Nov. 30, 2005
Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Hunting continues strong, despite dry conditions in the Panhandle. The region did receive a light snow Sunday as a front moved into Texas. Few playas north of Amarillo have water, which has concentrated many ducks and geese. Lake Etter remains the roosting hub for thousands of snow geese and Canada geese in the Dumas area. Sandhill cranes are good near Spearman. Decoying action has been solid for Canadas over wheat and corn. A few of the larger western Canadas have moved into the area since the last front. Wigeons, mallards, teal and gadwalls are good on wet playas. The Knox City area has enjoyed steady decoying action for Canadas, a few snows and a few specklebellies. Duck hunting slowed a bit this week; however, new ducks arrived with the recent front. Plenty of mallards, green-winged teal and a smattering of bluewings have made it in the bag. Prospects are good.
North Zone Waterfowl: The North Zone duck season closed at sunset Nov. 27. It will reopen Dec. 10. Conditions remain dry across the region, though weekend rains did knock the dust from the roads. Low-lying wetlands with just a hint of water were good for mallards near Marshall. Nearby Caddo Lake and Lake O’the Pines was good for mallards, ringed-necks and scaup. Canvasbacks have been decoying as well; they are not legal to harvest until Dec. 22. Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn have coughed up impressive straps of mallards. Cooper Lake, Sulfur River, Lake Ray Roberts and Lake Tawakoni were good during the first split. The recent front deposited new birds to the region. Along the IH-10 corridor, rainfall amounts as high as three inches fell for hours early Saturday morning. The rainfall was welcomed, as leveed ponds were getting low along the coast. Duck hunting near Winnie, Sealy and Brookshire was fair to good for shovelers, gadwalls and teal. Prospects should improve for the second-split opener.
South Zone Waterfowl: Duck hunting slowed somewhat on the coastal prairie during the last week of the first split of duck season. Half-limits were the norm for shovelers, gadwalls and green-winged teal near Eagle Lake, El Campo and Garwood. Heavy rains and lightning at daybreak, Saturday, hurt duck hunting efforts across the prairie. Hunters along the coastal marsh near Seadrift and Rockport continued to take limits of gadwalls, wigeons, shovelers and teal. On the bay in Port O’Connor, redheads and scaup were steady. Plenty of pintails, too, though they are not legal to harvest until Dec. 22. The Trinity Bay marsh continued its solid hunting during the first split. Hunters in Jack’s Pocket and on the grassy north shoreline scored shovelers, teal, gadwalls and a few scaup. Mad Island WMA near Bay City saw steady shooting Saturday as 32 hunters averaged 4.12 birds per man. Sunday slowed a bit as 39 hunters harvested 2.48 birds per man. Peach Point WMA near Freeport averaged about a bird per man. Goose hunting on the coastal prairie was fair at best during the week. High skies and a bright sun made decoying tough. Lots of specklebellies, but they have been tougher to decoy lately. Recent rains flushed and recharged roost ponds. The South Zone duck season will reopen Dec. 10. Goose hunting prospects are fair to good.
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