Tag: duck hunting

Texas Duck 2009 Harvest Estimates

Duck and goose hunting is a big deal throughout the United States, but I grew up hunting ducks in the Central Flyway and look forward to doing so each year. With Texas receiving an early cool front in late August, I am getting pumped up about the upcoming duck season. Landowners and hunters that involved with wetland management for wintering ducks and geese should expect another great season!

Last year was hit and miss in Texas with regards to ducks numbers, though the traditional areas with good habitat had the birds as usual. The Texas coast put together some stringers of birds and so did the reservoirs in East Texas. There were also good duck hunting reports scattered throughout the central portion of the state. Continue reading Texas Duck 2009 Harvest Estimates

Hunter Shot While Duck Hunting

It’s being reported that a duck hunter near Port Arthur, Texas, has been killed in a duck hunting accident on the upper Texas coast. Jefferson County Justice of the Peace Bob Morgan says 30 year old Matthew Thomas Janson, of Houston, was hit by a shotgun blast as he and a friend were firing at ducks at J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area.

Morgan says the Sunday shooting is being investigated as an accident. He says the men launched a boat in Sabine Pass and that the shooting happened about an hour later in a marsh. The hunting partners were at compartment 17 of the South Bayou Unit of the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area when they began shooting simultaneously at ducks. Continue reading Hunter Shot While Duck Hunting

Texas Coast Duck Hunting Report

Duck hunting along the Texas coast had been hit and miss this season, even with the cold weather pushing down some new ducks. Duck hunting reports indicate ice was a problem on the coastal prairies for waterfowl hunters. Ponds iced over two inches thick in some places, and that made for tough duck hunting. Few birds moved, according to several outfitters submitting duck hunting reports.

Many hunters along the coast reported seeing an influx of birds overnight, probably because the area had the most open water and feeding areas. However, coastal hunters on the bays said the bird flight was slim as well, but not for lack of birds. Port O’Connor and Rockport are holding large rafts of red heads, lesser scaup, pintails, and some gadwall. Continue reading Texas Coast Duck Hunting Report

Texas Panhandle Duck Hunting Reports

Duck hunters in the High Plains Mallard Management Unit are shaking their heads at the direction geese have gone according to recent duck hunting reports. It seems there has been no solid pattern for geese according to several waterfowl outfitters in the Amarillo area. Some days the birds never leave the roost! Snow goose hunting has been tough as well.

Duck hunters also had a tough time finding open water, and outfitters said many birds moved out of the area to find water. Playa lakes were unhuntable due to ice. Prospects are fair to good for the remainder of the hunting season. Continue reading Texas Panhandle Duck Hunting Reports

Youth Hunting at Texas Wildlife Management Areas

Texas WMAs offer youth hunting

Hundreds of kids and adults headed out to various Texas Parks and Wildlife Department wildlife management areas (WMA) this past weekend to do a little hunting. It was the first weekends for youth-only waterfowl and youth-only (gun) deer hunts. Even with the heavy rain and flooding that closed a few WMAs located in East Texas, those sites hosted youth hunters with good success.

The Justin Hurst WMA near Lake Jackson had 84 hunters killed about 1.5 birds each on Saturday. Ducks harvested were primarily bluewings and shovelers. Only 12 hunters showed up the second day and each of that youth bagged about a bird each, but they got some valuable experience in the field. Continue reading Youth Hunting at Texas Wildlife Management Areas

Texas Duck Season Looks Fair

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. Continue reading Texas Duck Season Looks Fair

Texas Duck Hunting Report

The High Plains Mallard Management Unit is reporting reat goose hunts near Dumas. Excellent decoying action has been had over corn and plowed ground. Many outfitters say they are getting their limit of dark geese with equal numbers of snow geese. Lots of young snows have helped decoying action. Duck action has been steady on playa lakes, but few hunters have taken advantage. Those who have hunted have taken limits of mallards. Teal, wigeons, gadwall and a few wood ducks have been taken as well. Haskell County hunters have seen the same results. Pheasant hunters continue to bag their birds. Prospects are good according to the latest duck hunting reports from the area.

Lots of holiday hunters kept birds moving on lakes and reservoirs in the North Zone Duck region. Recent rains have helped fill sloughs and backwaters where acorns and other forage were plentiful. Timber hunters say wood ducks are steady in the morning and afternoon. More mallards have been taken in the past two weeks around the Red River. Lake Wright-Patman has been good for gadwalls, teal and mallards. Lake Palestine has been steady for gadwalls, teal and a few mallards. Sam Rayburn has yielded limits for most puddle ducks and wood ducks for hunters able to hunt lay-out blinds in coves. Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake , Lake O’the Pines and Lake Fork have plenty of ringed-necks, scaup and canvasbacks. A few mallards have been taken in isolated pockets of water. Hunting along IH-10 has been fair to good around Winnie and Anahuac . Wood ducks have been taken in small timber ponds. Gadwalls and green-winged teal have been harvested near Nome . Prospects are fair to good. Continue reading Texas Duck Hunting Report