The checklist, before you drive out:
| Item | Ducks and teal | Doves |
|---|---|---|
| Texas hunting license | Yes | Yes |
| Migratory Game Bird Endorsement | 17 and older | 17 and older |
| HIP certification | Yes | Yes |
| Federal Duck Stamp | 16 and older | No |
| Hunter education (born on or after Sept. 2, 1971) | Yes, or deferral | Yes, or deferral |
| Non-toxic shot | Required | Not required |
| Shotgun plugged to 3 shells | Required | Required |
Every one of those is the hunter’s responsibility, not the guide’s. Here’s what each one is.
License and endorsement
Every migratory bird hunter needs a Texas hunting license. Hunters 17 and older also need the Migratory Game Bird Endorsement, which covers ducks, teal and doves alike. Both come from TPWD, online or wherever licenses are sold.
HIP certification
HIP is the federal Harvest Information Program. You answer a few questions about last season’s birds when you buy your license. TPWD’s own pages disagree on whether it applies under 16, and the federal rule names no age at all. Get it. It costs nothing and it settles the question.
Federal Duck Stamp
Required for waterfowl hunters 16 and older. Teal are waterfowl. Doves aren’t, so dove hunters don’t need it. TPWD accepts the digital stamp on your license.
Shot and plug
Lead is illegal for waterfowl anywhere in Texas. Bring steel or another approved non-toxic load. For doves, lead is fine. Any shotgun used on migratory birds must be incapable of holding more than three shells, which means a one-piece plug in the magazine.
Shooting hours
Migratory birds: half an hour before sunrise to sunset. That’s different from deer, which run to half an hour after sunset. Plenty of good hunters have gotten that wrong in the last light.
2026-27 seasons in Bell, Coryell, Milam and Falls
- Ducks (North Zone): Nov. 14 to 29, 2026, and Dec. 5, 2026 to Jan. 31, 2027. Youth, veteran and active military days Nov. 7 and 8.
- Teal: Sept. 19 to 27, 2026. Closed.
- Doves (Central Zone): Sept. 1 to Oct. 25, 2026, and Dec. 11, 2026 to Jan. 14, 2027.
Get it squared away, then book: duck hunts, dove hunts, or get on the list for September teal.