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. Ag fields north of Dallas are holding flights in the afternoon around tanks still holding water. The front forecasted for this week should deposit a new crop of mourning doves to Texas. Hunters around the Red River have only seen sporadic flights and hunter participation has waned. Prospects are fair.
Central Zone Dove: Another shot of cool air this week should bring new migrants to the region. Fields close in proximity to the South Zone should improve this week with the Sept. 23 South Zone opener. Whitewings near San Antonio, Castroville and Uvalde have been steady, though hunting pressure has lessened. The San Antonio area received much needed rain Monday. Brownwood and Stephenville hunters have seen fair flights in the afternoon around grain fields and wet holes. Harrison and Panola county hunters have seen fair flights at best. Sealy and Columbus hunters have enjoyed solid hunting since the opener. Fields there should improve this week as nearby South Zone fields will be hunted, dispersing birds. Prospects are fair to good.
South Zone Dove: The season opens Friday, Sept. 23, and prospects look solid around sunflowers and water. Water remains a premium everywhere in Texas, but much of South Texas received solid rains Monday morning which dispersed flocks, sending them to plowed ground and other high-ground sources like gravel roads. Sunflowers and goatweed in Wharton County rice fields should be solid. Matagorda County hunters should work around water and rice. Rio Grande Valley hunters will find best shoots around milo and sunflowers. Hunts around Laredo, Freer, George West, Fashing and Devine should be good around sunflowers and tanks with water. Prospects are good.
Teal Season: Coastal prairie hunters reported seeing more birds the second weekend compared to the opener. More hens and their first-of-the-year birds showed mid-week, along with a noticeable number of greenwings. Quick limits continued in Wharton County fields. Some seasoned hunters have said can’t remember seeing this many bluewings during the early season. Lack of water in the marsh and on the prairies has definitely contributed to larger flocks on fewer ponds. Strong shoots have been had near Chesterville, Eagle Lake, Lissie, El Campo and Port Lavaca. Marsh hunters near Collegeport and Palacios have enjoyed half-limits. Trinity Bay hunters took half-limits. The Justin Hurst WMA near Freeport has averaged less than a bird a man due to limited hunting sources due to the drought. Mad Island WMA near Bay City has seen fair results, again due to limited ponds due to the drought along with low tides that have not allowed tidal ponds to hold water. The season ends at sunset Sept.25. Prospects are good if you have water.
