Colorado › Species › Eurasian collared-dove
Invasive bird
Eurasian collared-dove in Colorado: 2026-27 invasive bird rules
Dates, GMUs or zones, limits, licenses, legal hours and public land for Eurasian collared-doves.
Photo: Larry Lamsa (CC BY 2.0)
The short version for Eurasian collared-doves
For 2026-27, CPW prints 1 dated row for Eurasian collared-doves, running all year. Status today: year-round. Typical bag on the collared-dove rows: unlimited.
- Bag in brief (collared-dove): Unlimited
- Dates in short (collared-dove): Year-round (invasive): April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027 (Statewide)
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14 and CPW website, checked November 5, 2026.
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Eurasian collared-dove: all CPW dates and licenses
1 row, each a CPW license group with its dates and limit. Big game rows merge hunt codes that share a method, sex, license type and dates.
| Row | Sold as | Valid in | Open | Limit | Codes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-round (invasive) | No license | Statewide | Year-round | Unlimited | – | Year-round |
- Year-round (invasive) (collared-dove, Statewide): No license needed (hunter education required); keep fully feathered unless counted in mourning/white-winged bag.
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
Where Colorado collared-dove hunting is open
- Year-round (invasive) (collared-dove): Statewide; year-round.
No zone line limits Eurasian collared-doves; every Colorado county is in. Counties hub
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
How many Eurasian collared-doves you can take
- Unlimited (collared-dove, 1 row)
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
Buying a license for Eurasian collared-doves
CPW folds a $1.25 search-and-rescue surcharge and a $1.50 Wildlife Education Fund fee into each collared-dove price. Hunter education fees are the sole charge for Eurasian collared-doves.
| License | Buyer | Fee | Valid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter ed, online | Anyone | $34.95 online + up to $10 class | – |
| Hunter ed, classroom | Anyone | up to $10 | – |
From CPW website and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 15, checked November 5, 2026.
Eurasian collared-dove: guns, bows and methods
- Small game and furbearers (collared-dove), OK: Rifles, handguns, shotguns 10 ga max (3 shells), hand-held bows, crossbows, air guns, slingshots, hawking; live traps for furbearers.
- Small game and furbearers (collared-dove), off limits: Body-grip, foothold, snare/cable devices and poisons (except under W-17/Department of Agriculture permits); centerfire rifles larger than .23 cal west of I-25 during regular deer/elk rifle seasons without an unfilled deer/elk license.
- Year-round (invasive) (collared-dove method text): Shotguns 10 ga max, 3 shells max (plugged), fired from shoulder, no slugs; hand-held bows; hawking; Nontoxic shot rules per federal law; No bait; no recorded/electronic calls (except crows and light geese in the conservation order).
From 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 9 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 14, checked November 5, 2026.
Eurasian collared-dove rules in the field
- Orange and pink (collared-dove): Not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged).
- Hunting hours (collared-dove): One-half hour before sunrise to sunset.
- Trespass (collared-dove): Permission required on private land whether or not posted; State Land Board lands only where leased/signed by CPW.
- Vehicles and roads (collared-dove): No shooting from a vehicle or within 50 ft of a public road centerline; firearms unloaded in the chamber in vehicles; firearms (except handguns) unloaded and cased on OHVs during deer, elk, pronghorn and bear seasons.
- Sunday rule (collared-dove): No statewide Sunday restriction appears in the 2026 brochures, CPW regulation chapters read or CRS Title 33; seasons run every day; Some State Wildlife Areas limit hunting to certain days (Chapter W-5/W-9 property rules, for example waterfowl only on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays on some SWAs).
- SWAs and STLs (collared-dove): Everyone 16+ needs a hunting or fishing license (or State Wildlife Area Pass) on state wildlife areas and state trust lands.
- Safety course (collared-dove): Anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 needs a hunter education card to buy or apply for a hunting license; carry it (or have it verified "V" on the license); Other states' cards honored.
From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 25, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 24 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.
