Legal Guide · Doves
Can you hunt doves with an air rifle?
By James · Published · Updated · Editorial policy
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This page is legal information, not legal advice. It's built from the federal regulation text and California's Title 14 regulations, linked in Sources. Rules change and vary by state, so confirm with your state wildlife agency before hunting. Full methodology & editorial policy →
Why the species matters more than the gun
"Dove hunting with an air rifle" is really two different questions, because the doves you see in a Southern California backyard aren't all the same bird under the law:
| Bird | Legal status | Air rifle legal? | California season & limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning dove | Native migratory game bird (federal + state rules) | No: shotgun, archery, falconry only (14 CCR §507) | Sept 1–15 and a late season; 15/day combined with white-winged |
| White-winged dove | Native migratory game bird | No | Same seasons as mourning doves |
| Eurasian collared dove | Non-native, not federally protected | Yes in California (14 CCR §311(f)) | All year, no bag or possession limit |
| Spotted dove / ringed turtle-dove | Non-native; California sets seasons | Check current CA regs | Seasons listed in 14 CCR §300 |
| Feral rock pigeon | Non-native, not federally protected | Depends on state and city rules | Check local ordinances |
The federal rule, in plain English
Federal migratory bird regulations list the methods you can't use on migratory game birds. That list includes any rifle and any pistol (50 CFR 20.21(a)). What's left is a shotgun no larger than 10 gauge that can't hold more than three shells, plus archery and falconry. The federal text says "rifle" and doesn't define air rifle, so for California hunters the state's own closed list in 14 CCR §507 (next section) is the clearer rule. No state regulation can make a federally prohibited method legal.
Can you hunt doves with an air rifle in California?
Only the non-native doves: yes for Eurasian collared doves, spotted doves and ringed turtle-doves, no for mourning and white-winged doves. California's Title 14 files the doves in two different legal buckets, and the bucket decides which list of authorized methods applies. All of this is from the regulation text and CDFW pages as read in September 2026.
| Species | Where 14 CCR §300 lists it | Methods rule | Air rifle authorized? | Season and limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning and white-winged doves | §300(b)(1), "Migratory Upland Game Birds" | §507: "Only the following methods may be used to take migratory game birds": falconry; bow and arrows or crossbows; muzzle-loading shotguns; shotguns 10 gauge or smaller (shot shells only, no more than three shells in magazine and chamber combined) | No. Air rifles aren't on the list | Sept 1–15, and from the second Saturday in November extending for 45 days; 15 per day in aggregate, no more than 10 white-winged; possession limit triple the daily limit |
| Eurasian collared dove | §300(a)(1), "Resident Upland Game Birds" | §311, "Methods Authorized for Taking Resident Small Game" | Yes, §311(f) | All year; no bag limit, no possession limit |
| Spotted dove and ringed turtle-dove | §300(a)(1), "Resident Upland Game Birds" | §311 | Yes, §311(f) | Sept 1–15, and from the second Saturday in November extending for 45 days; no bag limit, no possession limit |
Season and limit text is from 14 CCR §300 (Cornell LII). CDFW's upland game bird page listed Sep 1–15 and Nov 14–Dec 28 for mourning and white-winged doves in September 2026. There is no open season on common ground-doves, ruddy ground-doves or Inca doves (§300).
Mourning and white-winged doves: the methods list is closed
Section 300(b)(1) sends you to §507, which opens with "Only the following methods may be used to take migratory game birds" and then lists falconry, bow and arrows or crossbows, muzzle-loading shotguns, and shotguns 10 gauge or smaller. Air rifles aren't named, so they aren't an authorized method for these birds at any power level. Federal law is a second layer: 50 CFR 20.21(a) bars taking migratory game birds with a "rifle" or "pistol," and 20.21(b) limits shotguns to three shells.
Eurasian collared doves: air rifles are on the list
Federal migratory bird law doesn't cover them. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists the Eurasian collared-dove among the non-native species the Migratory Bird Treaty Act does not apply to (2005 notice, updated in the Federal Register on April 16, 2020). California treats it as a resident upland game bird: §300(a)(1) points to §311, and §311 says "Only the following may be used to take resident small game." Subsection (f) lists "Air rifles powered by compressed air or gas and used with any caliber of pellet, except that wild turkey may only be taken with a pellet that is at least 0.177 caliber." The season is all year with no bag or possession limit.
License and validation
CDFW's Q&A says collared doves "are a game species, and hunters must possess both a license and an upland game bird validation." CDFW's dove page says all hunters need a valid California hunting license and non-junior hunters need a valid upland game bird validation (14 CCR §313 is the validation section). CDFW's licensing page says you must have proof of hunter education on your CDFW customer profile to buy a hunting license.
