2025 Texas Dove Report

The dog days of summer are still hanging on, but fall is right around the corner. College football’s first full slate kicks off Saturday, and just two days later we get our own opening whistle—dove season in Texas. Monday, September 1, is game day. It’s a little disappointing we don’t get the full Labor Day weekend in the field, but that doesn’t take away from the excitement. The season is here, the birds are flying, and it’s time to get after it. That’s why we’ve put together the 2025 Texas Dove Report to give hunters a clear look at what to expect this fall.

Statewide Snapshot: Mourning vs. White-Winged

Texas dove numbers are in excellent shape heading into 2025. The statewide estimate for mourning doves sits at 35.9 million, a modest but meaningful increase of about five percent from 2024 and nearly thirty percent above the long-term average. Last year’s 34.3 million was already one of the highest counts on record, so to climb again this year is a strong sign for hunters. While it’s not quite at the record peak of 37.5 million set back in 2016, it’s close enough to put hunters in a very good position across most of the state.

White-winged doves, meanwhile, have slipped slightly from their all-time high. The 2025 estimate comes in at 11.7 million, down about eight percent from last year’s record-setting 12.8 million. Even so, the population remains well above the long-term average—roughly fifteen percent higher—and hunters in South Texas and many urban-adjacent areas will still find plenty of birds. In short, mourning doves continue to set the pace with statewide strength, while white-wings are only slightly off their record highs and still abundant enough to make for strong flights.

Regional Numbers: Breaking Down the State

TPWD surveys paint a clear picture of where hunters might see the best flights this fall:

• Panhandle: Mourning doves are up 16% year-over-year and now 44% above average. White-wings are scarce here and saw a sharp drop.

• North & Central Texas: Strong gains in mourning doves, up around 20–25% year-over-year, with numbers at or near record highs for the region.

• East Texas: Mourning doves remain steady. White-wings dipped slightly (–2% YOY), but this region still holds about a third of the state’s total white-wing population.

• South Texas: Both species are thriving. Mourning doves hit a record high, while white-wings surged +41% year-over-year—a major bright spot.

• Gulf Coast: Mourning doves are holding steady, but white-wings saw a steep decline (–55% YOY).

• Hill Country: Mourning doves are fairly stable, while white-wings fell (–45% YOY).

Taken together, these numbers suggest hunters across North and Central Texas should see steady, reliable flights of mourning doves, while South Texas could deliver some of the best hunts in the state—particularly for white-wings staging in brushland habitat. Along the Gulf Coast and in the Hill Country, white-wing numbers have slipped and hunters may need to scout more carefully, though mourning doves remain consistent enough to keep hunts productive.

Weather Realities & What They Mean

This summer has played out much differently than the past few scorchers. In Central Texas, it has been the mildest summer in more than a decade, with fewer triple-digit days and a much wetter July than normal. The Dallas–Fort Worth area followed a similar trend, staying near or even below average for much of the summer without any long, punishing heat waves. Out west and down south, however, the story has been different. Triple-digit stretches still dominated parts of the Rio Grande Valley, the Hill Country, and West Texas, where conditions stayed hot and often dry.

For hunters, the statewide mix of weather means opportunity. The milder, wetter conditions in the central and northern parts of Texas likely boosted brood survival, putting more young birds into the population this fall. In South and West Texas, the persistent heat will drive doves to concentrate around water and shaded feeding areas, which can actually create more predictable shooting if you know where to look. September is shaping up to be seasonably warm, but with enough lingering moisture to keep grain and water sources in play, the stage is set for steady flights throughout the early weeks of the season.

Final Thoughts

Texas dove season is here, and the numbers are lining up in hunters’ favor. Mourning doves are well above average statewide, white-wings remain strong even after slipping from last year’s record, and summer weather set the stage for a healthy, huntable population.

So while it stings a little not to have the full Labor Day weekend in the field, Monday will deliver what matters most is full flights of birds and the start of another Texas hunting season.