I know that I feel pretty strongly that dove season should open on the first Sat.. How do others feel? My problem is that I pay good money to be on a lease and the best field and sometimes the only one holding birds gets shot over before I can hunt. My job requires that I be in the office the first 5 days of every month. I absolutely cannot take off. In fact I ususally work late. I would like to only get on a season lease when the opener falls on a weekend but it is a lot better for operators and landowners when they can count on people. I know that there is some talk of changing this and I am all for it. I cannot imagine deer season opening in the middle of the week.

I can't imagine TPWD changing the opener every year, they rely so much on dove open for license sales, could you imagine the confusion especially for anglers who don't hunt if this year your license expired on the 28th, next year Sept 6, year after... you get the point.

Of course there is the whole argument that if they would just go to a calendar year the problem would be solved.

They could leave the effective date of the license as 9/1. They would not have to fluctuate with the opening day of any season. The license would be could for all of hunting season this way.

I actually emailed TPWD about this and got a reply... theopener can be no earlier than 9/1 due to agreements the US FWS have as dove are migratory... does anyone think it should be pushed back past the 1st?

I believe federal law requires that it opens no earlier than the 1st of september. TPWD could choose to open the north and central zones later than the 1st of september I suppose. Of course there are plenty of people that take advantage of the fact that they can go hunt the opener during the week, while many hunters are stuck at work. It means better hunting and less crowds for those that can manage to get off work.

I myself would agree with you. I would like to see a opening date on friday or saturday every year. I live in south texas and can't take off time in the middle off the week to make a trip to hunt the central zone opener.

I really like the new regulation on the south zone dates. It will always open on a friday, and will allow the south zone to be open a few days earlier than ever before on many years. I'm a fan of the 3 day weekend, I like a friday opener best.

I love the opener falling on a weekday. I get a chance to beat the weekend warriors out to the fields.

I say we tell the feds to stick in their hind end and go back where they came from.

Well, you could get a lease in the south zone.

Worse thing about it is the kids. I normally pull my kid out of school, but this year I didn't. They should have a youth weekend for kids like duck, then the next weekend is for adults, jmo.

But something will never change, this is one I think.

No way they should move it to the first Sat. Too many birds can be moved out with a front between the 1st and 6th if the 7th was the first Sat. I enjoy taking off work and getting out in the field. With a family, it is a heck of a lot easier taking off work than taking off from the family. You can't please everyone.

Plenty of outfitters keep fields for the weekend hunters but weather can blow that plan really quick as happened this past Saturday. Many fields were great Friday evening and the rain came and nothing was around Sat.

South zone is a little far to drive from Rockwall. When I hunted private property owned by freinds it was never a problem. I have always understood the Federal rule but that does not mean that it has to open on the 1st. It is easy to hold fields for the weekend when you have several field holding birds. As far as birds getting moved out it can and has happened the last week of August. Can you imagine the uproar from the deer hunters and every little town in central and west Texas if the opener were to be on the first day in November instead of the first Sat.. As far as never changing I would not bet on it. There is already talk about changing it.

I say leave it the way it is.
I have always taken off work on the first, so I can go out and enjoy opening day.
Now I have access to opening weekend at Centennial Hunting Lodge, so I take off Friday as well, then hunt friday evening, Saturday morning and evening, then Sunday morning. Return home Sunday evening, and this year had a bonus day off (Labor Day)
Couldn't ask for a better week and weekend!

whats the limit down there for doves a day

+2 due to the same reasons. Many of the local birds could be gone for us north texans on the times the first weekend fell a week later than now. Another option could be going to hunting hours after noon. I did a parks and wildlife survey this week and the only reason I did not check that option is because I hunt with a dog and need the cooler weather in the morning, but if I did not have a dog I would opted for noon to sunset hunting only.

I am no expert but you need to shoot better if you need Sat AM and PM at that place for a limit.