Mourning dove drinking at a small pond in Texas

Texas Dove Season 2026-27: Sept 1 Opener, Zone Dates & Limits

ByCole Hartwell

Texas moved the South Zone opener to September 1 for 2026–27 and scrapped the Special White-winged Dove Days. Here is what the Parks and Wildlife Commission actually approved, what it changes on opening morning, and what TPWD still has not published.

The short version. For the first time, all three Texas dove zones open on September 1. The South Zone used to wait until mid-September, with a handful of Special White-winged Dove Days bolted on in early September. Those special days are gone — the South Zone now runs one straightforward season with the same bag limits and shooting hours every day.

What the Commission approved for 2026–27

At its March 25–26, 2026 meeting, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission approved a restructured South Zone dove season. TPWD worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to change the federal framework, which had previously prevented the South Zone from opening before September 14 because of concerns about a longer nesting season. After reviewing current biological data, the agencies concluded that concern was no longer justified.

Three things changed in the South Zone:

  • The first segment now opens September 1 instead of September 14.
  • The Special White-winged Dove Days are eliminated.
  • Daily bag limits and shooting hours are now standardized across every day of the South Zone season.

Texas dove season dates by zone (2026–27)

Zone First segment Second segment Status
South Zone Sept 1 – Oct 25, 2026 Dec 18, 2026 – Jan 21, 2027 Confirmed by TPWD
North Zone Opens Sept 1, 2026 Not yet published Closing dates pending
Central Zone Opens Sept 1, 2026 Not yet published Closing dates pending
Why some cells say “pending.” As of July 31, 2026, TPWD’s Outdoor Annual still displays the 2025–26 dove season (it shows the old September 14 South Zone opener). The Commission’s April 2026 news release confirms the South Zone dates above but does not list North and Central Zone segment dates. Rather than repeat numbers we cannot source to the agency, we have left them blank — a lot of sites are currently publishing last season’s Texas dates as if they were current. We will fill these in the moment TPWD posts the 2026–27 Outdoor Annual.

Which zone am I in?

TPWD’s zone boundaries follow highways, not county lines, so plenty of hunters near a boundary get this wrong.

  • North Zone: everything north of a line running from the International Bridge south of Fort Hancock, north along FM 1088 to SH 20, west to SH 148, north to I-10 at Fort Hancock, east along I-10 to I-20, northeast along I-20 to I-30 at Fort Worth, then northeast along I-30 to the Texas–Arkansas line.
  • South Zone: everything south of a line running from the International Toll Bridge in Del Rio, northeast along US 277 Spur to US 90, east to Loop 1604, around Loop 1604 south and east then north to I-10, and east along I-10 to the Louisiana line.
  • Central Zone: everything in between.

If you hunt near San Antonio, Del Rio or the I-10 corridor east toward Louisiana, check the line carefully — Loop 1604 splits the San Antonio area between zones.

Bag limits and shooting hours

  • Daily bag: 15 doves in the aggregate, of which no more than 2 may be white-tipped doves.
  • Possession limit: three times the daily bag (45).
  • Shooting hours: one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
  • Falconry runs a separate statewide season with a 3-bird daily bag.

Because the Special White-winged Dove Days are gone, the old noon-to-sunset start and the special white-winged bag composition no longer apply anywhere in the South Zone. Every day is now a standard day.

Licenses: the part people get wrong

A hunting license alone is not enough to hunt dove in Texas. You need all three:

  1. A valid Texas hunting license.
  2. A Migratory Game Bird Endorsement.
  3. HIP certification — tell the license clerk you intend to hunt migratory birds and answer a few short questions.

HIP is free and takes about a minute, but hunting without it is the most common paperwork violation wardens write on opening weekend.

Know what you can and cannot shoot

Legal game birds: mourning dove, white-winged dove, and white-tipped dove (limit 2 white-tipped per day).

No closed season or bag limit: Eurasian collared-dove and rock pigeon. TPWD recommends leaving plumage attached for identification.

Do not shoot: band-tailed pigeon, Inca dove, and common ground dove are protected. Inca doves in particular turn up around towns and field edges and get mistaken for young mourning doves — they are noticeably smaller and look scaly.

Gear that actually matters on a Texas dove field

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September dove hunting in Texas is a hot-weather game. Most of what makes a difference is comfort and volume of shells, not an expensive shotgun.

FAQ

When does dove season open in Texas in 2026?
September 1, 2026 in all three zones. This is the first year the South Zone opens on September 1 rather than mid-September.

Are the Special White-winged Dove Days still happening?
No. The Commission eliminated them for 2026–27 as part of restructuring the South Zone season.

What is the dove limit in Texas?
15 per day in the aggregate, with no more than 2 white-tipped doves. Possession limit is 45.

What time can you start shooting doves in Texas?
One-half hour before sunrise. With the special white-winged days gone, the old noon start no longer applies.

Do I need a HIP certification?
Yes — plus a hunting license and a Migratory Game Bird Endorsement.

Related Guides

Season structure and the South Zone dates on this page come from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission’s April 1, 2026 news release approving the 2026–27 migratory game bird proclamation. Zone boundaries, bag limits, shooting hours, license requirements and species rules come from the TPWD Outdoor Annual. Regulations change — confirm with TPWD before you hunt. This is not legal advice.

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