Texas Dove Hunting License: Cost, Zones and Migratory Endorsement
Dove hunting in Texas needs a valid hunting license, a $7 Migratory Game Bird Endorsement for hunters 17 and older, and free HIP certification. Residents usually buy the $68 Super Combo, which already includes the migratory endorsement. Non-residents on a dove trip usually buy the $48 5-day Special Small Game/Exotic license plus the $7 endorsement ($55 before the $5 online admin fee), not the $315 general license.
| Item | Resident | Non-resident |
|---|---|---|
| Resident hunting license | $25 | Use non-resident products |
| Super Combo (includes migratory) | $68 | Not sold |
| Non-resident general hunting | Resident only | $315 |
| 5-day Special Small Game/Exotic | Not sold | $48 |
| Migratory Game Bird Endorsement | $7 | $7 |
| Typical non-resident dove weekend | n/a | $55 |
| Youth hunting license (under 17) | $7 | $7 |
What you buy to hunt dove in Texas
Start with a hunting license. Residents: $25 hunting license plus $7 migratory endorsement, or the $68 Super Combo that already includes the endorsement. Non-residents: $48 for the 5-day Special Small Game/Exotic if the trip is dove and small game only, or $315 for the general license if you also need deer. Add the $7 migratory endorsement either way if you are 17 or older. Youth under 17 use the $7 youth license and are exempt from the state migratory endorsement.
HIP certification is free and asked at checkout. A federal duck stamp is for ducks and geese, not mourning or white-winged dove. Tell the license clerk or the online form that you will hunt migratory birds so HIP prints on the license.
Texas dove seasons 2026-27
TPWD splits the state into North, Central and South zones. For 2026-27 the published windows are: North Zone September 1 through November 8, 2026 and December 18, 2026 through January 7, 2027. Central Zone September 1 through October 25, 2026 and December 11, 2026 through January 14, 2027. South Zone September 1 through October 25, 2026 and December 18, 2026 through January 21, 2027. Confirm the current Outdoor Annual for bag limits and any Special White-Winged Dove Area dates before you sit.
Non-resident 5-day math
A weekend dove trip does not need the $315 general license. The 5-day Special Small Game/Exotic license is $48, valid for five consecutive days printed on the license, and covers dove, quail, exotic animals, squirrel and javelina. It is not valid for deer or turkey. Add $7 for the migratory endorsement and budget the $5 online admin fee. That is the stack most visiting dove hunters should buy.
Land access
Most Texas dove hunting is on private land by permission or paid day lease. Public hunting lands need an Annual Public Hunting Permit or a daily permit on top of the hunting license. Youth under 17 hunt free on those public tracts for migratory birds. Line up a place to hunt before you pay for the license.
How to buy
Buy at TPWD online sales, by phone, or at a license retailer. Licenses for the new year go on sale August 15 and run through August 31 of the following year. Buy from TPWD, not a third-party "license service."
Start from the Texas hunting license page for the base license, or compare non-resident hunting and non-resident fishing fees across states. Official source: TPWD migratory game bird endorsements .