While package hunts and day-hunting are the norm for South Texas dove shooters, there's also a good alternative on state-leased land. "TPWD currently has a public hunting program that leases lands from private landowners for use by the general public," Kunz said. "We have several quality leases in South Texas." For more information, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public.

CENTRAL TEXAS
"The best counties in my district for dove hunting are typically those Blackland Prairie counties that are still farming wheat and milo, or have allowed sunflowers to grow in fallow fields," said biologist David Sierra. "These counties include southern Grayson, southern Fannin, southern Lamar, Collin, Hunt, Delta, Rockwall, Ellis and Navarro. Of these counties, I think Delta, Hunt, Rockwall and Collin are the hotspots and there are quite a few TPWD-leased public dove-hunting fields located in those counties."

Despite explosive urban growth in the region, Sierra said, doves seem to be sticking to traditional migration routes. "I don't think there have been any shifts in mourning dove migrations through the district," he suggested. "They still typically arrive ahead of a strong cold front and follow the usual flyways.

"Whitewings have moved north along what I would call the I-35 corridor. They have made it up through the Dallas area and somewhat eastward, but are still not found in large numbers in most areas. Hunters have taken a few in the more southern counties such as Milam and Falls."

This region has been hit hard by last year's drought, especially with respect to dove reproduction. "The drought has limited the nesting success of the local populations somewhat," stated Sierra. "While this was not a large effect last year, it should be remembered that around 60 percent of the harvest in Texas is from local birds, and so climate has the potential to have a large effect. Of course, this does not apply to the migratory populations that come through later, when conditions are better."

NORTH TEXAS
Back in the glorious days that saw me hunt the Texas Panhandle nine months of the year -- from September through May -- for everything from doves to spring turkeys, we used to enjoy some barrel-melting-hot opening-day dove shoots -- around waterholes in particular. Unfortunately, the whole dove season usually lasted only until the first hard cold front blew through, which might come Sept. 2!

Although a flood of "Kansas doves" flows into the Panhandle in October and November, the season closes at Halloween. Often we'd often see more doves during quail hunts than we did in September. That said, those willing to do a little scouting in this wide-open country and to drop everything to go hunting when a new wave of birds moves in can enjoy some great action until the last day of the season.

The same applies to the Rolling Plains mesquite country, especially south of the Caprock in North-central Texas. Cold and rain push tons of doves out of the Panhandle and below the Caprock, but the birds often slow down and settle in as soon as the weather does. You can find many fields consistently holding doves through October as you move south from the Rolling Plains into the Hill Country.

My idea of the dream dove season (which I have yet to accomplish) is to open the season in Hemphill or Wheeler County, on the Oklahoma border and then follow the birds steadily south through the month, arriving in Uvalde in time for the South Zone opener and finishing the month on the Rio Grande. Only time and the realization that I'd have to carry a tractor-trailer full of shotgun shells with me have kept that dream from happening!

HUNTING OPTIONS
You hear a lot of Texas hunters, or former hunters, complaining about not having an affordable place to hunt. And while some types of hunting, such as that for trophy white-tailed deer and bobwhite quail, remain costly, dove hunting is still the biggest bargain in public hunting within the Lone Star State.

Throughout the state, good day-hunting operations charge $50 or less per day. That might not sound cheap -- but price dinner and a movie, or a round of golf, and compare! Call any small-town chamber of commerce in the top dove counties and you should find a ready list of landowners hosting bird hunters. Dollars spent by dove hunters are a welcome early-fall boost to local economies.

The TPWD has aggressively and successfully leased hundreds of tracts of pretty fair dove country from the Rolling Plains to South Texas for public hunting. For one small annual fee, dove hunters can hunt Texas practically border to border.

For a complete list of public hunting guidelines and a map of public hunting areas, go to the www.tpwd. state.tx.us/huntwild/hunt/public/lands/dove_hunting_areas, or contact any TPWD office.