Tennessee Dove Season Opens September 1

Tennessee’s 2026-27 mourning dove season will open Tuesday, September 1, at noon.
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency says the opening marks the first of three hunting segments for mourning doves, with the first segment continuing through September 28.
The second segment will run October 10 through November 1, with the final segment scheduled for December 8 through January 15.
Hunters are required to have a valid state hunting license and Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit.
The daily bag limit for mourning doves is 15, while there is no limit on collared doves.
TWRA reminds hunters that taking migratory game birds with the aid of bait or in a baited area is prohibited, and repeating or auto-loading shotguns used for dove hunting may hold no more than three shells.
TWRA manages dove hunting fields throughout Tennessee, and hunters using private property are required to obtain permission from the landowner.
An estimated 28,000 hunters harvest approximately 399,000 mourning doves in Tennessee each year.
Several other migratory bird hunting seasons will also open September 1, including early seasons for several species of geese, along with moorhens, gallinules and rails.
A short crow hunting season will also run September 1 through September 7.