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Oregon Mourning Dove Hunting, 2026-27 Seasons and Limits
Mourning doves in Oregon this season: 3 ODFW rows, opening with mourning dove on September 1.
Photo: DKRKaynor (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Where Oregon mourning doves stand this season
The 2026-27 window for mourning doves spans September 1, 2026 to December 14, 2026; mourning dove opens it. The dove bag line is: 15 daily, 45 in possession. The two migratory bird zones are shown only on ODFW's map, so the dove table lists zones instead of counties.
From 2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
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Mourning Dove seasons in the ODFW booklets
Rows are sorted by first day, and the last column compares each dove window with today.
| Season | Area | Kind | Dates | Bag | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falconry season | Statewide | Falconry | Sep 1–Dec 16, 2026 | Falconry aggregate 3 daily, 9 in possession of all migratory birds | |
| Mourning dove | Zone 1 | Validation |
| 15 daily, 45 in possession | |
| Mourning dove | Zone 2 | Validation | Sep 1–Oct 30, 2026 | 15 daily, 45 in possession |
From 2026-27 Oregon Game Bird Hunting Regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Mourning Dove dates by migratory bird zone
Duck, snipe and mourning dove seasons use Zone 1 and Zone 2. The regulations show the boundary only as a map image (Zone 1 = western and northern counties, Zone 2 = central, southern and eastern counties per the map caption); the county list is not printed, so counties are not given.
| Season | Zone 1 | Zone 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Mourning dove |
| Sep 1–Oct 30, 2026 |
From migratory bird zones (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
The mourning doves bag in Oregon
Each dove limit is shown with what it applies to, straight from the ODFW text.
| Kind | Text |
|---|---|
| Zone 1 | 15 daily, 45 in possession |
| Statewide | Falconry aggregate 3 daily, 9 in possession of all migratory birds |
| Daily/possession | Falconry: no more than 3 daily and 9 in possession of all federally regulated migratory birds combined; 1 goose and 1 band-tailed pigeon daily. |
From bag limit table, bag limit table and bag limit table (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
How mourning doves may be taken in Oregon
The legal and not-legal lists come from ODFW's weapon pages; the right list for mourning doves depends on the season.
| Hunt type | Lawful | Unlawful |
|---|---|---|
| Game birds and crows |
|
|
The species table says of mourning doves: shotgun 10 gauge or smaller plugged to three shells, or bow; federally approved nontoxic shot required for waterfowl and snipe; no electronic calls (except crows).
From species table, legal weapons and general hunting regulations (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Mourning Dove license, tags and validations
Everything a dove hunter might need, with residency and the 2026 price.
| Purchase | Buyer | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Resident | $39.00 |
| Hunting | Nonresident | $193.00 |
| Combination (hunt and angle) | Resident | $86.00 |
| Youth combination (12-17) | Either | $10.00 |
| 3-day bird license (18+) | Nonresident | $36.00 |
| Youth bird license (11 and under) | Either | Free |
| HIP validation | Either | Free |
| Nonresident game bird validation (18+) | Nonresident | $50.00 |
Youth 12-17 need a Combination License ($10) or Youth Sports Pac ($75) to hunt big game, enter the draw or buy preference points; 11 and under need no license for game birds, small game or unprotected wildlife (free Youth Game Bird Hunting License available) and may not hunt big game except in the Mentored Youth Hunter Program.
From 2026 license and tag fees and license requirements (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Mourning Dove hunting rules in Oregon
The rule lines below come from the regulations; the source links give the full text.
| Topic | ODFW rule |
|---|---|
| Calls and decoys | No live decoys, no recorded or electronic calls (except crows), no motorized or battery-powered decoys or quiver magnets. |
| Shot | ODFW encourages non-lead ammunition (message in the big game regulations); nontoxic shot is required for waterfowl and snipe and on many wildlife areas. |
| Private land | Hunting on private property requires landowner permission (ORS 105.700, 498.120); enclosed land includes posted Indian reservation boundaries. |
From tagging and reporting and ORS chapter 496 (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Mourning Dove: wildlife areas, forests and refuges
Where a card names a source, that agency lists mourning doves there; acreage is the record's figure, and posted closures still apply.
50 CFR 32.56 "We allow hunting of …" puts dove on the list at Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge (Beatys Butte Unit and Juniper Unit).
50 CFR 32.56 "We allow hunting of …" puts dove on the list at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge (Steens Mtn Unit and Juniper Unit).
ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species) puts dove on the list at Mid Coast Access Area (Trask Unit and Stott Mtn Unit).
ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species) puts dove on the list at Jackson Access & Cooperative Travel Management Area (Dixon Unit and Evans Creek Unit).
ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species) puts dove on the list at Thomas Creek Access Area (Santiam Unit).
ODFW A&H page (Huntable Species) puts dove on the list at Heppner Regulated Hunt Area (Heppner Unit).
2026 Game Bird Regulations, Access Area Programs puts dove on the list at Columbia River Regulated Hunt Area (Columbia Basin Unit).
50 CFR 32.56 "We allow hunting of …" puts dove on the list at Umatilla National Wildlife Refuge (Columbia Basin Unit).
From land records, agency page and agency page (Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife), checked November 8, 2026.
Mourning Dove legal hours by date
The dates are the dove openers on this page plus the shortest day of the year.
Mourning doves follow ODFW's bird table, not a sunrise formula; the dates below are the dove openers.
| Date | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C | Zone D |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | 6:05 a.m. to 7:48 p.m. | 5:56 a.m. to 7:40 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 7:38 p.m. | 5:46 a.m. to 7:28 p.m. |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 6:55 a.m. to 6:31 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. to 6:22 p.m. | 6:45 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. | 6:35 a.m. to 6:12 p.m. |
| Dec 21, 2026 | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | 7:15 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. | 7:02 a.m. to 4:33 p.m. | 6:55 a.m. to 4:18 p.m. |
| Jan 15, 2027 | 7:15 a.m. to 4:56 p.m. | 7:08 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. | 7:03 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. |
Times from the 2026-27 game bird shooting hours table; checked November 8, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain)
Photo: Charles Gates (CC BY 2.0)
Photo: ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0)
Mourning Dove questions
Which shotgun loads are legal for mourning doves?
For mourning doves, steel shot may be no larger than F and other shot no larger than BB.
May I use feed to attract mourning doves?
Bait and electronic calls are off limits for mourning doves.
Does Oregon close dove hunting on Sundays?
No Oregon rule closes Sundays to mourning doves, though a few wildlife areas open only on set days.
How long is the Oregon dove season?
From September 1, 2026 to December 14, 2026, depending on the dove row. Mourning dove: September 1, 2026. Today falls inside an open dove window.
How many mourning doves may one hunter keep in Oregon?
15 daily, 45 in possession; Falconry aggregate 3 daily, 9 in possession of all migratory birds.
What paperwork do Oregon dove hunters carry?
A hunting license, the free HIP validation.
Can I use a rifle for mourning doves in Oregon?
Shotgun 10 gauge or smaller plugged to three shells, or bow; federally approved nontoxic shot required for waterfowl and snipe; no electronic calls (except crows).
Is dove hunting limited to certain units?
Every county, within the zones named in the dove rows; reservations and Crater Lake National Park are closed.
When can I start shooting mourning doves?
Game birds only between the times in the 2026-27 shooting hours table (zones A-D), except fee pheasant hunts (end 5 pm at EE Wilson and Fern Ridge, 6 pm at Sauvie Island), youth upland hunts, the Northwest Permit Goose Season and some state or federal areas.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Charles Gates (CC BY 2.0); ImagePerson (CC BY 4.0).