10/17 Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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Oct. 17, 2007

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: The regular duck season opens this weekend (Oct. 21–22), then closes for four days, then reopens and runs Oct. 26–Jan.27. Plenty of ducks are using playa lakes and stock tanks; and, the region is in good shape since summer rains dumped buckets of water on the High Plains. However, some of those playas have dried to dirt since significant rainfall has not occurred since. Dumas, Amarillo, Spearman and Knox City should see good hunts for gadwalls, wigeons, teal, shovelers and mallards. A few specklebellies have made it to the Knox City area; however, the brunt of the Canada goose population along with sandhill cranes have not made it to the Panhandle. A few sandhills have been trickling down the flyway. The West Zone goose season runs Nov. 3–Feb. 5. Prospects are good.

North Zone Dove: Mourning doves continue to hang out in soybeans and other agricultural fields near water. Better shoots are coming around stock tanks in the afternoon. Hunting picked up last week with the cool front which brought new birds from Kansas, though few hunters are taking advantage of the hunting opportunities. Panhandle hunts have been best around sunflowers and corn. Treelines and watering holes have been good in Harrison and Red River Counties. The season runs through Oct. 30. Prospects are fair to good.

Central Zone Dove: Brownwood hunters are taking limits and near-limits of mourning dove around watering sources in the afternoon. San Antonio, Uvalde and Hondo have been fair to good for whitewings in corn, milo and along established flyways. Many whitewings have figured out the hunting scenario by flying out of shotgun range until they reach their roosting trees in the city. San Saba and Waco saw new birds last week as a result of the front. Fields around Winnie, Devers, China and Dayton have been fair to good for mourners. Hunter participation has waned despite new migrants in the region. The first split of the season runs through Oct. 30. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Dove: Hunting for mourners and a few whitewings have been fair to good around Goliad, Beeville, George West and Three Rivers. Best shoots have been around water in the afternoon. Falfurrias and Alice has been good for limits of whitewings and mourners. Solid shoots have come from the Laredo, Freer and Cotulla areas. Drier conditions recently has doves concentrated around water in the afternoon. Whitewings are solid near Port Mansfield, Harlingen and Brownsville in wild sunflowers, milo and corn. Better shoots came from Wharton County this week. Fields with long treelines and gravel sources were good for limit shoots around Bay City. The first split runs through Nov. 11. Prospects are good.

Waterfowl Update: Ducks are building along coastal ponds and coastal prairie ponds. Shovelers, wigeons, pintails, gadwalls, teal and lots of shovelers are using available water sources.  Snow geese are still two weeks away from arriving in force, provided a significant temperature change to the north. Small groups of specklebellies have been spotted near Eagle Lake, Garwood, Wharton and El Campo. Northeast Texas has not seen significant rain in the last six weeks, which has dried up shallow pond. Lakes and reservoirs are in good shape and expect ducks to concentrate if the absence of rainfall persists. Duck season for the North and South Zones run Nov. 3–25 and Dec. 8–Jan.27.