+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | TPWD News Release 20061018a | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | This page contains only plain text, no HTML formatting codes. | | It is not designed for display in a browser but for copying | | and editing in whatever software you use to lay out pages. | | To copy the text into an editing program: | | --Display this page in your browser. | | --Select all. | | --Copy. | | --Paste in a document in your editing program. | | If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send | | an e-mail to webtech@tpwd.state.tx.us and mention Plain Text Pages. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ [ Note: This item is more than two months old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ] [ Media Contact: Steve Lightfoot, (512) 389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us ] [BG] Oct. 18, 2006 Weekly Migratory Bird Hunting Report Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from late August through early February. North Zone Dove: Rain fell this weekend which hurt hunting but not the hearts of those living in the region. Mourning doves continue to hang out in soybeans and other agricultural fields near water. Better shoots are coming around stock tanks in the afternoon. New birds should move into the region with forecasted front this week.. Bogota and other fields near the Red River have been fair to good for hunters willing to stay until sunset. The season runs through Oct. 30. Prospects are fair to good. Central Zone Dove: Weekend rains did dove hunters no favors; however, the region is so dry the rain was welcomed. Brownwood hunters are taking 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. Hunting around water has been steady. Fields around Winnie, Devers, China and Dayton have been fair to good for mourners. The first split of the season runs through Oct. 30. Prospects are fair to good. South Zone Dove: The recent rains put a damper on the flight. 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. Solid shoots have come from the Laredo, Freer and Cotulla areas. Whitewings and mourners have been solid near Port Mansfield, Raymondville, Harlingen and Brownsville. Sunflowers, milo and harvested cotton fields have been best. Another cool front late this week should deposit more birds. The first split runs through Nov. 12. Prospects are good. Waterfowl Update: Ducks are slowly building along coastal ponds and coastal prairie ponds. Unseasonably warm temperatures have persisted, but a new cool front is on the way late this week. Shovelers, wigeons, pintails, gadwalls, teal and lots of shovelers are using available water sources. The coast received as much as five inches of rain this weekend and more is forecasted. The first significant batch of specklebellies hit the coast late last week ahead of the front. East Texas remains dry, though they did receive rain over the weekend. Expect lakes and reservoirs to concentrate ducks if the absence of rainfall persists throughout the season. Duck season for the North and South Zones run Nov. 4-26 and Dec. 9-Jan. 28. --- On the Net: Hunting Regulations: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/ Avian Influenza: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/birdflu/ -30-