Texas Parks & Wildlife Department

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

High Plains Mallard Management Area: Goose hunting has been slow in the High Plains due to mild temperatures. Outfitters report geese are not leaving the roost to feed. Days of cold weather have produced limits of Canadas with bonus snow geese, but those days have been few since the opener. The Canada geese that have moved have been feeding in wheat and corn field near Etter and Spearman. Snow geese are roosting on Lake Etter in force, yet they remain tough to decoy unless inclement weather persists. Few juvenile birds in the light goose flock. Sandhill cranes are abundant near Spearman. Duck hunters have scored on playas for mallards, gadwalls, teal and wigeons, but those playas are drying from the lack of rain. The good news is a stiff cold front is expect to pass through the Panhandle Wednesday and allow frigid temperatures to persist through the holiday weekend. Hunting should improve. Prospects are fair to good.

North Zone: Duck hunting in the region remains spotty at best due to dry conditions and mild weather. The water that remains is on lakes and reservoirs. Lake O’the Pines, Caddo Lake, Wright-Patman Lake, Toledo Bend, Cooper Lake, Lake Murvaul, Lake Tawakoni and Lake Fork are fair for teal, gadwall and ringed-necks. A few mallards have showed up on the Sulfur River. Wood ducks remain steady in timber holding water. The rice prairies just north of IH-10 near Winnie, Devers, China, Brookshire, Sealy and Katy have been fair  for ducks. Most waterfowlers have scored at least half-limits for shovelers, teal, gadwalls, wigeons and a few mallards. The forecasted cold front Wednesday should deposit new birds for the last few days of the first split. The first split ends at sunset Nov. 25. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone: The region continues to be the hot spot for duck hunters in Texas. The prairie was drying considerably, however, steady rains over the weekend dumped as much as five inches of rain in the region. Rice fields are filled with water which should hold ducks in the region longer. Ducks remain steady on the rice prairies near Altair, El Campo, Garwood, Eagle Lake, East Bernard, Lissie, Collegeport and Palacios. Most bags are being filled with green-winged teal, gadwalls, pintails and shovelers. The first sign of mallards showed this week on the prairie, and the forthcoming front should push more down. Redheads, pintails and wigeons are building on the shoalgrass shoreline of the middle and lower coasts. Good hunts have been posted near Port O’Connor and Rockport. Mad Island WMA near Bay City and Justin Hurst WMA near Freeport have enjoyed good hunting since the seasoned opened. Hurst WMA has averaged around three birds per man, which is considered excellent for a public hunting venue. High Island and Anahuac has been fair to good for teal, shovelers, pintails and gadwalls. Trinity Bay hunters have seen fair hunting at best. Lots of geese on the prairie, especially near Eagle Lake, El Campo, Garwood and Egypt, but few juvenile birds have limited the light goose harvest. A low ceiling helped decoying action over the weekend, and thick fog Monday evened the score for goose hunters. Most concentrations are feeding in rice fields, but should head to rye and wheat fields in December. The wet conditions in fields after the rain should prompt geese to remain in the field longer since they can feed and water in the same locale. The first split of duck season ends at sunset Nov. 25.  Prospects are good.