07 Jan, 2009 - Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report
January 7, 2009
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Goose hunting has been excellent, according to several outfitters. Limits of decoying Canada geese and good action for snow geese has been the norm with the recent cold weather. Many geese are hitting green fields. Lots of juvenile snows in the flock which has helped put more white on the strap. Best hunts have been had near Lake Etter, Spearman and Dumas. Good hunts have also been posted around Knox City for ducks and geese. Duck numbers continue to be strong on playas and feed lots, though few hunters are taking advantage. Lots of mallards on playa lakes. Pheasant season concluded, and outfitters said it was a good year. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: Duck hunting has been fair at best for puddle ducks like mallards, gadwalls and teal. Timber hunters have been able to score their two wood ducks. Hunters willing to shoot diving ducks have filled their bag with the five-bird limit. Lots of canvasbacks, scaup and ringed-necks have been taken on Lake O’the Pines. Toledo Bend hunters have shot canvasbacks, scaup and a few mallards. Caddo Lake has been fair for ringed-necks and gadwalls. A few mallards have been taken on Sam Rayburn. Some hunters hunted in freezing rain and snow early in the week. Conditions remain dry along the coast. Good hunts were posted in the Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge over the weekend for wood ducks, gadwalls, teal and a few mallards. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: Duck hunting has been hit-or-miss on the coastal prairies. Those able to rest ponds have had good shoots for green-winged teal and pintails. Water continues to be an issue as many ponds have dried up, which has helped concentrate birds on the ponds with water. Marsh hunters have seen half-limits at best. Few food is left in the marsh to hold birds through January. Bluebills and a few teal have been the norm in Trinity Bay. Port O’Connor and Rockport hunters are taking their pintails and redheads, but more coveted ducks like gadwalls and wigeons have been noticeably absent. Redheads, bluebills and pintails have been good in Port Mansfield. Goose hunting has been steady with mild temperatures, southerly winds and foggy conditions. Snows have readily decoyed and some impressive hunts have been posted. Specklebellies have shied away from white spreads and calling. Dark geese have segregated themselves in fields. Canada geese have decoyed and picked up the slack. Geese are hitting green fields of wheat, rye and clover. Prospects are good.
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24 Dec 2008 - Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report
December 24, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Temperatures had been below freezing for several days last week with winds gusting at over 30 miles per hour. More geese are roosting around Etter and Cactus Lake since the beginning of December. Larger lakes have held the only open water since shallower playas are frozen. Decoying action for geese has been solid when winds are less than 20 knots. Some hunts have produced equal ratios of dark and light geese. A good crop of young snow geese has aided in great decoying action. Many more mallards are showing, but hunters have had to break ice. Lots of ducks are using warmer feed lot ponds. Haskell County hunters have taken wigeons, mallards, gadwalls, teal and good numbers of Canadas. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: Frigid temperatures throughout the Central Flyway have sent many more mallards across the Red River. Some good hunts were posted in the snow last week on area lakes and reservoirs. Sloughs and backwaters are loading up with greenheads and wood ducks. Green-winged teal have been seen on shallow flats on lakes and reservoirs. Mallards, gadwalls and teal have been solid on Lake Wright-Patman, Lake Palestine, Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni and Cooper Lake. Wood ducks have been steady in wooded sloughs. Inland ponds near the coast were fair over the weekend. Mostly teal, gadwalls, pintails and shovelers were taken. Some good goose hunts were posted just north of IH-10 near Winnie last week when four days of fog socked in along the coast. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: Duck hunting improved significantly along the coastal prairie with blasts of cold air that reach South Texas. Most hunters have said they saw an influx of green-winged teal which helped fill bags quickly. Pintails have been solidly decoying over shallow flats. More gadwalls have shown, but their fickle behavior has limited decoying action. Hunters continue to wonder where large flocks of shovelers have been this season. Spoonbills have been noticeably absent for the entire season. The High Island marsh has been fair to good for teal and gadwalls. Collegeport and Palacios have been good for teal, pintails and gadwalls. Port O’Connor, Rockport and Port Mansfield hunters have taken pintails, redheads and teal. Inland ponds near Port O’Connor have been good for limits of ducks. Goose hunting was solid during the week with at least four days of fog between cold fronts. Many outfitters have regularly harvested over 30 geese per hunt. Canada geese are showing in many bags. Prospects are good.
