Winter dove season underway

Published 10:12 am Wednesday, December 11, 2024

This weekend is one of my personal favorite seasons. Starting Friday, the “Winter” dove season began.

I believe the majority of dove in East Texas during December and January are wintering here. This is as far south as they will migrate and snow is about the only thing to move them out. They will gather in small flocks, feed, water and enjoy their winter holidays right here with us.

Rewind to the summer birds in our area, the majority are juveniles and on their first ever migration. These young birds will be smaller and many have yet to put on their adult plumage. These same birds are now fully grown and in optimal condition.

The pros of winter dove and dove hunting are many and the cons are few. As mentioned, winter dove will now be adults and much larger than September doves. Many of the birds will have been on a constant supply of high quality feed and great habitat conditions since they arrived.

Keep in mind these birds will have had access to a multitude of East Texas deer feeders for the past three months. Fatter, bigger and slower are all desirable traits I look for in doves. Taste enhancers you might say, as dove breasts are hard to improve except with the “Bigger and fatter.”

Texas is divided into three different hunting zones.

The North zone is everything north of a line from Texarkana on Interstate 30 to Fort Worth then Interstate 20 to Kent. From Kent to Fort Hancock on Interstate 10. We are in the Central Zone which is everything North of a line starting in Orange on Interstate 10 to San Antonio then US HWY 90 to Del Rio. Of course the South Zone is below that same line.

Each zone has slightly different dates so make sure to check the regulations for the area you plan to hunt. The season runs through Jan. 7 in the North Zone, January 14th in the Central Zone and Jan. 21 in the South Zone. All three zones adhere to the same daily bag limits at 15 birds per day not to include more than two white tipped doves.

White tipped doves are highly unlikely to found anywhere but in the south zone but anything is possible. Whitewing doves are however expanding their range as we speak.

Over the past few years, East Texas sightings of Whitewings is quickly becoming more common.

Get all of the paperwork sorted out if you have not hunted migratory birds before. In addition to the regular hunting license, a Texas Migratory Game Bird Stamp Endorsement and a Hunter Information Program or (HIP) certification must be completed before hunting doves.

Bring plenty of shells, jalapenos, cream cheese and bacon!