Dove opener is Thursday

Dove season opens Thursday and while the bag limit is 15 birds combined daily for mourning and white-winged doves, it does not include Eurasian collared doves as long as those birds are not fully dressed.
Eurasian collared doves are an invasive species and are getting more abundant across Oklahoma. Hunters can kill as many as they want.
There is no bag limit on Eurasian collared doves provided the head and a fully feathered wing are left attached to the carcass. A fully dressed Eurasian collared dove will count toward the bag limit.
The drought has dried up many crops in western Oklahoma, especially southwest, but hunters should be able to find doves around food sources such as sunflower fields and nearby watering holes.
Dove season remains open through Oct. 31 and Saturday and Sunday are free hunting days in the state. Oklahoma residents will not have to carry hunting licenses are HIP permits on those days to go on a dove shoot.
Anyone planning a college tailgate party Saturday with grilled dove breasts wrapped in bacon and jalapeno slices?
The southwest dove zone which allowed winter dove hunting over the Christmas and New Year’s Day holidays has been eliminated. Now, the entire state will be open for dove hunting from Dec. 24 through Jan. 1.

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