Lan-Lord
11-02-2005, 11:03 AM
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted Wednesdays from early September through early February.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Duck hunting continues to be solid. More mallards have hit the High Plains and are using playas and stock tanks. Wigeons, gadwalls, bluewings, greenwings, shovelers and a few wood ducks have been taken near Knox City, Spearman, Amarillo and Dumas. Specklebellies and Canadas are beginning to build in the Knox City area. Canadas and snow geese are showing in force near Spearman and Dumas since the most recent cold front. Goose season runs Nov. 5–Feb. 7. Sandhill cranes have found their way into the region. Corn and wheat fields north of Amarillo are holding the brunt of the population. The Zone A sandhill crane season runs Nov. 5–Feb. 5 with a daily bag of three birds. Prospects are good.
North Zone Waterfowl: The region received some rain from the front that hit Monday; however, since the weather system was moving so fast, it only dumped an inch of rain which was quickly soaked up by the parched earth. Low-lying sloughs and ponds which normally hold water during a rainy year are dry. Those ponds are holding seeds and acorns just waiting to be floated. Until the region receives rain, look for ducks holding on lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Wigeons, shovelers, gadwalls, teal and a few mallards are using Toledo Bend, Lake Fork, Caddo Lake, Lake O'the Pines and the Sulfur River. Those ponds just north of IH-10 that have water are holding gadwalls, wigeons, teal and shovelers. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Waterfowl: Along the coast, if you have water, you will most likely have ducks for the Nov. 5 opener. Coastal prairie ponds are holding strong numbers of teal, gadwalls, shovelers, wigeons and pintails. Youth hunters had solid shoots across the prairie last weekend. Duck numbers in the marsh look good, too. Reports from the J.D. Murphree WMA in Port Arthur indicate great shoots from last weekend's youth season. Hunters wishing to hunt the Salt Bayou Unit should check in at the J.D. Murphree WMA headquarters on Highway 73. The Salt Bayou Unit check station was damaged during Hurricane Rita. Peach Point WMA near Freeport, Mad Island WMA near Bay City and Guadalupe Delta WMA near Port Lavaca will be open this weekend for waterfowlers, and duck numbers look good. Strong numbers of specklebellies are on the rice prairie, with a smattering of snow geese. Large flights of snows are due any day. Goose season opens Nov. 5. Prospects are good.
South Zone Dove: Plenty of doves, especially in the Wharton County and Matagorda County region. There, hunters have been taking mourners around watering sources in the afternoon. South Texas remains steady for whitewings and mourners. Good hunts were posted near Three Rivers, Fashing, Freer, Laredo and Port Mansfield. The season runs through Nov. 10. Prospects are good.
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Duck hunting continues to be solid. More mallards have hit the High Plains and are using playas and stock tanks. Wigeons, gadwalls, bluewings, greenwings, shovelers and a few wood ducks have been taken near Knox City, Spearman, Amarillo and Dumas. Specklebellies and Canadas are beginning to build in the Knox City area. Canadas and snow geese are showing in force near Spearman and Dumas since the most recent cold front. Goose season runs Nov. 5–Feb. 7. Sandhill cranes have found their way into the region. Corn and wheat fields north of Amarillo are holding the brunt of the population. The Zone A sandhill crane season runs Nov. 5–Feb. 5 with a daily bag of three birds. Prospects are good.
North Zone Waterfowl: The region received some rain from the front that hit Monday; however, since the weather system was moving so fast, it only dumped an inch of rain which was quickly soaked up by the parched earth. Low-lying sloughs and ponds which normally hold water during a rainy year are dry. Those ponds are holding seeds and acorns just waiting to be floated. Until the region receives rain, look for ducks holding on lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Wigeons, shovelers, gadwalls, teal and a few mallards are using Toledo Bend, Lake Fork, Caddo Lake, Lake O'the Pines and the Sulfur River. Those ponds just north of IH-10 that have water are holding gadwalls, wigeons, teal and shovelers. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Waterfowl: Along the coast, if you have water, you will most likely have ducks for the Nov. 5 opener. Coastal prairie ponds are holding strong numbers of teal, gadwalls, shovelers, wigeons and pintails. Youth hunters had solid shoots across the prairie last weekend. Duck numbers in the marsh look good, too. Reports from the J.D. Murphree WMA in Port Arthur indicate great shoots from last weekend's youth season. Hunters wishing to hunt the Salt Bayou Unit should check in at the J.D. Murphree WMA headquarters on Highway 73. The Salt Bayou Unit check station was damaged during Hurricane Rita. Peach Point WMA near Freeport, Mad Island WMA near Bay City and Guadalupe Delta WMA near Port Lavaca will be open this weekend for waterfowlers, and duck numbers look good. Strong numbers of specklebellies are on the rice prairie, with a smattering of snow geese. Large flights of snows are due any day. Goose season opens Nov. 5. Prospects are good.
South Zone Dove: Plenty of doves, especially in the Wharton County and Matagorda County region. There, hunters have been taking mourners around watering sources in the afternoon. South Texas remains steady for whitewings and mourners. Good hunts were posted near Three Rivers, Fashing, Freer, Laredo and Port Mansfield. The season runs through Nov. 10. Prospects are good.