11/7 Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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Nov. 7, 2007

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Unseasonably warm temperatures did goose hunters no favors this weekend, though many enjoyed excellent duck hunting. Lots of Canadas and snow geese around Lake Etter and the concentration is building daily. This week’s Canadian front should dump more migrants in the region. Many outfitters say they are not running goose hunts until the weekend to let the flocks build. Good hunts were posted in Knox City for Canadas and specklebellies. Duck hunting has been steady for mallards, wigeons, teal and gadwalls. Feed lot tanks and playas have paid off, but the region needs rain to recharge playas. Sandhill cranes are everywhere and hunting has been excellent. Many hunters are taking their limit of cranes. Prospects are good.

North Zone Waterfowl: Opening weekend of duck season was fair to good. Lakes and reservoirs were the hot spots for Northeast Texas duck hunters. On the north end of Lake O’the Pines divers and teal were abundant, with gadwalls showing later in the morning. Lake Fork, Toledo Bend and Caddo Lake was fair to good for divers, teal and gadwalls. Wright-Patman was  fair for gadwalls in secluded areas. Lake Palestine was solid for limits of greenwings and bluewings. Backwater sloughs and bayous were good for wood ducks and teal. Very few mallards were seen, but locals are saying there are more wood ducks than they have seen in years. Closer to the coast, hunting was steady with limits of gadwalls, shovelers, teal and pintails. Ground fog hurt the flight early, but those who stayed longer harvested their birds. A Canadian front forecasted for this week should bring more birds to the area. Prospects are good.

South Zone Waterfowl: The South Zone held the most consistent hunting across the state during opening weekend. Blue-winged and green-winged teal comprised the brunt of bags. Eagle Lake, El Campo, Garwood, Lissie, East Bernard and Wharton saw good shoots in flooded rice and leveed ponds. Some hunters said fog hurt the early flight of birds. Gadwalls, pintails, shovelers and a few wigeons were also taken on the prairie. Not as many big ducks on the prairie compared to last year, but teal picked up the slack. Marsh hunters had successful hunts for teal, gadwalls and shovelers in High Island, Anahuac, Winnie, Trinity Bay, Freeport, Matagorda, Port O’Connor, Seadrift and Rockport. The High Island marsh gave up limits in less than an hour. Middle coast hunters had limits of redheads, pintails, shovelers and wigeons in Port O’Connor and Rockport. Freshwater marsh ponds near Rockport and Bayside saw limits of teal and gadwalls. Snow geese began arriving late last week, but few outfitters ran goose hunts opening weekend, with the exception of one party that shot 56 in Eagle Lake. Specklebellies readily decoyed, especially in the foggy conditions. Lots of specks feeding in harvested second-cropped rice fields. Expect more snow geese to show with the forecasted Canadian front. Ponds are drying on the coast and could use a shot of fresh precipitation. Prospects are good.

South Zone Dove: Dove hunting closes at sunset Nov. 11. Few dove hunters were in the field during opening weekend of waterfowl and whitetail deer across the state. Lots of birds showed up ahead of the front this weekend. Steady shoots were had in Falfurrias and the Rio Grande Valley. Port Mansfield was good for whitewings and mourners. More birds showed near El Campo, Wharton and Bay City. Fields just south of IH-10 near Winnie were solid for limits of mourning doves. Prospects are good.

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20071107a