For those who don’t hunt, fall may officially start on September 22nd, the Autumn Equinox. For hunters, though, fall begins Monday when dove season opens.
According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, hunters should consider the many fields in state wildlife areas that are managed for dove hunting. Each year, agency staff plant and prepare fields with sunflowers, wheat stubble, and other food sources to attract doves and provide hunters with safe and quality hunting experiences.
To help hunters find these areas more easily, KDWP offers an interactive mapping tool that shows dove field locations, site details, and any special regulations hunters should know before heading afield.
“This popular mapping feature is a great way to start scouting for dove hunting on public lands,” said Tom Bidrowski, KDWP migratory game bird program manager. “We encourage hunters to use it to explore new areas, plan safe and enjoyable hunts, and make the most of the season.”
How to Use the Map Tool:
- Visit ksoutdoors.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Birds/Dove2.
- Click “Dove Hunting Fields Map” on the right-side menu.
- Select the first available link, https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/1d6b4f5586bc4cc2a30cf412205a7607.
- Zoom in on your area of interest.
- Adjust map layers to filter for features such as youth-mentor fields or accessibility options.
- Use the tool’s “Nearest Field Locator” to search within a set radius of any selected point.
The 2025 migratory dove hunting season in Kansas runs from September 1 through November 29 and includes mourning and white-winged doves. Exotic doves – Eurasian collared and ringed turtle doves – may be taken year-round. Hunters may keep a daily bag limit of up to 15 migratory doves total, which can be mourning and white-winged doves in any combination. There is no limit on Eurasian collared or ringed turtle doves, but any taken in addition to the migratory dove daily bag limit must have a fully feathered wing attached for identification while in transport. The possession limit for migratory doves is 45.
For more information on dove hunting in Kansas, visit ksoutdoors.gov/Hunting/Migratory-Birds/Dove2.
To purchase Kansas hunting licenses and permits, visit GoOutdoorsKansas.gov.
