AGFC Wildlife Biologist Tristan Bulice has been working and monitoring this field at Shirey Bay Rainey Brake all summer for the dove opener. AGFC photo.
Although summer heat is in full swing across The Natural State, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission staff are already paving the way for the kickoff to fall. Applications for AGFC permit-based dove fields open Saturday, Aug. 1, and will close Saturday, Aug. 15.
Most WMA-based dove fields are available on a first-come, first-served basis. A few managed spots, however, draw enough interest that the AGFC manages them through an online draw to reduce conflicts and increase the quality of the hunt for those hunters who win a permit.
Draw locations for opening weekend feature a combination of traditional sunflowers and top-sown wheat:
- Shirey Bay Rainey Brake WMA: 38 acres of sunflowers
- Dave Donaldson Black River WMA: 15 acres of sunflowers
- Lake Conway WMA (formerly known as Camp Robinson Special Use Area): 35 acres of top-sown wheat across multiple smaller fields
- Frog Bayou WMA: 20 acres of top-sown wheat
Hunters can apply online through the AGFC licensing portal under the “Controlled Hunt Permits” tab. A nonrefundable $5 application fee covers third-party administration costs.
Dove hunting is the unofficial kickoff to fall hunting seasons. AGFC photo.
To maximize access, applicants must select either Saturday or Sunday for their hunt. Permit holders can bring one guest, provided the guest remains with the permit holder. Both hunters are permitted their own full daily bag limit.
Brett Leach, AGFC Waterfowl Program coordinator, says applicants may want to consider the day they apply for as well as the field.
“The second day usually won’t have as much action, but your odds of drawing are usually better for the Sunday hunt,” Leach said. “Also, the sunflower fields are always more popular for good reason; they work really well to attract doves and they last a much longer time,” Leach said. “Top-sown wheat can be great, but if you get a rain right before the hunt, it can germinate and lose its appeal to doves.”
Bulice shows the size of the sunflower heads that will be producing excellent seed sources for mourning dove as they migrate through Arkansas in a month. AGFC photo.
Leach explains that top-sown wheat fields essentially serve two purposes: as a long-term source of browse for deer and other wildlife as green vegetation in winter, and as a short-term boost of energy for migrating doves when the seeds are on top of the ground.
All permitted fields will open to hunting on a first-come, first-served basis the Monday after opening weekend and be available throughout dove season.
“You may be able to find a few doves on these areas, especially the sunflower fields, after opening weekend, but after opening weekend, we don’t see many hunters using the areas,” Leach said.
Leach said there are many other fields being prepared on WMAs for people who don’t want to apply or do not draw one of these controlled hunt fields. Most of these fields will be prepared with top-sown wheat. A list of those fields will become available in the weeks leading to the dove opener at www.agfc.com/dove.
The 2026-27 Arkansas dove season is Sept. 5-Oct. 25, 2026, and Dec. 8, 2026-Jan. 15, 2027. The daily bag limit for mourning dove and white-winged dove is 15, with a possession limit of 45. There is no daily bag limit or possession limit for Eurasian collared dove, but all Eurasian collared doves must remain fully feathered for identification purposes while in the field and during transport from the field. Dove hunters 16 and older must have a valid Arkansas hunting license and must register with the Harvest Information Program. Visit www.agfc.com/license to apply for a dove hunt today.
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