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Missouri › Species › Eurasian Collared-dove

Doves, rails, snipe and woodcock

Eurasian collared-dove hunting in Missouri

Opens Sep 1, 2026; limits, permits and places to hunt Eurasian collared-doves.

When to huntSpecies hub
Sep 1First day
migratory birdGroup
See limitsLimit
199Public areas

Photo: cuatrok77 (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Missouri sets 1 dated window for Eurasian collared-doves in 2026-27, running Sep 1 to Nov 29, 2026. Limits, permits, places to hunt and the field rules follow on this page.

Sep 1Begins
Nov 29Through
1Date rows
199Areas
migratory birdClass

How MDC sums up Eurasian collared-doves

  • Keep: In the 15-dove limit.
  • Dates in brief: As mourning dove.

MDC source (as of Jun 17, 2026), checked October 29, 2026.

GearHeading out for small game season? Small game gear checklist →

When Eurasian collared-doves are open in Missouri

Read the collared-dove rows by area: counties, bear zones, the elk counties or duck zones where they apply.

SeasonWhereBagOpensClosesDaysToday
Dove seasonStatewide15 daily, 45 possessionSep 1, 2026Nov 29, 202690

Eurasian Collared-dove season notes

  • Shotguns 10 ga or smaller, 3 shells; dogs
  • Mourning, white-winged and Eurasian collared-doves combined. Nontoxic shot on 26 dove areas.

From Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 8, checked October 29, 2026.

MDC dove areas for Eurasian collared-doves

60 areas in this guide carry 2026 MDC dove field records with field counts and crops.

AreaCountyFieldsField acresCrops
Bois D'Arc Conservation AreaGreene County28179.7Other, Sunflower
Bilby Ranch Lake CANodaway County16156.2Other, Sunflower
Columbia Bottom Conservation AreaSt. Louis County25133.7Other, Sunflower
Truman Reservoir lands (Upper Tebo Creek)Henry County13124.7Other
Robert E. Talbot CALawrence County1097.1Other, Sunflower
Ten Mile Pond CAMississippi County396.1Sunflower
James A. Reed memorial areaJackson County1194.2Other, Sunflower
Bob Brown Conservation AreaHolt County693.1Other, Sunflower
Nodaway Valley Conservation AreaAndrew County, Holt County492.2Other, Sunflower
August A. Busch Memorial CASt. Charles County787.3Other
Grand Pass Conservation AreaSaline County683.4Sunflower
H. F. Thurnau CAHolt County280.6Other, sunflower
Shawnee Trail Conservation AreaBarton County879.0Sunflower
Weldon Spring Conservation AreaSt. Charles County571.4Sunflower
Bunch Hollow Conservation AreaCarroll County1056.4Other, Sunflower
Whetstone Creek Conservation AreaCallaway County350.9Other, Sunflower
Marais Temps Clair CASt. Charles County1748.7Other, Sunflower
Settle's Ford Conservation AreaBates County, Cass County947.2Other, Sunflower
Plowboy Bend Conservation AreaMoniteau County346.7Sunflower
Schell-Osage Conservation AreaSt. Clair County, Vernon County444.5Other

Nontoxic shot dove areas

Bilby Ranch Lake, Blue Spring Branch, Bois D'Arc, Busch (August A.) Memorial, Capps Creek, Crowley's Ridge, Davisdale, Fort Crowder, Harmony Mission Lake, Lamine River, Logan (William R.), Maintz Wildlife Preserve, Pacific Palisades, Park (Guy B.), Peabody, Pony Express Lake, Reed (James A.) Memorial Wildlife Area, Reform, Shawnee Trail, Sloan (Dr. O.E. and Eloise), Stockton Lake Management Lands, Talbot (Robert E.), Truman Reservoir Management Lands (Bethlehem), Weldon Spring, Whetstone Creek and White (William G. and Erma Parke).

Dove field map

nontoxic shot list, MDC area pages, checked October 29, 2026.

How many Eurasian collared-doves and which permit

Youth permits for ages 6-15 are half price where the list shows them, including for Eurasian collared-doves.

RowDaily and possession
Doves15 daily, 45 possession (mourning, white-winged, Eurasian collared combined).

Collared-dove permits and fees

PermitResidencyWhoPriceValid
Migratory BirdresidentAge 16+$8To June 30, 2027
Migratory BirdnonresidentAge 16+$60To June 30, 2027
Small GameresidentAge 16-64$11.50Permit year
Daily Small GamenonresidentAll$161 day
Small GamenonresidentAge 16+$108.50Permit year
Small Game and FishingresidentAll$22.50Permit year
Missouri permits

From Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 8, Hunting and Trapping Summary p. 9, Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 6 and Migratory Bird and Waterfowl Digest p. 8, checked October 29, 2026.

Eurasian Collared-dove: the biggest public areas

Of the public places in this guide, 199 list mourning dove, which takes in Eurasian collared-doves.

AreaCountyAcresType
Potosi / Fredericktown district (Mark Twain National Forest)Iron County290,899Ranger district
Salem district (Mark Twain National Forest)Reynolds County195,986Ranger district
Rocky Creek Conservation AreaShannon County42,184Conservation Area
Bull Shoals Lake landsOzark County34,736Corps lake lands
Schell-Osage Conservation AreaSt. Clair County8,635Conservation Area
Truman Reservoir lands (Upper Tebo Creek)Henry County7,736Corps lake lands
Bilby Ranch Lake CANodaway County5,110Conservation Area
Norfork Lake Management LandsOzark County4,861Corps lake lands
Bushwhacker Lake Conservation AreaBarton County4,790Conservation Area
Rebel's Cove Conservation AreaPutnam County4,225Conservation Area
Little Indian Creek CAFranklin County4,205Conservation Area
Drury-Mincy Conservation AreaTaney County4,135Conservation Area
Indian Hills Conservation AreaScotland County3,975Conservation Area
Bois D'Arc Conservation AreaGreene County3,176Conservation Area
Kind of landAreas
Conservation Area165
Corps lake lands14
Public Access Area10
Ranger district6
Natural Area2
Cooperative Area1
National Forest1
MDC regionAreas
Kansas City37
Southeast34
Ozark34
Northwest30
Central19
Southwest18
Northeast16
St. Louis11
All public landMDC areasArea deer and turkey rules

Area lists from MDC area pages and the MDC places directory; methods from the MDC atlas; checked October 29, 2026.

