Last updated on September 3rd, 2023
The Alabama dove season is set for 2023-2024, and opening day will be here before you know it!
Dove hunting has long been an important tradition in the South, and Alabama is no exception. In fact, Alabama dove hunters spend more than 100,000 days afield each year and harvest more than 1 million doves.
That’s a lot of dove breasts on the grill!
To help you plan for the upcoming season, this article will break down season dates, bag limits, legal birds, and much more. It’s our hope that you have a safe, successful, and completely legal dove season!
Alabama Dove Season Dates
For 2023, the Alabama dove season opens at noon on Saturday, September 2, in the North Zone. The South Zone opens a week later at noon on Saturday, September 9.
North Zone
- September 2 at noon – October 22, 2023
- November 18 – 26, 2023
- December 16, 2023 – January 14, 2024
South Zone
- September 9 (noon) – October 29, 2023
- November 18-26, 2023
- December 16, 2023 – January 14, 2024
Alabama is separated into two zones (North and South). The North Zone consists of the northernmost 58 counties in the state and the South Zone consists of 9 southernmost counties, including Baldwin, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston, and Mobile.
Shooting Hours
Legal shooting hours for doves begins 1/2 hour before sunrise and ends at sunset with the exception of opening day, when shooting hours don’t begin until noon.
Bag Limit
The dove bag limit in Alabama is 15 birds per day.
License Requirements
To hunt mourning doves in Alabama, you must have the following:
- All Game OR Small Game Hunting License (unless exempt)
- HIP – Harvest Information Program Certification (free)
- Free map permit IF hunting on a WMA; non-residents also need a WMA license if hunting a WMA
Public Land Dove Hunts
Several of Alabama’s wildlife management areas (WMAs) offer dove fields open to the public. We have provided an interactive map of those fields below, as well as a list by district.
In addition to the field below, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources also offers numerous youth dove hunting opportunities across the state.
District 1
| Field Name | Hunting Dates |
|---|---|
| Freedom Hills | State Season – Opening day: 12:00 noon to sunset; Remainder of season: 1⁄2 hour before sunrise to sunset. First two weeks of season: Saturdays and Wednesdays only. Remainder of state season except no hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts. |
| Seven-Mile Island | State Season – 12:00 Noon until sunset on opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset |
| Swan Creek | State season – Open from Noon to Sunset Each Day |
| Mallard-Fox Creek | State season – Open from Noon to Sunset Each Day |
District 2
| Field Name | Hunting Dates |
|---|---|
| Hollins (Field 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, gun, or primitive weapon deer hunts |
| Hollins (Field 2) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season (Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, gun, or primitive weapon deer hunts |
| James D. Martin/Skyline (Field 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Wednesday and Saturday only) No hunting on days of youth, gun, and primitive weapons deer hunts. |
| James D. Martin/Skyline (Field 2) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Wednesday and Saturday only) No hunting on days of youth, gun, and primitive weapons deer hunts. |
| Jackson Co. Waterfowl Areas & Refuges (Mud Creek WMA) | State season – 1st Segment (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season). |
District 3
| Field Name | Hunting Dates |
|---|---|
| Cahaba River (Field 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) |
| Cahaba River (Field 2) | State Season -(12:00 noon until sunset ) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) |
| Cahaba River (Field 3) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) |
| Cahaba River (Field 4) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) |
| Cahaba River (Field 5) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) |
| Mulberry Fork (Field 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Mulberry Fork (Field 2) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Mulberry Fork (Field 3) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Mulberry Fork (Field 4) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Lowndes (Field 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts) |
| Lowndes (Field 2) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) |
| Charles D. Kelly/Autauga (Field 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Charles D. Kelly/Autauga (Field 2) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Charles D. Kelly/Autauga (Field 3) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth, primitive weapons, or gun deer hunts |
| Oakmulgee (Field 1) | State season. (12:00 noon until sunset) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
| Oakmulgee (Field 2) | State season.- (12:00 noon until sunset) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
| Oakmulgee (Field 3) | State season – (12:00 noon until sunset) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
| Oakmulgee (Field 4) | State season – (12:00 noon until sunset) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
| Oakmulgee (Field 5) | State season – (12:00 noon until sunset) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
| David K. Nelson (Field 1) | State season – (12:00 noon until sunset) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
District 4
| Field Name | Hunting Dates |
|---|---|
| Barbour WMA (Smithfield 1) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth and gun deer hunts. |
| Barbour WMA (Smithfield 2) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth and gun deer hunts. |
| Barbour WMA (Powerline Field) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth and gun deer hunts. |
| Barbour WMA (Emmit Field) | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth and gun deer hunts. |
| Geneva WMA | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season) (Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth and gun deer hunts. |
| Blue Spring WMA | State Season – (12:00 noon until sunset opening day, then 1⁄2 hour before sunrise until sunset remainder of season(Saturdays and Wednesdays Only) No hunting on days of youth and gun deer hunts. |
District 5
| Field Name | Hunting Dates |
|---|---|
| Perdido River WMA | State season – (12:00 noon until sunset) (Thursdays and Saturdays ONLY) No hunting on days of gun deer hunts. |
Dove Baiting Laws
Since dove are migratory, the laws regulating their hunting are set by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
According to them, it is illegal to hunt doves on, over or from:
- Lands or areas where seeds or grains have been scattered solely as the result of normal agricultural operations, which include normal agricultural harvestings, normal agricultural post-harvest manipulations, or normal agricultural practices
- Lands planted by means of top-sowing or aerial seeding where seeds have been scattered solely as the result of a normal agricultural planting, a planting for agricultural soil erosion control, or a planting for post-mining land reclamation
- Lands or areas where grain or feed has been distributed or scattered solely as the result of the manipulation of an agricultural crop or other feed on the land where grown.
- Standing crops.
- Lands planted as pasture improvements or for the purpose of grazing livestock. (The Fish and Wildlife Service will not make a distinction between agricultural fields planted with the intent to gather a crop and those planted without such intent provided the planting is carried out in a manner consistent with the recommendations of State Extension Specialists).
- Lands planted as pasture improvements or for the purpose of grazing livestock. (The Fish and Wildlife Service will not make a distinction between agricultural fields planted with the intent to gather a crop and those planted without such intent provided the planting is carried out in a manner consistent with the recommendations of State Extension Specialists).
- Standing or manipulated natural vegetation.
- A blind or other places of concealment camouflaged with natural vegetation.
For further clarification, see the federal regulation, here.
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System recommends planting dates for some top sown grains between August 1 and November 30 depending on individual circumstances. For details see www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1467/ANR-1467-low.pdf.
Final Thoughts
The 2023-2024 dove season in Alabama promises excellent wingshooting opportunities across the state. With a little preparation and scouting, hunters should be able to find success on opening day and throughout the season.
Be sure to verify current regulations and hunting dates before heading afield. With smart hunting strategies and patience, Alabama’s dove hunters should enjoy another memorable season pursuing America’s favorite game bird.
