Believe it or not, dove season opens in only seven weeks.

Texas has about 350,000 dove hunters, and a recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department survey showed that nearly half hunt in the Central Zone, which includes Lampasas and surrounding counties.

The survey also revealed that most dove hunters are content with the current seasons and bag limits.

Texas has the largest dove population, the most dove hunters and the most flexible dove-hunting framework of any state in the nation.

A recent press release issued by TPWD offered information about the opinions of Texas dove hunters on season structure and bag limits taken in an August 2009 mail survey to 7,500 recipients.

Besides revisiting several issues of continuing interest, the dove survey specifically sought feedback on three issues: the late season segment being established in the North Zone, late season segment interest in the South Zone, and the new 15- bird daily bag limit for the Central and South Zones.

Cory Mason, TPWD dove program leader, said the state has a lot of options available for tweaking the system.

“We want to be sure we’re serving the needs of our dove hunters,” Mason said. “Some things, like the opening prior to Sept. 1, are out of our hands. But according to the survey, hunters prefer by a twoto one margin the traditional Sept. 1 opener.”

Recent changes in mourning dove harvest strategies resulted in the Central Management Unit having a single-season structure option, a 70-day season and a 15-bird bag limit, although state regulations can be more restricted should the TPWD Commission choose.

With 10 extra days now available in the Texas North Zone, TPWD asked hunters what season structure they prefer. A split season was preferred by 57 percent, with a shorter late segment being favored. Additionally, under current rules, this season structure would standardize regulation between the North and Central Zones.

One question many hunters still debate relates to half-day shooting versus all-day shooting. As in past surveys when the question was asked, dove hunters continue to prefer the all-day option by a sizeable margin, with only 15 percent preferring noon-to-sunset hours. All-day hunting will continue as long as there is no indication it is harmful to the resource.

I am in the minority on this option, as I prefer shooting only after 12 noon. I am a traditionalist. For many years, afternoon shooting was the law, and most of my dove hunting was done after I got off work in the afternoon.

Therefore by habit, I still go dove hunting only in the afternoon.

White-winged doves are common across the state now and can be hunted along with mourning doves.

For more than 50 years, though, Texas has had a four-day Special hunter education White-Winged Area Hunting season the first two complete weekends (Saturday and Sunday), noon to sunset shooting hours in September in portions of South Texas.

Hunters indicated they prefer this format to a Friday-Saturday option, and no other changes to the special season are needed.

Speaking of hunting, the Texas Animal Health Commission and TPWD have issued a summer and early fall alert for ranchers, hunters and others who may be going afield in Texas. One case of anthrax has been confirmed in a white-tailed herd on a game ranch in Uvalde County. Although humans are susceptible, no cases have been reported to date, and simple precautions can reduce the risks of humans contracting the disease.

During an anthrax outbreak, hunters in the affected areas are discouraged from taking feral hogs because the hogs consume the meat of dead animals and could carry the bacteria. Fortunately, by the time deer season opens, cool weather usually puts an end to the seasonal anthrax outbreak.

Anthrax is a bacterial disease of sheep, goats, cattle, deer and other animals. The bacteria that cause anthrax can remain in the soil for many years. A period of drought followed by heavy rains frequently occurs just before the appearance of anthrax in livestock and deer.

Counties with the highest probability of anthrax are Crockett, Val Verde, Sutton, Edwards, Kinney and Maverick.

Former Soil Conservation Service employee and longtime writer Mat Taylor offers his outdoors column for Dispatch Record readers. He can be contacted at (254) 518- 2262 or via e-mail at mntaylor@wildblue.net.