Dove Season Opens Tuesday, Sept. 1

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sent this bulletin at 08/27/2020 03:00 PM CDT
View as a Webpage
TPWD Logo

Dove, Teal and Fall Alligator Seasons Open Soon

  • Dove season opens Tues., Sept. 1 in the North and Central Zones
  • The South Zone's Speical White-Winged Dove Days begin Sat., Sept. 5 at noon, and regular season in the South Zone opens Mon., Sept. 14.
  • Teal season opens Sat., Sept. 12 statewide.
  • Fall alligator season opens Thurs., Sept. 10 in core counties.

Don't-Miss Dove Season Ahead

dove hunter in sunflowers

The dove forecast brings us good tidings of another promising season. Texas leads the nation in harvest numbers, with about 7 million doves harvested annually.

We weren't able to do our dove surveys this year due to the pandemic, but we were able to pull together information from dove banding reports and staff experiences in the field. No extreme changes were seen, and you should see plenty of birds in the field when the season opens. All we need is a cold front or two in Sept., and we'll have an excellent season on our hands. 

For hunting tips, and to find out why there are so many doves in Texas, read the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story, Dove Hunting.

Your Need-to-Know

Female dove hunter and guide

Use the Dove Checklist as a reminder of what you'll need for your hunt, including: 

  1. A valid hunting license – a digital license can be used as proof while dove hunting. Access the digital version of your license on the Outdoor Annual app, or show an emailed receipt on your phone.
  2. Texas Migratory Game Bird Endorsement (included in the Super Combo license package)
  3. Harvest Information Program (HIP) – free when you buy a license 
  4. Proof of Hunter Education – if you can't find your certification, print a free copy online.
  5. For help scheduling your time, refer to a sunrise/sunset timetable.

And study the dove identifier so you can quickly identify protected dove species. 

HIP Questions – Your Answers Are Important

white-winged dove

When migratory game bird hunters buy an endorsement with their license, they're asked a few questions, and the answers are compiled in the Harvest Information Program (HIP). Biologists then use HIP information to make decisions about the management of migratory game birds, including dove.

So, answer those HIP questions! It takes very little time. And if your license salesperson doesn't ask you the questions, tell that person to ask you the questions. Don't let your experience be left out – your answers are important to successful dove management in Texas.

Read the magazine blog post, How Many Ducks?, to learn how crucial your HIP answers are to hunting. "Without HIP, we would not be able to protect our migratory game birds, manage their habitats and provide quality hunting opportunities within this state," says TPWD Executive Director Carter Smith. 

We've Got Dove Kebobs on the Grill

dove kebabs on a grill


Whether you cook your harvest on site or take it home, watch our video, How to Clean Store and Cook Dove, for a simple shish kebab recipe you can make on the grill. 

If you plan to freeze your dove breasts, the video also has some tips (water is the trick). Dove breasts will keep up to a year in the freezer using this method – try it. 

A message from our sponsor:

Toyota trucks, link
Safe hunting practices graphic

Messages from Outdoor Annual advertisers:

Honda with link
Federal ammo banner ad with link