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Georgia Eurasian Collared Dove Hunting
Eurasian collared doves may be taken at any time of year in Georgia, with no limit. This guide gathers the collared dove calendar, limits, licenses, legal weapons and public land.
Photo: StephenGA (CC0 1.0)
They are larger and paler than mourning doves, with a black half-collar on the back of the neck, and they often turn up on the same fields. Shotguns must hold no more than three shells, the same plug rule as for every migratory bird. Mourning dove limits still apply to any mourning doves in the bag on the same hunt.
What WRD prints about collared doves
- Methods allowed: Shotguns plugged to 3 shells (federal rules apply).
- Worth knowing: May be taken at any time.
Eurasian Collared Dove take, day and season
Limits for collared doves as numbers and as written.
Eurasian collared dove
No limit.
When collared doves are open in Georgia
No calendar to track: collared doves are open year-round.
| Season | Area | From | Through | Days | Open? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year-round | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round |
Eurasian Collared Dove row notes
- May be taken at any time; no limit. Migratory bird licensing applies to doves generally.
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 season page and the 2026-27 guide (PDF), checked October 13, 2026.
Public land for collared doves in Georgia
Public ground for collared doves: 55 areas, largest first. Read each area listing for quota and sign-in rules.
| Area | Type | Counties | Region | Size, acres |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Creek WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Putnam, Jones, Jasper | Thomson | 41,000 |
| Redlands WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Greene, Oglethorpe, Morgan | Gainesville | 37,500 |
| Dixon Memorial WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Ware, Brantley | Brunswick | 35,247 |
| Altamaha WMA | Wildlife Management Area | McIntosh | Brunswick | 31,569 |
| Savannah National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Effingham, Chatham | Fitzgerald | 30,715 |
| Dawson Forest WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Dawson | Gainesville | 25,658 |
| Crockford-Pigeon Mountain WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Walker | Armuchee | 21,895 |
| Chickasawhatchee WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Dougherty, Calhoun, Baker | Albany | 19,700 |
| Berry College WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Floyd | Armuchee | 15,605 |
| B.F. Grant WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Putnam, Morgan | Thomson | 11,400 |
| Canoochee Sandhills WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Bulloch, Bryan | Fitzgerald | 10,224 |
| Clarks Hill WMA – East | Wildlife Management Area | McDuffie, Wilkes, Lincoln | Thomson | 10,224 |
| West Point WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Heard, Troup | Armuchee | 10,000 |
| Silver Lake WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Decatur | Albany | 9,200 |
| Di-Lane WMA | Wildlife Management Area | Burke | Thomson | 8,100 |
Other collared dove ground, by size
Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Hilliard Plantation Tract (8,089 ac) · Oconee WMA (7,930 ac) · Yuchi WMA (7,800 ac) · Big Lazer Creek WMA (7,200 ac) · Alapaha River WMA (6,870 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Almo Tract (6,700 ac) · Clybel WMA (6,700 ac) · Rum Creek WMA (5,800 ac) · Hannahatchee Creek WMA (5,600 ac) · Blanton Creek WMA (4,800 ac) · Joe Kurz WMA (3,700 ac) · River Bend WMA (3,670 ac) · Georgia WRD Public Dove Fields (3,023 ac) · Fishing Creek WMA (2,900 ac) · Wilson Shoals WMA (2,800 ac) · Coosawattee WMA (2,714 ac) · River Creek, The Rolf & Alexandra Kauka WMA (2,437 ac) · Flint River WMA (2,400 ac) · Chattahoochee Fall Line WMA: Fort Perry Tract (2,100 ac) · McGraw Ford WMA (2,067 ac) · Elmodel WMA (1,600 ac) · Lower Broad River WMA (1,500 ac) · Alexander WMA (1,300 ac) · Paradise PFA (1,300 ac) · Hart County WMA (1,000 ac) · Featherfield WMA (875 ac) · Flat Creek PFA (850 ac) · McDuffie PFA (600 ac) · Buck Shoals WMA (582 ac) · Rogers State Prison Farm Dove Fields (538 ac) · Hiltonia WMA (500 ac) · J.L. Lester WMA (477 ac) · Albany Nursery WMA (300 ac) · Perry Dove Field (226 ac) · Walton WMA (200 ac) · Appling County Dove Field (123 ac) · London Farms Dove Field (111 ac) · Indian Ford Farms Dove Field (100 ac) · McEntire Road VPA (95 ac) · Fort Stewart & Hunter Army Airfield
Areas and species lists from WRD’s 2026-27 area listings, the WRD WMA layers and federal managers, retrieved 2026-10-13. Harvest by area from WRD Game Check.