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17 Dec 2008 - Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report
December 17, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Overnight lows dipped down around 5 degrees near Amarillo and Dumus Monday, which is just what outfitters like to get geese in a feeding mode. Temperatures had been below freezing with snow for several days last week, but winds gusting at over 40 miles per hour made it tough to decoy birds and keep decoys from blowing across the High Plains. More geese are roosting around Etter and Cactus Lake since the cooldown. Shallow playas are frozen, which has moved ducks to warmer and deeper feed lot ponds. Knox City hunters have taken wigeons, mallards, gadwalls and teal. Pheasant season has been solid, with limits being the norm. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: The second split of duck season opened to temperatures resembling early teal season. More mallards arrived in Northeast Texas during the split, and a round of rain during the past week helped recharge shallow sloughs and backwaters. Conditions changed dramatically Monday as a stiff cold front pushed through the region bringing with it rain and sleet. Green-winged teal have been seen on shallow flats on lakes and reservoirs. Mallards have been solid on Lake Wright-Patman, Lake Palestine, Lake Fork, Lake Tawakoni and Cooper Lake. More divers have shown on Toledo Bend, Lake O’the Pines and Lake Fork. Wood ducks have been steady in wooded sloughs. Inland ponds near the coast were fair over the weekend. Mostly teal, gadwalls and shovelers were taken. Water continues to be a problem near Sealy, Brookshire, Nome, China and Winnie. Lack of rain is drying ponds and many landowners are not pumping due to the high costs. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: The second split of duck season was generally good along the coast. Limit hunts were posted near Wharton, East Bernard, Garwood, Chesterville, Eagle Lake and El Campo. Ducks flew early, then a little later in the morning due to the full moon. If you had water, you had birds. On the east side of Houston near High Island, good hunts for gadwalls and wigeons were posted in the marsh. Hunting was fair at best in the marsh near Anahuac and Trinity Bay. The Collegeport marsh saw good hunts for greenwings and bluewings. Hunting was fair to good in the bay near Port O’Connor and Rockport. Low tides pushed many redheads to the bayfront, but tides rose as southerly winds blew and back lakes filled up with water Sunday. Pintails, wigeons, teal, scaup and redheads were harvested. Goose hunting continued steady, though specklebellies have become a bit finicky. Snow geese have decoyed well over rice and some groups are beginning to hit green fields. Many more Canada geese have hit the coast which has helped fill the bag. Prospects are good.
