TexasCHLforum.com

Quote: "saw a number of turtle doves. He grabbed the .22 rifle with scope and "harvested" a few. Half an hour later the local pd department pulled up asking if they had heard any shots fired. The other priest said no, while the forign born priest was frying up turtle dove breasts in butter in the kitchen. I bought him a nice pellet gun the next week."

Glad to see Chas' clarification of the 1997 amendment to 46.035 regarding those 4 locations. Not to take the thread too far off topic, but the quote above made me put on the "hunter ed. instructor" hat here to point out some similar "should know info." 1. It is illegal to take migratory birds (including dove) with anything except a shotgun. 2. It is illegal to take game animals with an air gun. See Texas Parks and Widlife Outdoor Annual for the specific "fine print".

While he did call them "Turtle Doves", I took it to be referring to the Eurasian Collard Dove. An "exotic" species which resembles the Turtle Dove. In Texas, while you are required to have a hunting license to take them, there is no closed season or bag limit. I'm pretty sure they're not considered as a migratory game bird either by the state or feds.

"...Currently, regulations concerning the Eurasian Collared dove are the same as for feral pigeons or Rock Doves. A hunting license is required, but there is no closed season or bag limit; however, local restrictions concerning discharge of a firearm do apply."

Taken from the Texas Parks and Wildlife site: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/landwater/l ... dove.phtml