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Dove Fields in Florida (2025)

Brandon McDonald, Mark Mauldin, Kalyn Waters, , , Marcus Lashley, andCarolina Baruzzi


Release Date: 11/24/2025

DOI: 10.32473/edis-uw265-2025

Natural Resources

Abstract

Mourning doves are the most hunted and widely distributed game bird in North America, with millions harvested each year. Both year-round resident birds and seasonal migrants can be found throughout Florida and hunted in the state during the fall dove season. Mourning doves are managed federally by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and in Florida by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. This publication is intended for landowners and land managers who are interested in using dove fields, or food plots, for dove hunting. Information on what is legal when hunting doves on dove fields can be found at the end of the publication.

About this Publication

This document is WEC 225, one of a series of the Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date August 2007. Reviewed October 2016. The initial version of this publication was written by William Giuliano, former professor, UF/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; James F. Selph, emeritus Extension agent IV and retired Extension director, UF/IFAS Extension Desoto County; Kurt Hodges, then small game management program assistant coordinator; and Nick Wiley, then director, Division of Hunting and Game Management, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Visit the EDIS website at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu for the currently supported version of this publication. © 2025 UF/IFAS. This publication is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. 

How to Cite

McDonald, B., Mauldin, M., Waters, K., Fanning, A., Creamer, J., Lashley, M., & Baruzzi, C. (2025). Dove Fields in Florida (2025). EDIS, 2025(6). https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-uw265-2025

Authors

Brandon McDonald
Brandon McDonald
staff
University of Florida

biological scientist II, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, FL

Mark Mauldin
Mark Mauldin
County agent
University of Florida

Extension agent III, livestock and forages, UF/IFAS Washington County, Chipley, FL

Kalyn Waters
Kalyn Waters
County agent
University of Florida

county Extension director and Extension agent IV, UF/IFAS Extension Holmes County, Bonifay, FL

Andrew Fanning
Andrew Fanning

waterfowl and small game program coordinator, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tallahassee, FL

Jon Creamer
Jon Creamer

northwest regional director, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Panama City, FL

Marcus Lashley
Marcus Lashley
Specialist
University of Florida

associate professor, UF/IFAS Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Gainesville, FL

Carolina Baruzzi
Carolina Baruzzi
Specialist
University of Florida

assistant professor, wildlife ecology and management, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy, FL

Publication #WEC225

Peer Reviewed
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