The first half of the 2019 Dove Season begins Sunday.

September 1st is the traditional opening day for the game bird season. This year the State of California has made some changes hunters need to be aware of. First , only steel shot is allowed. Lead shot pellets are illegal in the state. Also , to buy ammunition now you must go through a background check before you can take the ammo home. 

Hunting may commence one half hour before sunrise and ends at sunset. Daily bag limit in California is 15 in possession with up to 10 white wing doves permitted. You may posses up to 3 times the daily limit. Eurasian or Collared doves may be hunted year round and there is no limit on this invasive species. Hunters are reminded that permission needed to hunt on private lands and that they are required to clean up their shells and other trash. 

Unsettled weather for the Imperial Valley this weekend may make the dove hunting a bit more difficult that some years.