Florida · Dove · 2026–27 Edition
Florida Dove Season 2026–27: Dates, Bag Limits & Shooting Hours
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Mourning & White-winged Dove · Segment 1 | Statewide | Sep 26 – Oct 18 |
| Mourning & White-winged Dove · Segment 2 | Statewide | Nov 14 – Dec 6 |
| Mourning & White-winged Dove · Segment 3 | Statewide | Dec 19 – Jan 31 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 15 |
|---|---|
| Possession | 45 |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 26, 2026) 06:50 — 19:21
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset (per FWC migratory-bird regulations). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Florida sun times for any other date.
04 — License & HIP
Dove hunters in Florida need a Florida hunting license and — because doves are migratory game birds — HIP registration (Harvest Information Program). No federal Duck Stamp is required for doves.
Florida hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Florida — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does dove season open in Florida?
The 2026–27 opener is September 26, 2026. Most states open Sep 1 under the federal migratory bird framework.
When does dove season end in Florida?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 31, 2027. Split segments and late seasons vary — see the table above.
Do I need a Duck Stamp to hunt doves?
No. Doves are migratory game birds but the federal Duck Stamp is only required for waterfowl (ducks, geese, brant, swans). Dove hunters need only their state hunting license and HIP registration.
How many doves can you shoot in Florida per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 15. Possession — 45. Limits are set per zone and per permit — check the agency's own regulations before you hunt.
What time can you start shooting doves in Florida?
On opening day (September 26, 2026) legal light runs 06:50 to 19:21. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset (per FWC migratory-bird regulations). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Florida sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt doves on my own land in Florida without a license?
Florida's exemption is narrower than 'any land you own' — it only covers hunting (or freshwater fishing) on your own homestead property, or that of your spouse or minor child. Whether deer, turkey, or waterfowl permits are still required on a homestead-exempt hunt isn't spelled out in the statute — check with FWC directly before relying on it.
Verified · Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission · Last verified 2026-08-27
Publisher's note. Re-verified 2026-08-27 against FWC's own '2026-2027 Florida Migratory Bird Hunting Season Dates and Bag Limits' table, fetched directly. FWC prints one table for every migratory species, then the fine print below it, and both were read. The header carries a warning that applies to this file as much as to the table: 'Seasons and dates may not apply to wildlife management areas' - WMA seasons are set separately and are not modeled here. The dove row reads: 'Dove (Mourning and white-winged) | Sept. 26 - Oct. 18 / Nov. 14 - Dec. 6 / Dec. 19 - Jan. 31 | 15 | 45'. All three segments and both limits are what this file carries. Florida runs no dove zones, so the statewide marking is correct. Shooting hours come from the regulations block under the table, in FWC's own words: 'Shooting hours: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset, unless otherwise noted.' The one noted exception on that page is crow, which runs to half an hour after sunset - dove takes the general rule. That makes this one of the dove files in this project whose hours rest on an agency sentence rather than on the federal framework. Permits, quoted because the exemption is easy to miss: 'Must have migratory bird permit (no cost) as well as hunting license to hunt all above listed species, except crow. Migratory bird permit not required for hunters under 16 and over 65 years of age.' Dove is not marked (W), so the Florida waterfowl permit and the federal duck stamp do not apply to it.