Rules in the field for Eurasian collared-doves

  • Shooting hours: MDC closes the collared-dove day at sunset and opens it half an hour before sunrise.
  • Orange clothing: The orange exemption list starts with migratory game birds, so collared-dove hunters may stay in camouflage.
  • Bait and feed: Eurasian collared-doves fall under the federal bait rules that MDC prints in the digest.
  • Telecheck: The Migratory Bird Hunting Permit doubles as HIP registration for Eurasian collared-doves.

Eurasian Collared-dove method rules

MethodsRule
LegalShotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots; electronically switched mechanical calls for waterfowl.
Not legalRifles, pistols, recorded/amplified calls (except crows and the light goose order), sink boxes, live decoys, bait, motor vehicles/aircraft.

Nontoxic shot: Required for waterfowl and coots statewide; for doves on 26 areas and all shotgun hunting on 46 MDC areas.

shooting hours, hunter orange, methods, checked October 29, 2026.

Computed collared-dove hours

Kansas City runs about 10 minutes behind Jefferson City and St. Louis about 8 minutes ahead, which the collared-dove table reflects.

DateCountyOpensCloses
Sep 1, 2026Jackson County6:17 a.m.7:48 p.m.
Sep 1, 2026St. Louis County6:01 a.m.7:32 p.m.
Sep 1, 2026Greene County6:13 a.m.7:44 p.m.
Sep 1, 2026Boone County6:09 a.m.7:40 p.m.
Sep 1, 2026Cape Girardeau County5:58 a.m.7:29 p.m.
Sep 1, 2026Nodaway County6:19 a.m.7:50 p.m.
Nov 29, 2026Jackson County6:45 a.m.4:57 p.m.
Nov 29, 2026St. Louis County6:29 a.m.4:41 p.m.
Nov 29, 2026Greene County6:41 a.m.4:53 p.m.
Nov 29, 2026Boone County6:37 a.m.4:49 p.m.
Nov 29, 2026Cape Girardeau County6:26 a.m.4:38 p.m.
Nov 29, 2026Nodaway County6:47 a.m.4:59 p.m.

MDC sunrise and sunset table with the MDC longitude rule; checked October 29, 2026. Legal hours for every county.

Keep reading after Eurasian Collared-dove

Mourning Dove

Doves, rails, snipe and woodcock

Sep 1–Nov 29

White-winged Dove

Doves, rails, snipe and woodcock

Sep 1–Nov 29

European Starling

Frogs, falconry and unprotected species

No closed season

American Crow

Small game

Nov 1–Mar 3

Managed hunts and drawingsAll speciesHunting laws
Mourning dove perched on a wire against a blue sky
Mourning dove perched on a wire against a blue skyPhoto: Terry Ross (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Mourning dove resting on a weathered branch
Mourning dove resting on a weathered branchPhoto: Renee Grayson (CC BY 2.0)
Fall oak woods with scattered boulders and a leaf-covered floor
Fall oak woods with scattered boulders and a leaf-covered floorPhoto: Jena Fuller (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Common questions on Eurasian collared-doves

What gear is legal for collared-dove hunting?

Shotguns 10 ga or smaller plugged to 3 shells; nontoxic shot for waterfowl and coots; electronically switched mechanical calls for waterfowl. Not legal: Rifles, pistols, recorded/amplified calls (except crows and the light goose order), sink boxes, live decoys, bait, motor vehicles/aircraft.

What are the collared-dove permit prices?

For Eurasian collared-doves, the resident Migratory Bird permit costs $8 (Age 16+). A nonresident hunting Eurasian collared-doves pays $60 for the Migratory Bird permit. Collared-dove permits cost the same online, in the MO Hunting app and at vendors.

When must collared-dove hunters wear orange?

The orange exemption list starts with migratory game birds, so collared-dove hunters may stay in camouflage.

When does legal light end for Eurasian collared-doves?

MDC closes the collared-dove day at sunset and opens it half an hour before sunrise.

What happens after I take collared-dove?

The Migratory Bird Hunting Permit doubles as HIP registration for Eurasian collared-doves.

Where are the best public areas for Eurasian collared-doves?

199 public areas in this guide list Eurasian collared-doves or the hunting group that covers them; the largest include Mark Twain National Forest, Doniphan / Eleven Point district (Mark Twain National Forest) and Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs district (Mark Twain National Forest). Method limits for Eurasian collared-doves are set area by area.

Is lead legal for Eurasian collared-doves?

Nontoxic shot is required for doves on 26 MDC areas, including Bilby Ranch Lake, Blue Spring Branch, Bois D'Arc, Busch (August A.) Memorial and Capps Creek, and for all shotgun hunting on 46 areas.

Are Sundays open for Eurasian collared-doves?

Yes. Sundays count like any other day for Eurasian collared-doves; mandatory CWD sampling even falls on Sunday, Nov 15.

How many Eurasian collared-doves may one hunter keep?

15 daily, 45 possession (mourning, white-winged, Eurasian collared combined).

When do Eurasian collared-doves open and close in Missouri?

Dove season Sep 1 to Nov 29, 2026.