Georgia Dove Hunting Season Begins Next Saturday

The fall hunting season in Georgia officially kicks off next Saturday, when dove season will officially begin.

But don't plan on getting too early of a start. The season begins at noon on September 3.

"Hunting for doves brings a lot of joy to families that are anxious to kick off the fall hunting season," said John W. Bowers, Georgia's chief of game management. "Georgia has a great choice of fields to choose from with approximately 40 state public dove fields, plus opportunities on private land available to the public through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Voluntary Public Access (VPA)/Habitat Incentive Program."

The 2016 dove seasons are September 3-18, October 8-28 and November 24-January 15.

Shooting hours are noon to sunset on opening day and a half-hour before sunrise to sunset on the rest of the season dates.

Many public dove fields will be reserved solely for quota hunts on opening day, so hunters are encouraged to review dove hunting rules and regulations to ensure the availability of the field they plan to visit.

The daily bag limit is 15 doves per hunter. Collared doves may be taken, but do not affect the count of your daily limit.

Any auto-loading or other repeating shotguns must be plugged to hold no more than three shells while hunting doves.

And, of course, hunters must obtain permission from landowners before hunting on private property.

Dove hunters who are 16 and older must have a Georgia hunting license and a free Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) permit.

HIP provides biologists with needed information to ensure conservation of migratory bird populations while providing quality hunting opportunities. When hunting on a WMA, you also must possess a WMA license.

Hunters may purchase licenses online at www.georgiawildlife.com/licenses-permits-passes, by phone at 1-800-366-2661 or at license vendor locations.

For more information, including a way to check to see if a private field is a legal spot for dove hunting, hunters may check the online brochure, “Dove Hunting and Agricultural Practices in Georgia,” available at www.georgiawildlife.com/hunting/dovebrochure.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Aaron Diamant, via Wikimedia Commons