10/10 Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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Oct. 10, 2007

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

North Zone Dove: Lows reached the high 40s in the Panhandle this week, which should push migrant mourners to the region. Mourning doves continue to work corn and milo fields in the morning, and watering holes in the afternoon. Hunter participation has waned as of late. The Abilene and Knox City areas have been good in the afternoon. Soybean fields near Bogota and Paris have been fair at best. Some harvested cotton fields have held birds. Collin County fields have coughed up limits around treelines. The season runs through Oct. 31. Prospects are fair to good.

Central Zone Dove: Shoots around the San Antonio area remain good for limits and near-limit hunts. Corn, milo and wild sunflowers are best bets for morning shoots and any watering source is steady for afternoon affairs. Uvalde and Hondo is fair to good, though many whitewings have been reported too high to shoot until they hit the city limits. Waco, San Saba, Brownwood and Stephenville is fair to good for mourners around water holes in the afternoon. Fields near Winnie, China, Devers, Sealy and Katy have been good around water and treelines. Cooler weather forecasted this week should deposit new birds to the region after two weeks of abnormally hot conditions. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Dove: Willacy and Cameron County hunters have enjoyed steady shoots for whitewings in wild sunflowers, milo and corn. Drier conditions in South Texas have concentrated doves around water in the evening. Laredo, Freer, George West and Three Rivers saw limits or near-limit hunts for mourning doves and a few whitewings. Milo fields around Alice enjoyed good shoots. Matagorda County fields have been fair at best. Wharton County fields near Pierce have seen the most action. Prospects are fair to good.

Waterfowl: Northeast Texas lakes, shallow flats and ponds are drying from the absence of rain during the past month; however, water  throughout the region has been abundant enough to sustain the lack of precipitation. Lakes and reservoirs are beginning to see a few shovelers, gadwalls, wigeons along with blue-winged teal. The coast has received one to two inches of rain during the past two weeks, which has recharged shallow flats. Pintails, shovelers, gadwalls, wigeons and teal are on the prairie and in the marsh. Mild conditions have done nothing to prompt a migration; however, cooler temperatures this week could bring new birds. Specklebellies are arriving daily and expect more this week with the cooler temperatures to the north. Duck and goose season opens in both zones Nov. 3. The High Plains Mallard Management Unit season opens Oct. 20-21.