Does YOUR state allow air gunning for dove?
 

Do YOU air gun for any species of dove? Please tell us about it. :wink:

It is illegal under federal law to hunt doves with single projectile ammunition. I believe you know that! It seems you are just bound and determined to start a controversy.

Why? Are you going to buy an airgun and come to my state and hunt?

No, this thread is not about me. I'm trying to assess how far America (and various state game laws makers) have advanced in acceptance of the air gun as a serious tool for recreatonal hunting. Game law makers have widely accepted archery equipment and just about everything else under the sun for killing game. An arrow scares me a lot more than a BB or pellet whizzing through the air.

I will pose another question here though. Does anybody here believe an air gun, even one with subsonic velocities, is more dangerous, ballistically speaking, in any way, shape or form than a powder shotgun for hunting dove or other fowl on public or private lands?

Air guns seem to be frowned upon by some lawmakers as skateboards are frowned upon by older people.

In short, I see the air gun as the final frontier for American hunting weaponry on dry land.

The laws are an evolution, they change all the time. In some places, an air gun is frowned upon much like a crossbow as being a poacher's weapon of choice. I have no idea of the current law in California, as I'm unwilling to research through pages of regulations trying to figure it out. One thing that seems fairly consistent in California is it has been legal to take Turkey with an air rifle by all accounts, which I found surprising. Nothing like making life difficult IMO you have to be a lawyer to figure out game law. It makes it even more difficult when the game you are hunting has different seasons in different localities and the localities read like a manic road map. I'm sure it all makes sense to somebody. Just guessing but the lax air rifle law in California are likely due to the fire danger in many places, they may figure the benefits outweigh the liabilities.

I have found at least one video of air gunning Eurasian collared doves in ARIZONA (MY NATIVE STATE) on a priavte farm. It could mean that the ECD is not a protected species in AZ and/or the air gun is lawful for that puropse in that state at least on private property. I believe Texas has also caught on with air rifles. Many elected officials don't know a moderator from a Gamo Swarm when it comes to compressed-air-powered recreational weaponry, I presume. There has to be a large enough public demand for air gunning for game and a loud enough cry for their acceptance, maybe. Many game laws are driven by emotion rather than practicality and sound conservation science.

Yes, It s legal in our state. But i'm wondering if you come to my state to hunt it or not?

You are from Pakistan, why are you answering questions about legality in the United states??

I think faseh67 answered the question honestly and with a bit of humor. It is legal in his state and Eurasian Collared doves are classified as crop pests in his country. FWIW, it is legal to hunt Eurasian Collared doves in CA also. US law classifies Eurasian Collared doves as an invasive species and leaves it up to states to regulate it. The OP asked about "any" species of dove and not just mourning doves which fall under different regulations. Pennsylvania may handle Eurasian Collared doves differently but that is Penn's prerogative. But your above answer was about federal law and not Penn law.

You can shoot the Eurasian Collared Doves here in TX with anything you want and you can do it all year long. They are classified as an invasive species. But you don't want to get caught shooting white winged or mourning doves with an air rifle/pistol here. So the answer, at least for TX, is maybe.

No in what state?

If you are referring to mourning doves, FEDERAL regulations prohibit hunting them with an airgun.Specifically International Migratory Games Law Treaties regulate hunting of mourning doves. Laws of individual states vary quite a lot, but the Federal regulations apply to all states. In addition to any Federal laws, one must always check the State laws, and even the County and/or City regulations, as the local regs can be even more restrictive than anything on a higher level.game department specifies shotguns only for game birds as the mourning dove. In most states that I am aware of Collared doves are not a game bird and considered invasive. There is no bag limit on them and use of airgun is ok. So the answer is NO. You may only use a shotgun.

in my state you can hunt ring neck doves any time any way they are considered invasive species

hunting dove is not legal, or is it?

Looks like the OP changed his screen name.

If you're talking about shooting sad birds with an airgun, FEDERAL laws forbid it. Collared doves are not considered game birds and are invasive in the majority of the states I am aware of. The use of airguns is permitted, and there is no bag limit on them.