Tag: hunting reports

Late Winter Duck and Goose Reports

This duck and goose hunting report wraps up the end of the duck hunting season across Texas, but things are still going strong for geese across the state. Overall, the season was good and decent hunting weather did it’s part to puts birds across the landscape. Duck season ended on January 24 in the High Plains and the consensus among hunters was that is was a successful season.

Abundant water in the Panhandle gave ducks ample habitat and hunters a plethora of playa lakes to hunt. According to the duck hunting reports, lots of mallards, teal, pintails, gadwalls and wigeons were taken from playas and feed lots ponds. Goose season still runs from February 7, and prospects are fair for decoying action. Many waterfowl guides say this season has been a tough year to pattern birds, probably due the low count of juvenile birds thanks to poor reproduction. Continue reading Late Winter Duck and Goose Reports

Texas Teal Season: Just Add Water

Green winged teal 

The Texas teal prospects are plain and simple: if you have water, you should have birds when the hunting season opens on September 13. However, coastal hunters have another variable — where is Hurricane Ike, forecasted to come ashore sometime Saturday, going to make landfall?

And, if winds blow at hurricane force, what will that do to the teal in the area for the remainder of the season? Good numbers of teal have been reported along the coast, but water is scarce, especially along the coastal prairies. Some outfitters say they cannot get water from canal systems since farmers are using so much water to pour over second-cropped rice.

Those with wells have water, but they paid a heavy price to pump it with farm diesel still hovering around $4 a gallon. Tides have risen on the coast and should rise even more with the approaching storm. That should push new water to barren tidal flats and ponds.

Regardles, teal hunting prospects are good for those with water, unless, of course, the hurricane hits somewhere along the middle or upper coast.