Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
North Zone Dove: Best hunts have been in milo, corn and sunflowers around Abilene, Lubbock and Amarillo. The absence of cool fronts have not encouraged new migrants to find Texas, though a brighter moon might prompt new birds to head south this week. Red River hunters have enjoyed afternoon shoots over soybeans, roosting trees and ponds. Hunter participation has waned since the opener. Prospects are fair to good.
Central Zone Dove: Wet conditions have hampered the flight near San Antonio. Brownwood and Stephenville hunters have seen fair afternoon shoots around grain fields. Harrison and Panola county hunters have found best shoots around goatweed and plowed ground. Sealy and Columbus hunters saw more birds this week since nearby South Zone fields were hunted. Hunts near Hankamer, Winnie and Anahuac were fair. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Dove: Good shoots were posted in sunflowers, plowed ground and corn around El Campo and Danevang, despite heavy rains throughout opening weekend. Rain slowed hunts around Port Lavaca. Bay City hunters were inundated with rain, which limited the flight. Rain bands coming off the Gulf of Mexico drenched Rio Grande Valley hunters. Prospects are good when the region begins to dry.
Teal Season: It has been an average teal season along the coast with plenty of rain and little cool weather. Hunting slowed as a whole on the prairies and marshes since no cool fronts have prompted new ducks to migrate. Many hunters did report better flights early this week, probably due to the upcoming full moon. Unofficial harvest reports indicate more hens have arrived, giving rise to the notion the first wave of birds (mostly adult drakes) have moved south. Typically, the majority of adult drakes migrate first, then hens that did not raise a brood, then hens with their first-year. Most bluewings are in drab plumage, but hens and drakes can be distinguished by their chevrons (wingpatches). Males will have a solid white chevron while females will have broken blotches of brown that breaks up the white on the wing. Teal season ends at sunset Sept. 26. The regular duck season open Oct. 30 in both the North and South zones. Prospects are fair to good.
