Second Part of Dove Hunting Season Underway in Texas
The second half of the regular dove hunting season in Texas opened Dec. 12 in the Central and South zones.
Although this part of the season can provide some great opportunities for hunters, it’s typically not the most popular. The majority of dove are harvested in the first few weeks of the season.
For the 2025–26 season, the second dove season dates include:
- North Zone: Dec. 19, 2025 – Jan. 7, 2026
- Central Zone: Dec. 12, 2025 – Jan. 14, 2026
- South Zone: Dec. 12, 2025 – Jan. 22, 2026
These winter dates give hunters a chance to get back in the field after the fall harvest and often coincide with migratory movements that concentrate birds in local fields and water sources, which are conditions that can make for excellent hunting.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) surveys released earlier this year indicate healthy mourning and white-winged dove populations.
Texas is home to seven species of native doves and pigeons, including the three legal game species—mourning, white-winged and white-tipped doves.
The Lone Star State leads the nation in dove hunting, accounting for 32% of the mourning dove and 87% of the white-winged dove harvest nationwide, according to TPWD. More than 300,000 hunters participate each year, generating over $500 million in economic activity.
