1/23/2008 Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

High Plains Mallard Management Unit/Panhandle: Outfitters said geese decoyed great with the colder temperatures. Larger Canadas showed with the frigid mercury readings. Most geese are roosting on Lake Etter near Dumas. Duck hunting near Dumas has been good on playas. Some duck hunters had to break ice to hunt frozen watering holes. Duck hunting has been fair to good in Haskell County for mallards, wigeons, gadwalls and teal. Duck season ends at sunset Jan. 27. Goose season continues through Feb. 5. The Light Goose Conservation Order season begins Feb. 6 and outfitters are expecting a great season with plenty of snow geese roosting on Lake Etter. Decoying snows have been tough this season. Lots of adult geese in the flock and hunters are hoping the liberal regulations will help in the harvest. Prospects are fair to good.

North Zone Waterfowl: Duck season comes to a conclusion at sunset Jan. 27. Hunting has been fair at best throughout the season. Many hunters braved the sleet and snow over the weekend with mixed results. Some said they saw more mallards with the colder temperatures. Hunters on Caddo Lake have been taking ringed-necks, scaup and canvasbacks on the Big Lake portion of the lake. Lake O’the Pines was good for canvasbacks, mallards, scaup and buffleheads. Lake Fork and Cooper Lake saw mallards, teal, gadwalls and divers. River bottoms near Centerville enjoyed steady shoots for mallards, gadwalls and wood ducks. Lake Palestine and surround bayous and bottoms have held mallards, gadwalls, teal and wood ducks. Leveed ponds near IH-10 received more rain over the weekend, as much as eight inches in some locales, which turned plowed fields into large ponds. Duck hunting on the high ground near the coast remains fair at best. Prospects are fair.

South Zone Waterfowl: The region received 5-8 inches of rain over the weekend which recharged roost ponds and scattered waterfowl across the prairie. Marsh ducks headed to the high ground with all the rain and many prairie hunters reported seeing more pintails. Outfitters reported improved hunting near Eagle Lake, Garwood and El Campo, but still below par compared to past seasons. Green-winged teal continue to be the mainstay in hunters’ bags. The lack of gadwalls on the prairie has puzzled hunters throughout the year. Good hunts were posted near High Island. Pintails are very good in Rockport and Port O’Connor. Seadrift reported steady hunts for wigeons, redheads, gadwalls and teal. Some canvasbacks have been showing in the freshwater marsh near Copano Bay. Hunting has slowed to a crawl in Trinity Bay. Snow geese continue to feed on green forbs in fallow fields or winter green fields. Groups of snows are beginning to separate into smaller flocks. Wet, muddy fields have discouraged some goose hunters, but the standing water has been good for bonus pintails in goose spreads. Snows are building in the marsh near Anahuac and foggy conditions early this week was a boon. Duck season along with goose season ends at sunset Jan. 27. The Light Goose Conservation Order begins Jan. 28. Prospects are fair to good.