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10 Dec 2008 - Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report
December 10, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Goose hunting improved with the recent cold snap. Outfitter reported limits of decoying Canada geese with good decoying action for snow geese as well. Lots of juvenile snows in the flock which has helped put more white on the strap. Best hunts have been had near Lake Etter, Spearman and Dumas. A few 100-bird hunts have been posted. Good hunts have also been posted in Haskell County. Sandhill cranes have been good over milo and plowed ground. Duck numbers continue to be strong on playas and feed lots, though few hunters are taking advantage. More mallards have hit the region in the wake of the front. Another round of cold weather is forecasted for this week which could freeze some shallow playas. Pheasant hunting has been steady. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: The second split of duck season begins Dec. 13 and prospects look solid on lakes and reservoirs in Northeast Texas. Hunters there have noticed a significant influx of mallards to go with good numbers of gadwalls, wood ducks and green-winged teal. The region could use another dose of rain since no significant precipitation has fallen since September. Acorns and other forage are good this year with the summer rains, but some sloughs are dry and waiting for water to float duck food. Toledo Bend hunters said they are not seeing the number of birds they usually see, with a noticeable absence of mallards and canvasbacks. Caddo Lake, Lake Palestine, Lake O’the Pines and Lake Wright-Patman look good for the second split. Inland ponds near the coast could use another shot of rain to recharge ponds. Hunting was steady for the first two weeks of the season then slowed to a crawl around Thanksgiving. Best hunts have occurred on crawfish ponds and second-cropped rice fields. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: The second split of duck season opens Dec. 13 and prospects look good for those with water. Ponds around Wharton and East Bernard are holding the brunt of birds. Many ponds in Eagle Lake and Garwood that rely on canal water from the Lower Colorado River Authority are dry due to lack of rain. LCRA turns pumps off Oct. 15 and hunters are at the mercy of the heavens for new water. Many are suffering since no rain has fallen in months. Goose roosts are drying as well and the fear of a cholera outbreak is realistic if the drought continues. Bay hunters have noticed an influx of birds since the first split, probably due to colder weather to the north and dry conditions on the prairie. Rafts of divers are roosting in the middle of East Matagorda Bay. Puddle ducks like wigeons, gadwalls, pintails and teal, along with divers like redheads and scaup have been found on the shoalgrass shorelines of West Matagorda Bay. Port O’Connor and Rockport hunters say they are seeing more birds. Port Mansfield has good numbers of pintails and redheads. Goose hunting remains excellent. Juvenile counts ranging from 20-30 percent have kept decoying action steady for snow geese. Specklebellies are becoming a bit fickle, but an influx of Canada geese should fill the void of dark geese. Prospects are good.
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3 Dec 2008 - Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report
December 3, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Goose hunting has been better with the cooler temperatures. Lots of Canadas have been decoying, but many of the concentrations are spread throughout the region due to the abundance of water. Some days snow geese work, and some days they do not. There are lots of juveniles in the flock which has helped put more white in the bag this year. Sandhill cranes have decoyed well when the wind blows. Best hunts have been in plowed ground and corn. Outfitters report lots of ducks on playas, but with the abundance of water, ducks have many places to go. Hunters are hoping for colder weather that freezes these shallow playas and congregates the ducks on open water. Waterfowl hunting will really turn on when the first freeze or snow falls. Pheasant season opens Dec. 6 and roadside reports indicate a good population of birds. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: The first split ended at sunset Nov. 30 and generally the first 30 days of the season were fair at best. Many hunters in traditional mallard counties did not see many greenheads. Mild conditions in Texas and the northern states played a major role in the absence of the prized duck. Gadwalls and wood ducks were the most prevalent birds harvested on lakes and reservoirs. The region could use some rain to fill sloughs and backwaters. Divers like scaup and ringed-necks were taken on deep water on Caddo Lake, Lake O’the Pines and Toledo Bend. Canvasbacks are building on Toledo Bend and Lake O’The Pines. Lake Palestine was good for gadwalls. Hunting slowed along inland ponds around the coast. The season began fair then slowed to almost a halt as mild temperatures did not prompt birds to migrate. Lots of blue-winged teal still showing which echoes the warm weather notion. The second split opens Dec. 13*.
South Zone Duck: Duck hunting along the coast did improve during the last weekend of the first split. What had been a lackluster Thanksgiving week, picked up steam with stiff north winds. The ardent winds seemed to disperse wads of bluewings and greenwings, which helped marsh hunters and prairie hunters. The most consistent hunting during the first 30 days occurred in Wharton County near Wharton and East Bernard. Outfitters said hunter numbers were down by approximately 30 percent on the coastal prairie. Hunters near Port O’Connor and Rockport saw fair hunting. Many outfitters say bird numbers are down. Redheads, wigeons, gadwalls and pintails were the species most harvested. Inland ponds in Calhoun County faired better as of late. Goose hunters have enjoyed steady shooting for snows and specklebellies. A strong hatch of juvenile snows has helped decoying action tremendously. Specklebellies have been a given for experienced goose hunters, but their attitude has become a bit wary as of late. A few Canada geese are beginning to show, but don’t expect them in force until a significant cold front pushes through. Most of the geese are feeding in fresh-cut rice fields. There are still some fields that are being harvested, which is much later than in years past. The second split of duck season opens Dec. 13.
