Waterfowl hunting reports have rolled in from Texas’s High Plains Mallard Management Unit and it seems goose hunting has been very good, especially with colder temperatures. However, limits of Canada geese have been taken over corn and wheat. Snow geese have been cooperating over salt and pepper spreads. Goose season runs through February 8. Duck numbers continue to improve with each passing front. Freezing and iced waters to the north have pushed many more mallards to the High Plains: however, few duck hunters have taken advantage of plentiful ducks on playa lakes. Good ducks hunts have been had around Knox City for mallards, wigeons, gadwalls, and other puddle ducks. Duck season ends on January 25 and it with the cold weather ahead it looks good from here on out!
Mallard numbers have improved on area lakes and reservoirs in the North Zone. Freezing temperatures and frozen ponds in the northern states have prompted ducks to move south across the Red River. Hunters working backwater sloughs and timber ponds have scored limits of mallards. Lake and reservoir hunters have had to find secluded potholes to bag their birds.
Rafts of diving ducks have been spotted on big water on lakes and reservoirs. Ringed-necks and bluebills, with a few mallards, have been taken on Caddo Lake. Mallards, wigeons and gadwall have been taken on Lake Livingston. Hunting has been fair at best near the IH-10 corridor. Prairie ponds need more water, but forecasts for wetter weather look grim. Wood ducks, gadwalls, teal and mallards have been harvested at the Trinity River NWR. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Goose hunting has been very good, especially with colder temperatures. Limits of Canada geese have been taken over corn and wheat. Snow geese have been cooperating over salt and pepper spreads. Goose season runs through Feb. 8. Duck numbers continue to improve with each passing front. Freezing and iced waters to the north have pushed many more mallards to the High Plains: however, few duck hunters have taken advantage of plentiful ducks on playa lakes. Good ducks hunts have been had around Knox City for mallards, wigeons and gadwalls. Duck season runs through Jan. 25. Prospects are good.
North Zone Duck: Mallard numbers have improved on area lakes and reservoirs. Frozen ponds in the northern states have prompted ducks to move across the Red River. Hunters working backwater sloughs and timber ponds have scored limits of mallards. Lake and reservoir hunters have had to find secluded potholes to bag their birds. Lots of diving ducks have been taken on big waters on lakes and reservoirs. Hunters have said they are seeing lots of canvasbacks on Lake O’the Pines, Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn. Ringed-necks and bluebills, with a few mallards, have been taken on Caddo Lake. Mallards, wigeons and gadwalls have been taken on Lake Livingston. Hunting has been fair at best near the IH-10 corridor. Prairie ponds need more waters, but forecasts for wetter weather look grim. Wood ducks, gadwalls, teal and mallards have been harvested at the Trinity River NWR. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Duck: Limits of redheads and pintails have been taken on coastal bay flats near Port O’Connor, Seadrift, Rockport, Port Aransas and Port Mansfield. Good hunts have been had on the Lower Laguna Madre near Baffin Bay. Prairie hunters saw an influx of green-winged teal over the weekend which helped fill bags. More pressure as the season winds down has helped keep birds moving. Those able to rest ponds during the week have enjoyed quicker shoots. Prairie ponds continue to dry due to lack of rain. This season could go down as the driest on record during the past decade. Goose hunters have watched large congregations of birds disperse into smaller groups. Most snows are feeding on green fields or rice fields over-seeded with rye grass. The season on specklebellies ended Jan. 11. The colder weather continues to push more Canada geese to the prairie. Hunting for snow geese and Canadas runs through Jan. 25. Prospects are fair to good.
Not surprisingly, limits of redheads and pintails have been taken on coastal bay flats near Port O’Connor, Seadrift, Rockport, Port Aransas and Port Mansfield in the South Zone. Good hunts have been had on the Lower Laguna Madre near Baffin Bay. Prairie hunters saw an influx of green-winged teal over the weekend, which helped fill stringers. More duck hunters in the field and more pressure, as the season winds down, has helped keep birds moving. Prairie ponds continue to dry due to lack of rain.
This waterfowl season could go down as the driest on Texas record during the past decade. Goose hunters have watched large congregations of birds disperse into smaller groups. Most snows are feeding on green fields or rice fields over-seeded with rye grass. The season on specklebellies ended January 11, so let ’em go. The colder weather continues to push more Canada geese to the prairie. Hunting for snow geese and Canadas runs through January 25 and prospects are fair to good.