source and photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
