South Zone Waterfowl Hunting Report

AUSTIN, November 29, 2006 - The first split of duck season ended at sunset Nov. 26, and most waterfowlers are calling the first 23 days of ducks season nothing short of fabulous. Sure, there were slow hunts, but overall, reports from hunters across the region indicated some of the best shooting they could remember in a long while.

An influx of teal along the coast filled bags during the first two weeks. Bluewings cruised the decoys during the first 30 minutes and plenty of greenwings took over later in the hunt.

The Hunters Choice option, which allowed coastal hunters to take a pintail from day one, helped considerably in the five-duck limit. Lots of diver ducks stayed on the coastal prairies during the first two weeks, even a better than normal amount of canvasbacks were harvested. Gadwalls readily decoyed as well in marsh ponds with wigeon grass and other submergible vegetation.

Though duck hunting was not as fast and furious during Thanksgiving week, great hunts were posted near Eagle Lake, Trinity Bay and Rockport. A few mallards are beginning to show in bags and more should show as the forecasted cold blast passes through Texas this week. Goose hunting continues to suffer due to light winds and high skies. Several large concentrations of snows are being hunted between Eagle Lake and Egypt. Outfitters report not as many young birds as forecasts predicted.

Rice fields with standing water have been the ticket for hold geese. The second split of duck season runs Dec. 9–Jan. 27. Prospects for geese are fair to good.

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