When September 1st rolls around most hunters are getting ready for one thing: DOVE HUNTING!
Dove hunting is one of the first seasons to start off the fall hunting season.
Doves are a migratory game bird hunted all across the U.S. with tens of millions of them being harvested annually. Although this number seems high, it doesn’t even make a dent in the dove population. In 2020, Texas Parks and Wildlife estimated that the breeding population is about 25 million mourning doves and up to 15 million white-winged doves in Texas alone.
When people say they are going dove hunting most are referencing the “Mourning Dove,” which is a type of dove species. There are many different species of dove but some of the most common ones are listed below:
- Mourning Dove:
- The mourning dove are the most common dove species that are seen by hunters across the United States. They’re identified by their brown and grey bodies and visible black spots on their wings.
- White-Winged Dove:
- White-winged doves are similar to the mourning dove except they have a rounded tail unlike the mourning dove whose tails are pointed. They also have long white bars on their wings instead of black spots.
- Eurasian Collared-Dove:
- Eurasian collared-doves are probably the ones you see at the park or on your school campus. Some states recognize them as an unprotected species meaning no bag limits and their hunting season is year round (you should always reference your state’s laws and regulations.) The Eurasian collared-dove is larger in size with a black line across the back of their neck. Their appearance is a lighter grey with a lighter underside.
Dove season varies from state to state and county to county so make sure you check with your states laws and regulations to make sure you abide by the correct set of rules. Other than that, get your shotgun out and get ready for some jalapeno dove poppers…they’re delicious!