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Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report - 11/19/2008
November 19, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: The front brought new birds to the region but mild temperatures quickly returned. Outfitters have said temperatures in the 70s have not prompted geese to feed heavily, which has hurt decoying action. Many outfitters have said there are plenty of Canadas and snows to hunt; but, weather has been the ingredient to harvest them. Duck numbers look good on playas and feed lots. More mallards showed with the front. Knox City and Haskell County hunters have taken limits of wigeons, teal, gadwalls and a few mallards. Water conditions look better in the northern region of the Panhandle compared to the southern. Sandhill cranes numbers are strong and a few good hunts have been posted. Again, mild conditions and high skies have limited hunters. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: More ducks showed with the front. Gadwalls, teal and woodies continue to be most consistent in bags, but more mallards showed this week. Lots of woodies have been seen early in the river bottoms. Locales say they are seeing many more wood ducks than a year ago, probably due to better water conditions. Area lakes and reservoirs are holding more divers than normal. Divers like scaup and redheads are late getting to the coastal bayfronts, but many have begun their migration since the front. Lake Wright-Patman has been fair for gadwalls, teal and a few divers. Lots of ringed-necks on Caddo Lake. Power plant lakes, where hunting is prohibited, are holding large concentrations of birds. The river bottoms have water but could use another doze of soaking rains. Fields in Brookshire, Winnie, Nome, Sealy and Katy received rain that recharged duck ponds. Second-cropped rice fields have been best for teal, gadwalls, shovelers and mottled ducks. Many hunters have reported seeing more mottled ducks on inland fields on the east side of Houston, probably due to deteriorating marsh conditions brought about by Hurricane Ike. The first split of duck season runs through Nov. 30. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: Duck hunters have seen consistent action on prairie ponds, especially since three to seven inches of rain fell last week. The recent front deposited new birds to the region, including more green-winged teal. Lots of bluewings still hanging around, especially in the marsh near Collegeport. Wharton, Garwood, Eagle Lake, East Bernard and El Campo ponds have been steady, with the odd specklebelly being taken out of duck blinds. Action on local wildlife management areas had been slim, but action picked up with the front and new water to fill freshwater compartments. Port O’Connor and Rockport hunters saw an influx of redheads, scaup and pintails. The hard north wind associated with the front blew some of the pintails from the prairie to the marsh. A stiff southerly wind should send them back, quickly. Goose numbers continue to build. The front pushed many more snow geese to the coast which hit fresh cut second-cropped rice fields. Good hunts were posted with a little fog and south winds that blew before the front. A good ration of young to old birds has helped decoying action—the same can be said for specklebellies. No reports of Canada geese, yet. The first split of duck season runs through Nov. 30. Prospects are good.
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Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report - 11/12/2008
November 12, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Outfitters say playa lakes look good and are holding lots of ducks and geese. Most of the birds are scattered throughout the region with the abundance of water. Colder weather should congregate the flocks. Pintails, teal, gadwalls, wigeons and a few mallards have been taken. The brunt of the population has not arrived, yet. Hunting has been fair at best recently with the milder than normal temperatures. Calm days coupled with blue skies have not helped decoying action. Sandhill crane hunting was fair during opening weekend. Those with a little wind saw better results. Goose numbers are building daily with the bright moon and a forecasted cold front that is expected to move through the region. Prospects are good.
