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Doves of South Carolina

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Mourning Dove

morningDove.psdDescription:

  • Length: 10.5 inches
  • Sexes similar
  • Medium-sized, slender with very thin neck
  • Black bill
  • Feeds on grass seed and waste grain
  • Distinct pointed tail

Distribution: Statewide most abundant in agricultural settings.

Legal Status: Game Bird: Seasons set annually. Daily aggregate bag limit for mourning doves and white-winged doves is 15.

White-winged dove:

White-winged Dove B. McCord.psdDescription:

  • Length: 10 inches
  • Sexes similar
  • Adult similar to juvenile
  • Large, chunky dove
  • Fairly long, black bill
  • Pale blue, teardrop-shaped orbital ring to eye
  • Pale gray-brown head, neck, back, belly, and upperwings, with darker brown primaries
  • Long dark mark on lower face below eye
  • Purplish iridescence on neck
  • Bold white wing patch, visible at rest, formed by pale secondary coverts
  • Long tail is slightly rounded at tip
  • Dark brown tail with white corners bordered above by black line

Distribution: Southwest U.S.,TX, Gulf Coast States to Florida – Uncommon visitor to South Carolina.

Legal Status: Game Bird: Seasons set annually. Daily aggregate bag limit for mourning doves and white-winged doves is 15.

Eurasian Collared Doves

euroAsianDove.psdDescription:

  • Length: 12 inches
  • Pale gray head and underparts
  • Thin black collar with white upper border
  • Gray upperparts
  • Dark primaries
  • Long, squared tail-undersurface with black base and white tip; upper surface gray with white outer tips
  • Sexes similar
  • Established in southern Florida and expanding northward

Distribution: Throughout South Carolina – Most common in outer coastal plain, but locally abundant throughout.

Legal Status: Unprotected. May be harvested along with mourning doves and white-winged doves, but does not count in daily bag limit.

Rock Dove, Rock Pigeon or Common Pigeon

rock dove1.psdDescription:

  • Length: 12-14 inches
  • Color variable; most are bluish gray with black bands on wings and a black tip to the tail
  • Wings broad but pointed
  • Gray-black bill
  • Sexes similar

Distribution: Statewide. Common in cities, towns, around grain bins and cattle feed lots.

Legal Status: Unprotected. May be harvested along with mourning doves and white-winged doves, but does not count in daily bag limit.

Common Ground Dove:

Com Gr Dove_FWS.psdDescription:

  • Length: 5.5 inches
  • Small, chunky dove
  • Black-tipped orange bill
  • Gray-brown back and upperwings
  • Scaly appearance to breast and head
  • Black spotting on wing coverts
  • Cinnamon inner webs of primaries visible in flight, and occasionally at rest
  • Cinnamon wing linings
  • Short tail is slightly rounded at tip
  • Tail is brown centrally, with black edges and white corners

Distribution: Throughout coastal plain. Most common in outer coastal plain. Rarely in piedmont.

Legal Status: Protected non-game.

Ethical Question: How Close Is Too Close?

Although there is no law concerning the distance a hunter must be away from a residence when dove hunting, you should never be so close that your shot is falling on the roof of a house or yard where someone may be standing. Remember, what goes up, must come down. Studies have shown that #8 lead shot (the typical dove load) can travel as far as 200 yards.

Shoot away from residences, roads and other areas so that your shot will not fall where it is not wanted.

Hunting safety is no accident!


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