AUSTIN, Texas -- The following report is produced for Texas Parks and
Wildlife under a federal grant through the Sport Fish and Wildlife
Restoration Program.
PANHANDLE: Biologist Bill Johnson reports the Canada geese have hit
the panhandle region and are roosting on lakes in force. A few flocks of
snow geese have been spotted. Canada geese near Dumas are using fields and
playa lakes and decoying action has been good. Mallards have shown up with
the freezing fronts that have pushed from the north. Duck numbers continue
to build with each passing front. Pintails, widgeons, gadwalls, and
greenwings have decoyed well on playa lakes. Sandhill cranes are blanketing
milo and peanut fields. The past week^s consecutive fronts and a bright moon
phase pushed thousands of migrants down the Central Flyway. Prospects are
excellent with the number of birds in the area and an abundance of water to
hold them.
NORTHEAST TEXAS: With an abundance of water in backwater sloughs and
bayous, duck hunting improved during the second split opener in the North
Zone. Mallards are being taken, however, still no reports of huge
concentrations. Expect that to change with blistering temperatures in the
northern states that make up the Central Flyway. The region^s prospects for
the season have improved dramatically with recent rainfall that will help to
hold birds once they show up in mass. Gadwalls and wood ducks are good
around Toledo Bend. Sam Rayburn saw greenwings, scaup, a few mallards and
wood ducks over the weekend. Gadwalls and widgeon are the big duck species
hanging from most straps. Cooper Lake was fair for mallards, gadwalls and
greenwings. Lake Fork saw spotty hunting overall with a few mallards,
gadwalls, widgeons and teal harvested. The Sulphur River bottom near
Wright-Patman Lake is holding huntable numbers of mallards and gadwalls.
Rising water levels will allow hunters to get their flatbottoms in the
backwaters. Caddo Lake saw fair to good shooting opportunities for mallards,
gadwalls, ring- necks and wood ducks. Overall, the second split opener for
Northeast Texas was fair at best.
COASTAL PRAIRIE: Snow geese have arrived on the rice prairies, but
decoying action has been tough. A low percentage of juvenile birds will make
hunting tough throughout the year. Old, wary, mature snows are flying over
spreads just out of shotgun reach. Large numbers of Ross^ geese are
concentrated with the snows, which should help hunter success somewhat.
Ross^ geese are more apt to decoy compared to their larger white
counterparts. Specklebelly numbers have improved, however, decoying action
has been fair. Several outfitters have noticed that the normally susceptible
decoying speck has become somewhat wary of calling and decoys. Early in the
season, white-fronts are a given in light goose spreads; nevertheless, as of
late, dark geese have been tough to hunt. Duck hunting has been excellent on
the prairies near El Campo and Garwood. Pintails, gadwalls, widgeons,
greenwings and few mallards have been harvested. With the recent rainfall
leaving standing water in rice fields, pintails have been working light
goose spreads.
UPPER COAST: Duck hunting in the Trinity and East Galveston Bay
marsh has been excellent since the recent cold blast of air and rains.
Hunting near the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge was solid over the weekend
for widgeons, teal, gadwalls and pintails. Ducks in the Winnie and Devers
area have been decoying well. Migrant wood ducks have appeared in the
flooded timber and creeks of Liberty County. Still few birds using the north
shoreline of Trinity Bay, however, the Wallisville Lake Project has been
steady for teal, gadwall and widgeon. New specklebellies have been deposited
on the Winnie rice prairie as well as huntable numbers of snow geese.
Decoying action has been fair, with most white-fronts being harvested while
duck hunting. Snow geese are shy around white spreads. Juvenile counts are
low.
MIDDLE COAST: Biologist Matt Nelson of Bay City reports slow
shooting in the Mad Island WMA marsh near Matagorda. On Saturday, 41 hunters
shot 69 birds for an average of 1.7 bph (birds per hunter). On Sunday, 19
hunters harvested 37 ducks for 1.9 bph. Gadwalls, widgeons, greenwings,
bluewings, shovelers, scaup, redheads, mottled ducks, and a few mallards
were brought to the check station. The Guadalupe Delta WMA near Tivoli has
been closed at least through Saturday, Nov.18, due to flooding. The
Guadalupe River is expected to rise even more when Canyon Lake lets loose
some of its water from the dam. Hunters should call (361-552- 6637) to check
for reopening dates. Peach Point biologist Justin Hurst said hunters are
averaging around three birds per hunter. Gadwalls and widgeons are being
taken in the marsh areas, while shovelers and greenwings are working the
freshwater impoundments. Bay hunting has improved since the last front.
Scaup, redheads and buffleheads are roosting in the middle of East Matagorda
Bay and working the south shoreline in the morning. West Matagorda Bay is
holding pintails, widgeons, teal, gadwalls, and redheads. Port O^Connor^s
Shoalwater Bay was good over the weekend for redheads, widgeons, teal and
scaup. Snow geese and specklebellies are using fields in the Midfield and
Francitas areas. A few Canada geese have hung from hunters^ straps. Decoying
action over white spreads has been fair at best.
LOWER COAST/SOUTH TEXAS: Choke Canyon has large amounts of teal,
gadwall, widgeon and pintail. Hunting success suffered somewhat this weekend
due to many walk-in areas being closed because of deer hunting. Rockport^s
Aransas and Copano Bays were solid for redheads, widgeons, gadwalls,
pintails, teal and scaup on grassy shorelines and freshwater marsh ponds.
The Laguna Madre received new migrants after the front. Redheads, pintails,
widgeons and teal are concentrating on food sources in huntable numbers.
Recent rains have filled freshwater marsh ponds near the Laguna Madre that
bodes well for the duck population that uses the freshwater ponds to dilute
their high salinity diet of shoalgrass. Not many geese in the area.
For more information contact:
Steve D. Lightfoot
Texas Parks & Wildlife
4200 Smith School Rd.
Austin, TX 78744
512.389.4701
512.389.4450 fax
steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us
Uploaded:
11/16/2000