🕊️ Dove · Hunting gear
Texas Dove Hunting Gear Guide and 2026-27 Season Dates
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Dove season opens Sept. 1 and is the unofficial start of Texas hunting. It's also the hottest hunt of the year, so the gear list leans toward heat, hydration and having enough shells.
2026-27 Texas dove season dates
| Zone | Regular season |
|---|---|
| North | Sept. 1 – Nov. 8, 2026 & Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 7, 2027 |
| Central | Sept. 1 – Oct. 25, 2026 & Dec. 11, 2026 – Jan. 14, 2027 |
| South | Sept. 1 – Oct. 25, 2026 & Dec. 18, 2026 – Jan. 21, 2027 |
Daily bag: 15 white-winged, mourning and white-tipped doves in the aggregate, with no more than 2 white-tipped. Possession: three times the daily bag. Shooting hours: one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. New for 2026-27: the South Zone opens earlier, and Special White-winged Dove Days were eliminated.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 season dates and TPWD news release, Sept. 4, 2026. Around Houston, IH-10 is the line between the Central and South Zones.
Legal must-haves
- Hunting license, Migratory Game Bird Endorsement and HIP certification.
- Shotgun no larger than 10-gauge that holds no more than three shells. Plug the magazine if needed.
- Leave a wing or the head on each bird until you get home so a warden can identify the species. TPWD also recommends leaving plumage on Eurasian collared-doves, which have no bag limit.
The gear checklist
1. Shotgun shells
Light target or dove loads in #7.5 or #8 are traditional. Doves are hard to hit, so most hunters bring several boxes for a limit.
2. Bucket seat or stool with storage
A seat with storage holds shells, water and birds, and keeps you low along a field edge or tank dam.
3. Lightweight camo or earth-tone shirt
Doves pick out movement and bright colors. A breathable, light shirt in field colors works better than heavy camo in 100°F heat.
4. Eye and ear protection
Dove fields can be crowded. Shooting glasses and hearing protection are cheap insurance.
5. Cooler with ice and water
Cool birds quickly and stay hydrated. Heat illness is a real risk in September.
6. Decoys (optional)
A few clip-on decoys on a fence or dead tree can pull birds within range.
TPWD migratory game bird regulations
Regulation details checked against the TPWD 2026-27 Outdoor Annual on October 23, 2026. Regulations can change mid-year. Confirm at tpwd.texas.gov before you go.
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