The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department released bird hunting reports in several areas across the state on the first day of dove season. Post your Brown County reports with this story on our Facebook page www.facebook.com/brownwoodnews
Central Zone Dove: Shoots were fast around San Antonio. A few mourners flew early, but the brunt of the flight was whitewings about 30 minutes after sunrise. Cut corn was the ticket near Castroville and Pleasanton. Sabinal, Hondo and Uvalde saw good shoots as well. Afternoon hunters saw a steady flight as well. Fields north of Houston in the Cypress area were fair to good. The Hankamer and Devers area just north of IH-10 saw steady flights. Steady flights of mourners kept shooters in the field through mid-morning and resulted in good hunts south of Austin. Hunters situated around ponds and tanks took good numbers of mourning dove near Marlin and Waco. Sealy hunters saw their best action around treelines and cut rice fields for whitewings. Brenham hunters enjoyed easy limits of whitewings. Harrison County hunters saw limited flights of mourners. Plowed ground held limits of mourners near Sulphur Springs. Prospects are fair to good.
North Zone Dove: Dove hunters saw good shoots around the Panhandle over cut corn and milo. The region has received rain during the summer so there are plenty of watering holes around playas. The cool front with stiff north winds dispersed birds a bit, however, it also prompted new birds to migrate to Texas. Lubbock and fields north of Abilene were good for morning shoots of mourning doves. Fields along the Red River enjoyed fair flights of mourning doves near Paris. Conditions have been dry there, so evening tank shoots were best. Soy beans, sunflowers and corn fields have been the ticket. Prospects are fair to good.
Teal Update: North winds blew in excess of 15 knots on the coastal bay flats last week. North winds, coupled with a bright moon, prompted bluewings to begin filling coastal prairie and marsh ponds. Good numbers are reported in Eagle Lake, Garwood, Wharton and Collegeport. Many outfitters are just now filling ponds, waiting until the last moment to hopefully receive “free” water from rains. Most of the coast has been wet during the summer so dirt is moist and should readily hold water. A few teal are showing on lakes and reservoirs in North and East Texas. The region is dry, so sloughs and bayous have little water. This should congregate teal on lakes. The Panhandle has plenty of water on playas and teal are scattered throughout the High Plains. Another cool front is expected to blow through Texas this weekend, which should deposit more birds. Teal season runs Sept.11-26, with a bag limit of 4.
