Monday marked the start of dove season in the North and Central Zones here in Texas.
Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife biologists have reported dove hunting this season should be good.
Both mourning and white-winged dove populations are seeing an increase in population, those biologists said.
In any given year, Texans shoot between 4-5 million mourning doves.
TPWD Dove Program Leader Shaun Oldenburger doesn’t expect that to change during the 2014-15 season.
“Based on rural and urban dove surveys by TPWD, the 2014 estimated breeding mourning dove population is about 26.55 million birds, which is a five percent increase over 2013 and nearly eight percent above the long-term average,” Oldenburger said.

Hunter education course set

The Northwest Texas Field and Stream Association will have a one-day hunter education class on Sept. 20 at the facility on Southwest Parkway in Wichita Falls.
The class will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Club director Lee Boedeker is the chairman for the class.
The charge for the course is $15.
Hunters ages 9-17 may complete part of the course online, print out a certificate and complete instruction on this day. All hunters are required to take a hunter education class before hunting.
For information and registration, call 692-1141.