The 2025-26 dove season is here but there are a few things wing shooters – whether seasoned or novice ones – should keep in mind.
Hunters must possess a new hunting license, a hunter’s education license for those born after Sept. 1, 1971 and shotguns can’t hold more than three shells.
Also, shooting hours for the special wing-winged dove season is noon to sunset with bag limits of 15 birds per day of which no more than two mourning morning and two white-tipped doves in the aggregate must be in possession.
Although the season already got underway in the north and central zones of the state, for South Texas it starts on today – Friday, Sept. 5!
The special season in this part of the Lone Star State are two weekends, or Sept. 5-7 and Sept. 12-13.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department biologists are predicting a good season but everything could depend on the weather.
One thing for sure is dove hunters should expect to dish out extra bucks as prices for a number of hunting-related items are on the rise, just like anything else these days.
Shells, for example, are going for $10 or more a box depending on the brand. That is up a couple of dollars more than during the 2024-25 season.
As for the doves, some of the commercial outfitters have also increased their prices, in some cases by as much as $100 or more per hunt.
A half a day hunt during the special white-winged dove is going from $150 to more than $200, according to landowners and hunting guides.
If you did not register for the Texas Banded Bird Challenge right before the midnight deadline of Aug. 31 you are out of luck.
According to TBBC organizer, some thousands of the Eurasian collared doves have been released in the last eight years.
Hunters harvesting these tagged birds could end up winning prizes.
