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Media Contact for This Release: Steve Lightfoot, (512) 389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us

Feb. 1, 2006

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

High Plains Mallard Management Unit/Panhandle: Duck season ended Sunday and the season was considered good, but not great, according to several outfitters. Lack of water on playa lakes played a key role. The Knox City area had great duck hunting since they received flooding rains late in the summer that filled up watering holes and sustained them throughout the duck season. Goose hunting remains steady throughout the region. Strong concentrations remain near Etter and Canada geese are decoying over wheat and corn. The West Zone goose season runs through Feb. 7, then the Light Goose Conservation Order season begins Feb. 8. Outfitters predict steady shooting for snow geese through March.

North Zone Waterfowl: Duck season ended Sunday; and, lakes and reservoirs able to hold water throughout the dry winter held most of the ducks in this region of Texas. Mallard numbers were way down, probably due to dried up sloughs and timber ponds that normally inhabit the birds. Some hunters reported mallards coming to mere puddles of water since there was no other water around. Access was a problem on some lakes with water levels at an all-time low. Some boat ramps were not navigable. Better hunts were had closer to the coast along the IH-10 corridor. There, managers could control water levels with canal systems and pumps in place due to rice and other agricultural practices.

South Zone Waterfowl: Duck and goose season ended Sunday; and, for the most part, the season remained steady throughout the 72-day affair. The first split of duck season was by far the best shotgunning in the marsh and on the prairie. Green-winged teal seemed to show up everywhere; they were the mainstay of most bags throughout the season. Trinity Bay, Anahuac, High Island and Jefferson County hunters enjoyed good season after several lackluster seasons past. Port O’Connor and Rockport was good for redheads, scaup, pintails, teal, wigeons and shovelers throughout the campaign, though many Rockport waterfowlers said they did not see the shear numbers of redheads compared to seasons past. The pleasant surprise of the duck season was the number of mallards that arrived along the coast in November. From Eagle Lake to El Campo, greenheads showed on many straps throughout the season. Some wildlife managers speculate the dryness to the north prompted mallards to find solace along the wet coast. Pintails were solid in Port O’Connor and Rockport; and, most coastal prairie hunters got a shot at one flock or more per hunt. Decoying action for snow geese was fair to good throughout the season; a healthy percentage of juvenile birds made sure of that. The Light Goose Conservation Order began Jan. 30 with stiff north winds, blue skies and not many geese harvested. Still lots of snow geese on the prairie and feeding in the marsh east of Houston near Anahuac. Mild conditions later in the week could produce fog which would make hunting outstanding.

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On the Net:

Avian Influenza: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/birdflu/

BG 2006-02-01

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