The opening day of dove season in California is Wednesday, September 1st. Tom Trakes, from San Jacinto Wildlife Area, just advised SoCalHunt that the entire wildlife area, including the waterfowl areas, will be opened to dove hunting for the first three days of dove season. From the opener on Wednesday September 1st, through Friday September 3rd, hunters will be allowed to hunt doves on both the upland area of San Jacinto and SJ’s duck hunting areas. After Friday, for the remainder of the dove season, from September 4th until September 15th, dove hunting will only be permitted on the upland side of San Jacinto. There will be no dove hunting on the waterfowl side of SJ after September 3rd.
Tom also wanted SoCalHunt to remind everyone that due to Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations only non-toxic shot may be used to take any game anywhere in California. Lead shot has been banned on State Wildlife Areas for the last four years, however, the no-lead restriction went into effect two years ago statewide for ALL hunting. So, just remember, even if you don’t choose to hunt doves at San Jacinto WA, or any of the other DFW Wildlife Areas, you still need UNLEADED anywhere you hunt in California. DFW Wardens, as always, will be checking for lead shot and possession of even one round will result in you receiving a citation. So, be sure to check your hunting vest thoroughly to make sure an old round of lead shot from a couple years ago, or from your last visit to the trap range, isn’t kicking around in one of your pockets. Also, don’t forget that your 2020/2021 hunting license expired at the end of June. Be sure you have your 2021/2022 hunting license, including your upland endorsement on your license.
The regulations covering doves is as follows, Mourning Dove and White-Winged Dove have a daily bag limit of 15 in combination, up to 10 of which may be white-winged dove. The possession limit is triple the daily bag limit. There are no limits on Spotted Dove and Ringed Turtle Dove, although these two varieties have the same season dates as Mourning Doves (September 1st -15th). Hunting for Eurasian Collared Dove is legal year-round and there are no limits on them. Note: There is no open hunting season on common ground-doves, ruddy ground-doves, and Inca doves.
As usual the SJ Staff has planted several fields with dove-attracting crops on the Wildlife Area however they aren’t seeing many dove around SJ so far this year. Of course, San Jacinto isn’t Niland or Brawley or any of the other traditional “hot-spot” dove hunting areas and you’re unlikely to limit out in an hour, but you do have a fair chance of bagging a couple birds a lot closer to home. SJ is a good place if you just have a few hours and would like to try to get a shot or two at the dove.
So, hopefully there won’t be any end of August thunderstorms that might chase the birds south and then there should be at least a fair chance of bagging a few. If you’re want to try your luck at San Jacinto things are looking fair for opening day, Wednesday September 1st.
Also, don’t forget, there is another volunteer blind brush up work day coming up, Saturday September, 18th. Check SoCalHunt’s post on the August 14th (already past) and September 18th work days here. https://socalhunt.wordpress.com/2021/07/10/san-jacinto-wildlife-area-schedules-two-volunteer-blind-brush-up-work-days-august-14-and-september-18-2021/ SoCalHunt will also post a separate reminder announcement for the September 18th work day in the next few days. Watch SoCalHunt for that announcement soon.
And, before I go, Tom asked me to ask everyone to keep an eye out for palm fronds to utilize on the upcoming blind brush up day. If you can get any of them any time before the work day you can make arrangements to drop them off at San Jacinto by calling Tom Trakes at the San Jacinto headquarters at (951) 236-3040, or the San Jacinto staff at (951) 928-0580. Of course, if you’re going to come out for the work day you could bring them along with you then too or even drop some off if you come out to try your luck at dove hunting SJ in September.
SoCalHunt 