Dove season is officially open in Pennsylvania. The 2023-24 dove season in Pennsylvania runs from Sept. 1 through Nov. 24, and Dec. 19 through Jan. 6

In order to hunt doves in the Commonwealth, a hunting license and/or mentored youth permit and migratory game bird license are required. Hunters can keep 15 doves per day.

According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, dove populations within the United States are estimated to be at 350 million and over 20 million are harvested annually by hunters. Doves are the widest ranging and most abundant game bird in North American as well.

In Pennsylvania, hunters harvest more than 100,000 doves each year by more than 16,000 hunters.

There are numerous hunting areas for doves within central Pennsylvania. They include, but are not limited to:

• State Game Land 252 in northcentral region near Williamsport;

• State Game Land 188 in the southcentral region near Snyder;

• State Game Land 212 in the southcentral region near Selinsgrove;

• State Game Land 226 in the northeast region near Watsontown;

A list of all hunting areas are available on the Pennsylvania Game Commission website.

Doves are a gregarious species and decoy readily. By using decoys, including electronic spinning wing decoys, set in a field, a standing dead tree, or on a fance can be extremely effective in bringing birds within gun range, according to PGC.

Using camouflage is important in blending in to your surroundings and holding still is critical until ready to shoot. Making some type of blind can be helpful as well and can be as simple as stepping into the first row of a corn field or using a layout blind to hunt the middle of a harvested wheat field, according to PGC.

According to the game commission, hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset throughout the entire dive season. The daily bag limit is 15 and the possession limit is 45.

Fluorescent orange is not required but caution is recommended when moving from one location to another.