(Lewis) Iowa’s dove season opens Tuesday and runs through September 29.
John Lorenzen with the Iowa DNR Office in Lewis says hunters may want to plan their outings early in the season.
Lorenzen says the daily bag limit is 15 doves, with a possession limit of 45. Shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.
He says light shotgun loads using 7.5- to 8-shot are recommended. Non-toxic shot is required on designated public wildlife areas.
Lorenzen says morning doves are Iowa’s most abundant game bird and can be found in all 99 counties. The greatest populations are found along the Loess Hills and across the southern three tiers of Iowa counties.
Iowa banding data show that hunters harvest about 6 out of every 100 banded doves, for a harvest rate of approximately 6%. Lorenzen says that demonstrates hunting plays only a minor role in overall dove mortality.
Lorenzen says hunters can find doves around bare dirt and areas with small grain seeds. He recommends watching for doves sitting on high wires, on dirt, on weeds, and on annual weeds, as well as in areas around farm ponds.