- Slugs. §311(f) says "pellet" and never mentions slugs. If you shoot slugs, ask CDFW first.
- Nonlead ammunition. §311's opening line ties take "with a firearm" to nonlead ammunition (§250.1). The text doesn't say how that applies to airgun pellets or slugs.
- HIP validation. CDFW lists a Harvest Information Program validation "if hunting for ducks, dove, gallinules, geese, band-tailed pigeon, black brant, coots, or snipe," but its collared-dove Q&A doesn't mention it. Ask whether a collared-dove-only trip needs one.
- Local limits. City discharge ordinances, landowner permission and shooting hours (14 CCR §310.5 covers shooting hours for upland game birds) apply on top of the state rules.
For the full hunting picture, read the collared dove hunting guide, California airgun hunting laws for rabbits, squirrels and other species, and airgun laws by state if you hunt outside California.
Telling them apart before the shot
- Eurasian collared dove: bigger and chunkier, pale gray-buff, with a black half-collar on the back of the neck and a square-ended tail with white edges.
- Mourning dove: slimmer and browner, with a long pointed tail, black spots on the wings, and no collar.
- The rule: if you can't see the collar through the scope, don't shoot. A 4K scope cam makes the ID easy to confirm afterward, but the call has to happen before the shot.
If you film your hunts, say the species
If you post hunting videos, name the species on camera and in the title ("Eurasian collared dove", not just "dove"). It keeps viewers from copying you on the wrong bird, and it's the honest way to present a legal hunt. The doves in my videos are Eurasian collared doves.
Eurasian collared doves with the FX Impact M4, through the scope.
How I hunt them, start to finish: the collared dove hunting guide.
Energy and shot placement for collared doves
Collared doves are bigger than mourning doves and tougher than they look. I treat them like rabbits: 12+ FPE at the bird, with a head shot or upper-chest shot. The numbers are in the airgun FPE chart, and the rifle side is in the caliber guide.
FAQ
Can you hunt mourning doves with an air rifle?
No. California's 14 CCR §507 says "Only the following methods may be used to take migratory game birds": falconry, bow and arrows or crossbows, muzzle-loading shotguns, and shotguns 10 gauge or smaller holding no more than three shells. Air rifles aren't on that list, and federal rules (50 CFR 20.21) also bar rifles and pistols. States can't loosen the federal rules.
Can you shoot Eurasian collared doves with a pellet gun?
In California, yes, with a valid hunting license. Eurasian collared doves are non-native, California lists them with an all-year season and no bag or possession limit (14 CCR §300), and air rifles are an authorized method for resident small game (14 CCR §311(f)). Other states set their own rules, so check before you hunt.
How do you tell a Eurasian collared dove from a mourning dove?
Collared doves are bigger and paler gray-buff, with a black half-collar on the back of the neck and a square-ended tail. Mourning doves are slimmer and browner, with a long pointed tail, black spots on the wings, and no collar. If you can't see the collar, don't shoot.
Are pigeons legal to shoot with an air rifle?
Feral rock pigeons are non-native and aren't protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, but state and city rules still apply, including discharge ordinances. Check local law and get landowner permission.
What about white-winged, spotted, and ringed turtle doves?
White-winged doves are migratory game birds, so the same federal method rules as mourning doves apply. California sets its own seasons for spotted doves and ringed turtle-doves, so confirm the current regulations before targeting them.
What do you need to hunt Eurasian collared doves in California?
A California hunting license (CDFW requires proof of hunter education on your customer profile to buy one) and, unless you're a junior hunter, an upland game bird validation. CDFW says collared doves are a game species with a year-round season and no limit. CDFW also lists a HIP validation for dove hunting generally, so confirm with CDFW whether it applies to a collared-dove-only trip.
Do airgun slugs count as pellets under California's air rifle rule?
Unclear from the text. 14 CCR §311(f) authorizes air rifles "used with any caliber of pellet" and never mentions slugs, and the CDFW pages reviewed for this guide don't address them. If you shoot slugs, confirm with CDFW before relying on §311(f).
Sources
- 50 CFR §20.21 — What hunting methods are illegal? (migratory game birds)
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — Information for dove hunters
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §300 — upland game bird seasons and limits (Cornell LII)
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §311 — methods authorized for resident small game (Cornell LII)
- California Fish and Game Commission — current upland game bird regulations
- Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14, §507 — provisions related to the taking of migratory game birds (Justia)
- 50 CFR §20.21 — What hunting methods are illegal? (Cornell LII)
- CDFW — Upland game birds: seasons, limits and validations
- CDFW — California Outdoors Q&A on Eurasian collared-doves
- CDFW — Hunter education requirements for hunting licenses
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service — final list of non-native bird species the MBTA does not cover (2005)
- Federal Register — List of Bird Species To Which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Does Not Apply (April 16, 2020)
