The mockingbird is the official bird of Texas, but if you judged that title on the amount of dollars spent in pursuit of a particular species, doves would win hands-down. Mockingbirds are of course off-limits to hunters, but even the booming Texas birding industry pails in comparison to the amount of effort, passion and cash exchange that goes into dove hunting in the Lone Star State.

    When the Sept. 1 rolls around, fields from Winnie to Waco will sound like a war zone. The opening of dove hunting harkens the kick-off of the Texas hunting season with the echo of gunfire sounding in each ecological region.

    According to Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) officials for $48, the price of an Annual Public Hunting Permit “hunters can access more than a million acres of public hunting lands."

    This includes more than 100 units ranging in size from 25 to 2,000 acres and covering more than 50,000 acres leased primarily for hunting dove and other

small game.

    Weekends can be busy times on these public units. I have hunted one near my home in Orange County on several occasions and found that during the week, there are rarely any hunters and that the doves figure out hunter patterns quickly. Yes, doves are going to feed, water, rest and repeat the cycle, but they may do so by adjusting to when hunters enter and exit fields.

    I stumbled upon this occurrence by getting out to this spot late one morning and seeing hunters leaving the field saying they only shot a couple of birds. That was around 9 a.m.

    By 10:15, I was in my truck with a limit of doves and sort of making note that when everyone else leaves it might just be a good time to head out to the field. Plus, I get to sleep in which is always a big plus in my book.

    There are a number of public leases in Southeast Texas that should give everyone with an interest in bagging some birds, options for the coming season. Once again, you must have an annual public hunting permit along with the correct hunting license to use these areas.

CENTRAL ZONE

Unit 2228 (South China Road/Jefferson County)

1,472 acres

#

Unit 2350 (Broussard Road/Jefferson County)

540 acres