Legal requirements for collared doves
The collared dove rules below come from the guide’s license, hunting information and definitions pages.
Licenses
| What to buy | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting License | $15.00 | $100.00 |
| GA migratory bird license | $5.00 | $5.00 |
Daily hours
Sunset is the end of legal time for collared doves, as for doves and ducks; the morning start is 30 minutes before sunrise.
Orange or blaze pink
Migratory bird hunters may skip the orange, even on WMAs during deer gun hunts.
Hunting over bait
The federal baiting rule, 50 CFR Part 20, applies to collared doves.
Sunday status
Sundays are open for collared doves under the statewide seasons; a WMA listing can set its own days.
From the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division 2026-27 guide, licenses and fees and hunting information, checked October 13, 2026. Georgia hunting laws · License guide.
Eurasian Collared Dove weapons and methods
Read the weapons rows with the season table: the legal gun depends on the segment.
| Season | Legal weapons | Off limits |
|---|---|---|
| Waterfowl / migratory birds | Shotguns 10 ga or smaller with federally approved nontoxic shot size F or smaller for waterfowl; shotguns limited to 3 shells (one-piece plug) for all migratory birds. | Possessing lead shot while hunting waterfowl. |
Field rules for collared doves
Baiting (general)
Unlawful to hunt game animals or game birds on, over, around or within 200 yards of bait, or for 10 days after complete removal of bait; unlawful to place bait so as to prohibit hunting on adjacent property.
Trespass and permission
Landowner permission required, including on power line, gas line, railroad and other rights-of-way; written permission required if land is posted. Hunting from a stand attached to a transmission tower is trespassing.
2026-27 guide (PDF) and the hunting information page, checked October 13, 2026.
Eurasian Collared Dove country gear list
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Eurasian Collared Dove questions, answered from the guide
Do collared doves count toward the dove limit?
No. Eurasian collared doves have no limit and may be taken at any time; mourning doves are 15 a day.
What public ground in Georgia has collared doves?
55 areas on our list qualify; the largest are Cedar Creek WMA, Redlands WMA and Dixon Memorial WMA.
Which permits apply to collared doves?
Dove hunters need (resident price): Hunting License ($15.00); GA migratory bird license ($5.00).
Do dove hunters have to wear orange in Georgia?
Migratory bird hunters may skip the orange, even on WMAs during deer gun hunts.
What time does legal light end for collared doves?
Sunset is the end of legal time for collared doves, as for doves and ducks; the morning start is 30 minutes before sunrise.
May dove hunters go out on Sundays?
Sundays are open for collared doves under the statewide seasons; a WMA listing can set its own days.
Is baiting legal for collared doves?
The federal baiting rule, 50 CFR Part 20, applies to collared doves.
Can collared doves be hunted all year in Georgia?
All year; area listings can limit public land days.
What can I hunt collared doves with?
Waterfowl / migratory birds: Shotguns 10 ga or smaller with federally approved nontoxic shot size F or smaller for waterfowl; shotguns limited to 3 shells (one-piece plug) for all migratory birds.
How many collared doves can one hunter take in Georgia?
No limit.
Before the collared dove trip
WRD’s guide is the final word on collared doves; this page was checked against it on October 13, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Petit Jeano (CC BY 2.0); Dana Beveridge (CC BY 2.0); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Jonas N. Jordan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Public domain); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0).