Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.
NORTH ZONE DOVE: Dove hunters saw fair shoots around the Panhandle over cut corn and milo. Many playa lakes are dry, but those lakes with moisture have attracted mourning doves. Lubbock and fields north of Abilene were good for morning shoots of mourning doves. Fields along the Red River saw fair action at best near Paris and Bogota. Treelines and watering holes have seen the best flights in the afternoon. Water in Northeast Texas is a commodity, as many small tanks and ponds are dry. Biologist Jared Laing said dove numbers were slim opening day, but a forecasted north wind over the Labor Day Weekend could push new birds to the region. The first split runs through Oct. 23. Prospects are fair.
CENTRAL ZONE DOVE: Sunflowers and corn fields yielded quick limits of whitewings near San Antonio. Castroville hunters also reported good shoots. Sabinal, Hondo and Uvalde saw good shoots as well. Afternoon hunters saw steady flights around watering holes, though water is at a premium due to the drought. Hunters around Dayton enjoyed good shoots, as did hunters near Hankamer. Many hunters around Winnie said they have not seen the whitewing numbers like they did a year ago. Fields near Waller enjoyed good shoots. Fields north of Brenham enjoyed high flights of whitewings. Hunters situated around ponds and tanks took good numbers of mourning dove near Waco. Sealy hunters saw their best action around treelines and cut rice fields for whitewings. Fields near Marshall and Longview saw fair hunting at best. The first splits runs through Oct. 23. Prospects are fair to good.
TEAL UPDATE: Most of Texas is dreadfully dry, especially the coast. Unless you have access to water wells or second-cropped rice fields, you probably do not have water to hunt teal. Due to the drought, Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) canals are limiting water usage on the coast to agricultural practices only and not “duck water.” Marshes are parched flats of cracked earth. Salinity levels in brackish marshes are as salty as ocean water in most areas. Unless tides rise and flood flats, most marsh ponds will remain dry. Those leveed ponds and fields that are wet are holding impressive numbers of bluewings. Since the state is suffering from a severe drought, any watering hole is a prime teal hunt during the 16-day season. Season dates run Sept.10-25 with a 4-bird limit.
