Nov. 1, 2006

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from late August through early February.

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: An abbreviated two-day duck season opened this past weekend and results were good. Playa lakes were covered with teal, gadwalls, shovelers and a few mallards. The Panhandle is not totally wet, though there are isolated pockets of the region that has received significant rainfall to sustain waterfowl. Limit hunts were posted in Knox City, Dumas, Spearman and just about any watering hole near a food source. Goose season opens in the West Zone this weekend and Canada geese are beginning to show in force in the Panhandle, but the brunt of the population has not arrived. The same holds true for snow geese. More specklebellies, along with Canadas, are showing in the Knox City area. Haskell County received as much as 10 inches of rain last week. Duck season runs Nov. 3–Jan.28. Goose season in the West Zone runs Nov.4–Feb.6 with a bag limit of three Canadas, one white-front and 20 light geese. Prospects are good.

North Zone Waterfowl: Conditions remain dreadfully dry in the northeast section of the state. Area lakes and reservoirs are at an all-time low. The region suffered through two years of drought. The recent front deposited gadwalls, shovelers, teal, wigeons and a few mallards on area lakes and reservoirs. There are encouraging numbers of ducks on those areas with water. Closer to the coast, conditions are great for the opener. Fields are holding shovelers, teal, gadwalls and pintails. Still, the region, especially in East Texas, needs sustained rain in order to hold waterfowl throughout winter. Duck season runs Nov.4–26 and Dec.9–Jan.28. Prospects are fair at best in Northeast Texas and good closer to the coast.

South Zone Waterfowl: This weekend’s duck opener should be great along the coast. Duck numbers are strong across the coastal prairie. Eagle Lake, Garwood, Sealy, El Campo and any other ponds in the region are holding birds. Duck numbers are building on the coast as well. Redheads are building from East Matagorda Bay to Rockport and marsh ponds from Port Arthur to Port O’Connor are holding strong numbers of teal, shovelers, gadwalls and pintails. Quite a few mallards have shown on the prairie. Gadwalls seem to be the “big duck” specie most prevalent. Specklebelly numbers are good on the east side of Houston. Fields in Wharton, Colorado, Jackson, Lavaca, Matagorda, Brazoria and Chambers are holding good numbers of dark geese. Considering the mild weather this month, snow goose numbers are above what they normally are this time of year; and, with the approaching full moon, expect more light geese to hit the rice prairie. Biologists estimate between 40 to 50 percent young birds in the snow goose population this year, while specklebelly numbers are up near 45 percent. Decoying action should be suberb. Duck season runs Nov.4–26 and Dec.9–Jan.28 in the South Zone. The East Zone goose season runs Nov.4–Jan.28 for light geese and Canada geese, and Nov.4–Jan.14 for specklebellies. Bag limits are 20 light geese, two specklebellies and three Canada geese. The bag limit for ducks is 5, with the following species and sex restrictions - two scaup, two redheads and two wood ducks; only one from the following aggregate bag: one hen mallard, or one pintail, or one canvasback, or one “dusky duck” (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck, and they hybrids). Prospects are very good.