Couple years ago I was hunting Ft Hood and came across another dove hunter who warned me that he was cited for killing 4 white-tipped dove. Thing is I haven't seen any white tipped dove here but have seen lots of white-winged. Is it possible the GW was wrong and was confused about the regulations for WW and WT? Or did he not know the difference? Couldn't find the answer on TPWD but is there a limit on WW dove? This is for the central zone.

The limit is two white-tipped doves. See page 74 of the Outdoor Annual. It's all there...

I understand the 2 white tipped but this guy was finned for having 4 white winged dove.

This is what you told us, are you saying that is wrong?

Central zone, you can kill up to 15, any combination of mourning and white-winged.


And yes, its very possible the GW was mistaken. I have had to argue ducks with them many times.

Im saying I believe he killed 4 white wings but was cited for them being white tipped. I think the GW thought they were white tipped. The reason I think this is because I haven't seen any white tipped dove in the area. Sorry for the confusion.

They look like morning dove minus the black wing spots

Also interesting you couldn't find anything on TPWD

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_lf_w7000_0047.pdf

There should be no confusion, the white tipped actually are white on breast down to the legs. Never seen em in field only in pics

Actually i just learned something:
White tipped have cinnamon under the wing, no spots, and a yellow circle around the eye
http://birds.audubon.org/birds/white-tipped-dove

Mournings have the blue around the eye, tipped tail, and spots
http://birds.audubon.org/birds/mourning-dove

Honestly I've never shot one. I guess the bag is limited to get the number up.

Looks like they are mainly in the very south part of Texas. That would be why I dont see them.

I have looked at that page plenty of times and I know the difference between the doves I'm just saying I haven't personally seen any white tipped around here and have a hard time believing this guy had killed 4 in a morning hunt. I think the GW had the two birds mistaken and fined the guy for having 4 white wings bc he thought they were white tipped. All I want to make sure of is that I can shoot 15 white wings if I see and have a chance at that many without getting in trouble and I want to be able to back it up if a GW tries to write me up for a white tipped when I got white winged in my possession.

Yes 15 white winged. Or inaggregate like the guide says.

I find it funny that the people with the cocky know it all answers provided me with an answer that had nothing to do with my question. I didn't ask what a white tipped dove looked like and didn't ask anything about the limit on white tipped dove bc I know its 2. But thanks for your replies. This only applies to 2 of the replies the rest of you thanks for your replies.

Guess ill keep the guide and the pics of different dove in my back pocket incase the same GW comes by to check me.

I was just saying the GW shouldnt of been confused, its his damn job to know. No cockyness from me if thats how you saw it.

Wasn't talking about you. I appreciated your answer.

You would think they would post those in color, that looks like a high school art class "thing"

Looking at the 1st link, especially the distribution of WT, I would find it hard to believe he kied a WT at Hood?

My exact point and why I think the GW was mistaken but I guess you can blame the hunter for not knowing the regulations as well bc if he dd he would have argued that he was not in the wrong and prob could have asked the GW to get a second opinion or taken it to court.

Did you see his birds? Reason I ask, he may have been lying to get you out of the area IDK, pretty fierce there for turf though.

I didn't see his birds. It was an afternoon hunt and he said he was cited that morning in the same area. It has crossed my mind that he may have been trying to scare me out of the area.

Maybe, just maybe, the GW was VERY RIGHT, and you're not seeing any WT because 'another hunter(s)' keep shooting them all (over limits) . . .

I thought they took your gun and license away for poaching

Could be but very unlikely I would think. Like stated before I think the edge of their range is South Texas. Im starting to think more and more the guy was trying to scare me out of his area or what he thought was his area.

i would doubt that the game warden was mistaken. there was a time in the not too distant past where regular white-winged dove were not as common as they are now and you were restricted on being able to shoot those.

now it doesn't matter, you can shoot 15 birds...all white-win, all mourning, mixed, whatever. its only the white-tipped/fronted dove that you are limited to 2. (I've personally never seen one). I forget exactly how long ago...10yrs ago maybe....you couldn't shoot white-wing in the central zone. or if you could it was only like 1-2 or something like that.

Wow. Good luck with your local GW. Never met one that was anything other than polite and professional. Sorry if I misunderstood your original question, but there is pretty much no way that we could tell you whether or not the GW was wrong. I've seen random birds that really shouldn't be where they are more times than I can recall.

I'd do just what you're planning - be ready to cite the markings of the various dove. I would just do it respectfully because the GW has to deal with dicks every day and I bet their tolerance is pretty short...