Oklahoma · Dove · 2026 Edition
Oklahoma Dove Season 2026: Dates, Bag Limits & Shooting Hours
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Dove (mourning, white-winged & Eurasian collared) · Segment 1 | Statewide | Sep 1 – Oct 31 |
| Dove (mourning, white-winged & Eurasian collared) · Segment 2 | Statewide | Dec 1 – Dec 29 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 15 combined across mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared-doves |
|---|---|
| Possession | 30 combined after the first day, 45 combined after the second day |
| Eurasian collared-dove | No bag limit as long as the head or one fully feathered wing stays naturally attached to the carcass — once it is fully dressed it counts toward the 15-bird aggregate |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 1, 2026) 06:33 — 19:56
Rule: Half an hour before official sunrise to official sunset, unless otherwise provided (per ODWC migratory game bird regulations). Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Oklahoma sun times for any other date.
04 — License & HIP
Dove hunters in Oklahoma need an Oklahoma hunting license and — because doves are migratory game birds — HIP registration (Harvest Information Program). No federal Duck Stamp is required for doves.
Oklahoma hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Oklahoma — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does dove season open in Oklahoma?
The 2026 opener is September 1, 2026. Most states open Sep 1 under the federal migratory bird framework.
When does dove season end in Oklahoma?
The latest 2026 closing date is December 29, 2026. 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 Oklahoma per day?
2026 bag limits: Daily — 15 combined across mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared-doves. Possession — 30 combined after the first day, 45 combined after the second day. Eurasian collared-dove — No bag limit as long as the head or one fully feathered wing stays naturally attached to the carcass — once it is fully dressed it counts toward the 15-bird aggregate. 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 Oklahoma?
On opening day (September 1, 2026) legal light runs 06:33 to 19:56. The rule is: Half an hour before official sunrise to official sunset, unless otherwise provided (per ODWC migratory game bird regulations). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Oklahoma sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt doves on my own land in Oklahoma without a license?
Oklahoma resident landowners or agricultural tenants are exempt on land they own or lease — including the state waterfowl license and HIP for birds taken there — but big-game licenses (deer, elk, antelope, bear, turkey) are separate and not waived. A nonresident who owns Oklahoma land doesn't qualify.
Verified · Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation · Last verified 2026-08-11
Publisher's note. Dates and limits from the ODWC dove regulations page; shooting hours from the ODWC migratory game bird regulations. Oklahoma phases its possession limit in rather than setting it at three times the daily bag from day one — 30 after the first day, 45 after the second. The Eurasian collared-dove rule turns on how the bird is carried: leave the head or one fully feathered wing naturally attached and it does not count against the 15-bird aggregate; breast it out in the field and it does. RE-VERIFIED 2026-09-01, fetched directly: the ODWC dove page answers a plain fetch with a browser user agent. Both segments confirmed - 'Sep 1, 2026 - Oct 31, 2026' and 'Dec 1, 2026 - Dec 29, 2026'. The bag rule is quoted here in full because its shape is unusual and easy to get wrong: '15 daily, 30 in possession after first day combined, 45 in possession after the second day combined. The limit may consist of any combination (aggregate) of mourning doves, white-winged, and fully dressed (those without a head or fully feathered wing naturally attached to the carcass) Eurasian collared doves. However, there is no bag limit on Eurasian collared doves if the head or one fully feathered wing remains naturally attached to the carcass of all such birds while being transported to their final destination.' So the possession cap climbs over two days rather than being flat, and the Eurasian exemption depends on the bird still carrying a head or a feathered wing - dress it out and it counts against the 15.