Arizona hunters can now include more white-winged doves as part of limits
Arizona's dove-hunting season opens Monday, Sept. 1, and runs through Sept. 15
It’s a new regulation change that’s sure to bring a smile to every Arizona dove hunter’s face.
For years, the daily bag limit has been 15 total doves, with no more than 10 being white-winged doves. Not anymore. When the 2025 season gets underway Sept. 1, the daily bag limit will still be 15 total doves, but for the first time a hunter won’t be limited to harvesting up to a maximum of 10 white-winged as part of that limit.
A hunter can now harvest any combination of mourning and white-winged doves that makes up a 15-bird limit, or a possession limit of 45 total. This regulation change also applies to the “late” 45-day season that begins Nov. 21, 2025, and runs through Jan. 4, 2026. There is no daily bag or possession limit on invasive Eurasian collared-doves.
Notes: A fully feathered wing still must be left attached to each dove for identification purposes until a hunter reaches his or her permanent residence, or wherever the game meat will be consumed. Hunters also are encouraged to report any metal leg bands to reportband.gov and return transmitters to the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).
Once again, the greatest number of doves — and dove hunters — will be concentrated in the state’s agricultural areas, particularly those that produce small-grain crops like wheat, barley, oats and sorghum. That includes locations like Yuma, one of the premier destinations in the U.S., as well as Buckeye, Eloy, Florence, Gila Bend, Toltec, and others. Note: All National Park Service parks and monuments are closed to hunting unless specifically opened in Commission Order.
All hunters 18 and older must possess a valid Arizona hunting license, as well as an Arizona migratory bird stamp — both of which can be purchased online at www.azgfd.com/license/. A youth combination hunt/fish license (for youth hunters 10 to 17) is only $5 and includes the Arizona migratory bird stamp.
All dove hunters should review the “2025-2026 Arizona Dove and Band-tailed Pigeon Regulations,” which are posted at https://www.azgfd.com/Hunting/Regulations/. The regulations have been produced in a format that hunters will find particularly handy in the field. The color brochure is easy to read and features important hunting information, such as season dates, daily bag and possession limits, and legal requirements, at a glance.
AZGFD offers additional dove-hunting information, including field-dressing tips and even a tasty recipe, at www.azgfd.gov/dove. For a complete listing of upcoming dove-hunting events, visit the department’s Outdoor Skills Network at https://register-ed.com/programs/arizona/170-outdoor-skills-network/name:dove
Dove hunters play an important role in conservation. Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration program (WSFR) funds consist of excise taxes collected on the sale of hunting and fishing equipment (including 11 percent on ammunition), the benefit of which comes right back to Arizona for habitat improvements, shooting ranges, boating access, and more.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department receives no general fund tax dollars. The majority of funding to manage more than 800 native wildlife species comes from Arizona's hunters and anglers.
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