Dove Hunting in Wickenburg, Arizona

Wickenburg, Arizona is known for its colorful history as a gold mining town and an agricultural community. In late summer and fall, the desert around this small western town is a good place to go dove hunting.

Management Unit

The Arizona Game and Fish Department places Wickenburg in the south zone in Management Unit 20B for dove hunting purposes. This is important information to help determine shooting hours and bag limits.

Good Places to Find Doves

The Arizona Game and Fish Department recommends hunting near water--along the Hassayampa and Agua Fria rivers; around stock tanks; and near the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal.

Wickenburg Time

Sunrise and sunset might seem intuitive; at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, however, they occur at very specific times. Hunters who shoot before "posted" sunrise or after "posted" sunset may be issued a citation. Consult the dove regulations for a complete timetable of sunrise and sunset times, which includes information to adjust for Wickenburg's latitude.

Early Season Regulations

Dove hunting in Arizona is organized into two seasons. During the early season (September 1-15), dove hunters in the Wickenburg area may begin shooting a half-hour before sunrise and must stop by noon. Refer to the hunting regulations for a complete table of sunrise and sunset times in the Wickenburg unit. They may take any mourning dove or white-winged dove, up to a limit of 10 doves. Only six doves may be white-winged doves.

Late Season Regulations

Mourning dove

During the late season (dates vary annually), hunters around Wickenburg may take up to 10 mourning doves. Shooting hours in the south zone begin a half-hour before sunrise and end at sunset. Consult the Arizona dove regulations for a precise schedule.

Protected Species

Ground dove

Two dove species, Inca doves and ground doves, are protected and may not be killed. They are most likely to be found in fields and desert surrounding Wickenburg, and since they fly to water, you might also see them around rivers, ponds and stock tanks. Hunters should be able to identify all dove species in Arizona.

References

• Arizona Game and Fish Department: Game Management Unit 20B
• Arizona Game and Fish Department: Dove Regulations
• Town of Wickenburg

Resources

• All About Birds: Mourning Dove
• All About Birds: White-Winged Dove
• All About Birds: Inca Dove
• All About Birds: Common Ground Dove