Eurasian collared-dove: the biggest public areas
The land data ties Eurasian collared-doves to 167 public places; regions: Northeast 74, Southeast 46, Southwest 31, Northwest 15. Big public blocks hold the most ground, but small SWAs and State Trust Land parcels can be closer to home for Eurasian collared-doves.
| Place | Type | County | Acres | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Juan | National forest | Archuleta +8 | 1,866,191 | Southwest |
| Gunnison | National forest | Delta +4 | 1,666,609 | Southwest |
| Gunnison | Ranger district | Gunnison +2 | 1,284,166 | Southwest |
| Colorado State Trust Lands Hunting and Fishing Access Program | Access program | Adams +41 | 973,000 | – |
| Uncompahgre | National forest | Delta +7 | 952,961 | Southwest |
| Columbine | Ranger district | Archuleta +3 | 687,144 | Southwest |
| Lake Pueblo | SWA | Pueblo | 11,864 | Southeast |
| Hot Sulphur Springs | SWA | Grand | 2,160 | Northwest |
| Purgatoire River | SWA | Bent | 960 | Southeast |
| Cottonwood | SWA | Morgan | 884 | Northeast |
| Howard Creek | State Trust Land | Weld | 640 | Northeast |
| Oxbow | SWA | Otero | 410 | Southeast |
From CPW website, CPW website and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.
Mourning dove perched. Photo: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Mourning dove on the ground. Photo: Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0)
Mourning dove perched on a bare branch. Photo: ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0)
Eurasian collared-dove, answered
Can I use a rifle on Eurasian collared-doves?
For Eurasian collared-doves the legal list is rifles, handguns, shotguns 10 ga max (3 shells), hand-held bows, crossbows, air guns, slingshots, hawking; live traps for furbearers; the collared-dove ban list is body-grip, foothold, snare/cable devices and poisons (except under W-17/Department of Agriculture permits); centerfire rifles larger than .23 cal west of I-25 during regular deer/elk rifle seasons without an unfilled deer/elk license.
How much is a license for Eurasian collared-doves in Colorado?
Collared-dove hunters buy from this list: Hunter education: online course + conclusion class (anyone) $34.95 online + up to $10 class; Hunter education: classroom course (anyone) up to $10.
Which hours are legal for Eurasian collared-doves in Colorado?
One-half hour before sunrise to sunset for Eurasian collared-doves. On November 5, 2026 in Denver that works out to 6:02 am to 4:55 pm (NOAA solar formula).
Is fluorescent orange or pink required on a collared-dove hunt?
Eurasian collared-doves are outside the rule (not required for small game, migratory birds, turkey or lion (encouraged)).
What does CPW report about the collared-dove harvest?
The CPW harvest reports read for this guide carry no separate figure for Eurasian collared-doves, and CPW has no records program.
What public ground holds Eurasian collared-doves?
167 public places in this guide list Eurasian collared-doves; the largest are San Juan National Forest, Gunnison National Forest and Gunnison Ranger District (Gunnison National Forest, Uncompahgre National Forest). SWAs and State Trust Lands need a Colorado hunting or fishing license or SWA pass for anyone 16 and older.
Do I need hunter education to hunt Eurasian collared-doves?
Yes, for Eurasian collared-doves as for all hunting: anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 needs a hunter education card to buy or apply for a hunting license; carry it (or have it verified “V” on the license); Other states’ cards honored.
Bait and electronic calls for Eurasian collared-doves: legal?
Bait (collared-dove): no bait for small-game mammals, game birds or migratory birds; federal baited-area rule (10 days after removal) for migratory birds; e-calls (collared-dove): prohibited for big game, lion, turkey, small game and waterfowl; allowed for furbearers, crows and light geese in the conservation order.
What is the bag limit for Eurasian collared-doves in Colorado?
Limit on the collared-dove rows: Unlimited.
When is collared-dove season in Colorado for 2026-27?
Eurasian collared-doves have a year-round row in Colorado: April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, the license year.
Other photos on this page: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0).