North Zone: Duck hunting was fair at best on Northeast Texas lakes and reservoirs. Ponds near Dallas and north of the city saw mixed bags of gadwalls, teal and mallards. Mild temperatures have been the culprit in so few birds seen. Lake Wright-Patman was good for half-limits at best. Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake and Lake O’the Pines held divers and gadwalls. Water levels on lakes and reservoirs remain adequate for hunting. The southern portion of the north zone was fair at best as well. Fields near Brookshire, China, Devers, Nome, Sealy and Winnie held scattered flocks of specklebellies to go with a smattering of ducks. Conditions remain dry on rice and prairie ponds north of IH-10. Expect new birds to show with the full moon, despite no significant cold front forecasted. Prospects are fair.
South Zone: Duck hunting has been fair at best throughout the region, though prairie ponds holding adequate water has seen steady hunting. Best hunts have been in Wharton County, where blue-winged teal, gadwalls, pintails, wigeons and shovelers have filled straps. Fields near Garwood have been steady as well, with most ducks hunters taking the odd specklebelly, too. The Justin Hurst WMA near Freeport, Mad Island WMA near Bay City and Guadalupe Delta WMA near Port Lavaca has seen poor to fair hunting. Most of the freshwater compartments and moist soil units are dry. Duck hunting near Port O’Connor has been fair to good for those willing to put in the time to scout. The brunt of the diver population has not arrived, and the same goes for pintails, gadwalls and wigeons. Rockport has seen fair hunting at best. Large rafts of ducks have not arrived, yet. Goose hunting has been fair to good, with most hunters taking their limit of specklebellies. Snow geese have cooperated when the wind blows. A good hatch of young birds has aided in decoying action. Expect new geese to arrive with the forthcoming full moon. The region received needed rainfall early this week, as much as five inches in some parts, which should recharge parched ponds. Prospects are fair to good.
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Texas Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report - 11/5/2008
November 5, 2008
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Conditions look good in the Panhandle region near Amarillo, Dumas, Etter and Spearman. Outfitters say playa lakes are full of water and lots of waterfowl are roosting on them. Good duck hunts were posted for gadwalls, wigeons, teal and a few mallards. Lots of bluewings hanging around. Goose numbers look promising. Snow geese hanging around Lake Etter have lots of juveniles in the flock. Canada numbers look good as well. The West Zone goose season opens Nov. 8. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: The duck opener saw mixed results across the North Zone; however, compared to the 2007 opener, hunters saw better hunting. Decent hunts were posted on Lake Wright-Patman for gadwalls, wigeons and teal. Few mallards were reported. Caddo Lake hunters enjoyed the results, but most of the ducks were concentrated on big water. The same held true on Lake Fork, Toledo Bend and Lake Tawakoni. Bluebills, teal and a few redheads were taken on Lake O’the Pines. Good hunts were posted in rice and crawfish ponds near the coast on the southern border of the zone. Lots of hunters took their mottled duck along with greenwings and bluewings. Fog and calm winds along the coast this weekend hurt the flight somewhat. A pacific front is expected to drop temperatures later in the week. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: Good hunts were posted on the prairie near Wharton and East Bernard. Lots of blue-winged teal were harvested along with gadwalls, shovelers, pintails and wigeons. Eagle Lake and Garwood enjoyed good shoots as well. Divers were taken on the prairie during opening weekend, but don’t expect them to hang around long. The prairie remains abnormally dry with water at a premium. Hunts along the bay were fair to good. The brunt of the duck population has not arrived, yet. Hunting was fair at best in the marsh east of Houston. A tidal surge of saltwater covered the entire marsh during Hurricane Ike and killed much of the duck food. Some of the rice was scorched by saltwater as well as water swelled well inland. Goose numbers look good. Limits of specklebellies were taken over rice, with a smattering of snows. Conditions were not favorable for goose hunting with calm conditions and clear skies. The juvenile population of snow geese looks to be in the 20-30 percent range, which bodes extremely well for decoying action. Prospects are good.
South Zone Dove: New birds showed up around South Texas since the front, but hunter participation has waned with the opening of