Virginia · Dove · 2026–27 Edition
Virginia Dove Season 2026–27: Dates, Bag Limits & Shooting Hours
01 — Seasons
| Season | Zones | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| First Segment · Opener (noon–sunset) | Statewide | Sep 5 – Sep 5 |
| First Segment (all-day) | Statewide | Sep 6 – Oct 24 |
| Second Segment | Statewide | Nov 21 – Nov 29 |
| Third Segment | Statewide | Dec 19 – Jan 18 |
02 — Bag limits
| Daily | 15 (mourning and white-winged doves, singly or in combination) |
|---|---|
| Possession | 45 |
03 — Shooting hours
Legal light on opening day (September 5, 2026) 06:19 — 19:37
Rule: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset — EXCEPT opening day (Sept 5), which is noon to sunset (per VA DWR).. Sunrise/sunset shift daily — the times above are computed for opening day; use your local Virginia sun times for any other date.
04 — License & HIP
Dove hunters in Virginia need a Virginia hunting license and — because doves are migratory game birds — HIP registration (Harvest Information Program). No federal Duck Stamp is required for doves.
Virginia hunting license cost →
Where to hunt public land in Virginia — WMAs by county & access rules →
05 — FAQ
When does dove season open in Virginia?
The 2026–27 opener is September 5, 2026. Most states open Sep 1 under the federal migratory bird framework.
When does dove season end in Virginia?
The latest 2026–27 closing date is January 18, 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 Virginia per day?
2026–27 bag limits: Daily — 15 (mourning and white-winged doves, singly or in combination). 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 Virginia?
On opening day (September 5, 2026) legal light runs 06:19 to 19:37. The rule is: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset — EXCEPT opening day (Sept 5), which is noon to sunset (per VA DWR). Sunrise and sunset shift daily, so work the offset against your local Virginia sun times for any other date.
Can I hunt doves on my own land in Virginia without a license?
Virginia landowners — resident or nonresident — plus their spouse, children, grandchildren, and parents, may hunt, trap, and fish without a license anywhere within their own land's boundaries. That covers the base license, bear, deer/turkey, archery, muzzleloading, trapping, and the state waterfowl stamp. Tenants living on the land get the same right with the landlord's written consent; the federal Duck Stamp and HIP registration still apply.
Verified · Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources · Last verified 2026-08-27
Publisher's note. Re-verified 2026-08-27 against VA DWR's own migratory game bird regulations page, fetched directly. The Statewide Dove Hunting Seasons block confirms all four rows verbatim: 'First Segment September 5-October 24' with 'Hours: September 5: Noon until sunset' and 'September 6-October 24: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset'; 'Second Segment November 21-29'; 'Third Segment December 19-January 18'; 'Hours for Second and Third Segments: One-half hour before sunrise until sunset'. Bag limit: '15 per day, 45 in possession. Composed of mourning doves and white-winged doves, singly or in combination.' Virginia prints the hours inside the season block, so this file's noon-opener row reflects the source structure rather than an interpretation. One Virginia rule deserves more attention than the flat 45 suggests, and it is quoted here from the same page: 'The possession limit for migratory game birds is 3 times the daily bag limit (except for light geese and tundra swans), but no one is allowed to have more than one daily bag limit of game in his possession while in the forests, fields, or waters of this state.' In other words the 45 is a limit for home or vehicle, not for the field - afield the cap is 15. HIP registration is required for every migratory bird hunter, licensed or license-exempt, and renews on July 1 each year.