During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Mourning Dove had been both hunted and protected, depending on the state’s preference. In northern states, where populations were sparse, it was protected. In the southern states, it was killed for recreational hunting. Because of the presence then of the Passenger Pigeon, the Mourning Dove was not given much attention. It was the smaller of the two species and so the Passenger Pigeon was the bird that hunters focused on, in their hunting exploits. Eventually the Passenger Pigeon was hunted to extinction, and attention was therefore turned to the Mourning Dove to hunt.