Photo: Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Georgia’s 2026-27 dove season has three segments: September 5 to October 11, November 21 to 29 (Thanksgiving week), and December 19, 2026 to January 31, 2027. The daily limit is 15 mourning doves. The first segment is over, so the next chances are Thanksgiving week and the long winter segment. Dates and rules below come from Georgia DNR’s 2026-27 regulations.
- Next segmentNov. 21–29, 2026
- Final segmentDec. 19, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027
- Daily limit15 mourning doves
- Shooting hours30 minutes before sunrise to sunset
2026-27 Dove Season Dates
| Segment | Dates | Daily limit |
|---|---|---|
| First | Sept. 5 – Oct. 11, 2026 (closed) | 15 |
| Second | Nov. 21–29, 2026 | 15 |
| Third | Dec. 19, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027 | 15 |
Eurasian collared doves may be taken at any time with no limit. Seasons on WMAs and other public land can be shorter, so check the area listing.
Licenses You Need
- A Georgia hunting license (or a combo or Sportsman’s license) if you are 16 or older.
- A GA Waterfowl & Migratory Bird License: $5, or free with a Sportsman’s, lifetime, honorary or disability license and for resident landowners hunting their own land.
- A license that allows hunting or a Lands Pass to enter a WMA. See our license price table.
Doves don’t require a Federal Duck Stamp; that is only for ducks and geese.
Advertise Near Here
Outfitters, guides, lodging and processors: reach hunters planning a Georgia season. See our advertising options or download the 2026 media kit (PDF).
Public Dove Fields
Georgia DNR plants dove fields on wildlife management areas across the state. Many are open only by quota draw on opening day (the dove quota deadline is Aug. 15), and later dates vary by area, so check each WMA’s listing in the regulations and call the regional office for current conditions. DNR’s dove field forecast lists planted fields on these properties:
Northwest & West (Region 1)
Berry College, Coosawattee, Crockford-Pigeon Mountain, J.L. Lester, Joe Kurz, McGraw Ford and West Point WMAs, plus McEntire VPA. Office 706-295-6041.
Northeast (Region 2)
Buck Shoals, Dawson Forest, Hart County, Redlands and Wilson Shoals WMAs, plus London Farms VPA. Office 770-535-5700.
East Central & Middle (Region 3)
Alexander, B.F. Grant, Cedar Creek, Clarks Hill, Clybel, Di-Lane, Lower Broad River, Oconee, Rum Creek, Walton and Yuchi WMAs, McDuffie PFA and the Perry Dove Field. Office 706-595-4222.
South Central (Region 4)
Alapaha River, Beaverdam, Canoochee Sandhills, Hiltonia, Ocmulgee-Gum Swamp and River Bend WMAs, Appling County Dove Fields and Rogers State Prison Farm. Office 229-426-5267.
Southwest (Region 5)
Albany Nursery, Big Lazer Creek, Blanton Creek, Chattahoochee Fall Line (Ft. Perry and Hilliard tracts), Chickasawhatchee, Elmodel, Flint River, Hannahatchee Creek, Mayhaw, River Creek and Silver Lake WMAs, and Featherfield. Office 229-430-4254.
Coastal (Region 6)
Altamaha, Dixon Memorial, Paulks Pasture, Penholoway Swamp, Richmond Hill and Townsend WMAs, plus Paradise PFA. Office 912-262-3173.
Find each area on our Georgia WMA map, and grab the free WMA Hunter’s Field Kit for region contacts and a checklist.
Dove Hunting Rules
Field Entry
On opening day of a managed WMA dove field, hunters may not enter or set up more than one hour before shooting hours, and never earlier than one hour before sunrise, unless the area listing says otherwise.
Carrying Someone Else’s Birds
If you hold doves shot by another hunter, you need a written note with that hunter’s signature, address, the number of birds by species and the dates taken.
Banded Birds
Report any banded dove at reportband.gov.
Federal Rules Apply
Doves are migratory birds, so federal rules on baiting and transport apply too. More restrictive rules may apply on national wildlife refuges.
Common Questions
When is dove season in Georgia?
The 2026-27 season has three segments: Sept. 5 to Oct. 11, Nov. 21 to 29, and Dec. 19, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027.
What is the dove limit in Georgia?
15 mourning doves per day. Eurasian collared doves have no limit and may be taken at any time.
What license do you need to dove hunt in Georgia?
A Georgia hunting license if you are 16 or older, plus the GA Waterfowl and Migratory Bird License ($5, free with a Sportsman's or lifetime license). A Federal Duck Stamp is not needed for doves.
What time can you shoot doves in Georgia?
From 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset.
More Hunting Guides
Sources we checked
Everything in this guide was checked on October 12, 2026, against Georgia DNR’s official 2026-27 regulations (published for DNR by eRegulations, last updated August 27, 2026) and DNR’s dove field forecast. If anything here differs from the official guide, the official guide wins.
- Migratory bird seasons – dove dates, limits, licenses, hours
- Public hunting opportunities – dove field entry rule
- Georgia DNR dove field forecast – planted public dove fields by region
- Quota hunts – dove quota deadline
Spot something out of date? Email Contact@n-georgia.com and we’ll check it against the official source. Read how we research our guides.