DOVE HUNTING: The season that many hunters have been waiting 
for is nearly here ... details ahead on Passport to Texas.


Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife


Dove season signals the beginning of all fall hunting opportunities. 
September first marks the beginning of the season in the north 
and central zone, and in the south zone, it is planned to opens 
Friday, September 23.


"And that is to protect late-nesting mourning doves. We have indications 
from studies that a significant proportion of young are produced after 
September first in South Texas. And obviously, we want to set the 
hunting seasons when we're not going to affect the survival of the 
young that are still in the nest."

Jay Roberson is the leader of the webless migratory game bird 
program at the agency. He says protecting the species not only 
makes good conservation sense, it makes good economic sense.


"A Southwick Economic Survey, in 1995, indicated that about two 
hundred sixty million dollars are generated annually to local economies 
from dove hunting. Over five thousand four hundred jobs are created 
because of dove hunting, and about ten point five million dollars in sales 
tax is generated annually from dove hunting. This comes from leases, 
gasoline, groceries, hunting licenses, goods and services at local stores. 
So it is an extremely important species."

We'll talk about dove banding on tomorrow's show.


Visit us online at passporttotexas.org. 


That's our show ... made possible by the Sport Fish and Wildlife 
Restoration Program ... for Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.