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

Nov. 8, 2006

Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report

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

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Duck hunters scored limits on playas near Amarillo, Dumas and Knox City. Teal, gadwalls, shovelers and mallards were the birds most often seen in bags. Conditions are good for a consistent duck season. Geese moved into the Etter area late last week. Lake Etter is holding strong concentrations of snow geese, many of which are juveniles, and strong numbers of Canadas. Haskell County geese are building daily. Sandhill crane numbers are good near Amarillo. No significant weather change is expected until the weekend. Prospects are good.

North Zone Waterfowl: The duck opener for North Texas was great if you had water. The good news is parts of North Texas received five inches of rain Sunday night. Those able to find ponds or shallow flats on lakes and reservoirs scored limits of gadwalls, teal, shovelers and a few mallards. Lots of divers like scaup, ringed-necks, redheads and a few canvas back were harvested as well. Ducks are using any available water in North and East Texas. Though dreadfully dry, if you find water, you should consistently find ducks in this region throughout the season. Caddo Lake and Lake O’ the Pines saw limit hunts in isolated pockets of water. The same holds true for Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Lake Fork. Closer to the coast, hunting could not be better. Limits were the norm and not the exception around the IH-10 corridor. Teal were thick on leveed ponds and fields. Shovelers, gadwalls, divers and a few mallards comprised most of the bags. No significant cold weather is expected this week, though rain is in the forecast. Prospects are fair in North Texas and good closer to the coast.

South Zone Waterfowl: There may not be enough adjectives to describe success for coastal duck hunters opening weekend. Some are saying this is the best opener they have ever experienced. Hunters from Port Arthur, Winnie, Anahuac, High Island, Eagle Lake, Garwood, El Campo, Sheridan, Wharton and any other place that held water likely shot limits of ducks. Teal were most abundant, with flights of bluewings present much like the September teal season. Gadwalls showed in force, too, especially in the Trinity Bay marsh. Several groups took mallards. Prairie hunters reported seeing lots of divers including scaup and redheads. Canvasbacks, not normally seen on the prairie, were reported in several bags. TPWD wildlife management areas like Peach Point and Mad Island enjoyed steady hunts. Impressive rafts of pintails and redheads in Port O’Connor and Rockport made for great decoying. Snow geese arrived late last week just in time for the opener, but high skies and light winds did hunters no favors. Lots of juvenile snows and specklebellies. The bright moon should continue to help the migration, though no significant cold fronts are expected this week. Rains this week should recharge ponds. Prospects are excellent.

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On the Net:

Hunting Regulations: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/
Avian Influenza: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/birdflu/

BG 2006-11-08

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