9/26 Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

Panhandle: Teal hunters saw steady shooting on playa lakes around Amarillo and Dumas. Mid-week north winds brought new birds to the area, evident by the number of greenwings and bluewing hens in the bag. Knox City hunters saw good shoots as well. Dove hunting has been fair to good over milo and corn. New birds hit the region this week. Teal season ended in Sept. 23 in the High Plains Mallard Management Unit. Duck season will resume Oct. 20. Prospects for doves are fair to good.

Central Zone Dove: Shooting near San Antonio has been fair to good over corn and milo. Better shoots have been had near watering holes. Uvalde and Hondo have scored limits of mourners and whitewings for hunters willing to hunt morning and afternoon. With the opening of the South Zone, Central Zone fields on the other side of the road were better. Brownwood, Waco, San Saba and fields north of Austin are fair for mourners and a few whitewings. Hunting has slowed somewhat around the Houston area. Best shoots have been around Sealy, Brookshire and Columbus in the afternoon. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Dove: Fields near George West, Fashing, Three Rivers, Laredo, Raymondville, Tilden and Freer saw good shoots over the weekend. Fields near San Antonio saw fair shoots for whitewings. Those positioned closer to town and roosting areas saw better shoots. Milo fields around Rockport enjoyed limit shoots. Harlingen and the rest of the Rio Grande Valley had great shoots. Milo fields near Pierce, El Campo and Collegeport shot mourners and whitewings. Winnie and Anahuac fields were good for half-limits. Hunters reported seeing a better flight in the afternoon. Prospects are good.

Teal Season: Waterfowlers along the coast remain dumbfounded at the number of teal in Texas. Teal hunting has been incredible to say the least. Some actually said the second weekend saw more birds than opening weekend. The hub continues to be the prairie west of Houston. Eagle Lake, Garwood, El Campo, Lissie, Wharton, East Bernard and Chesterville. More bluewing hens and greenwings showed in the bag this week, evidence the second migration of birds have hit Texas. The marsh east of Houston has been steady as well. Ponds near High Island, Anahuac and Freeport have been solid since the marsh is holding lots of aquatic vegetation (duck food). Mad Island WMA near Bay City and Justin Hurst WMA near Freeport have averaged more than two birds per hunter, which is solid for a public hunting area. Seadrift and Rockport have been steady in fields and in the marsh. Northeast Texas hunters have scored limits on Lake O'the Pines and the Sulfur River bottom. Caddo Lake has given up half-limits. Expect another wad of birds to migrate south with the Sept. 26 full moon and a forecasted cool front this week. Teal season ends at sunset Sept. 30. Prospects are great.