Dove and teal forecasts released
Weekly migratory bird hunting reports from Texas Parks and Wildlife to prepare and educate hunters for the upcoming season.
North Zone Dove: Plowed corn fields along the Red River in Lamar County held limits of mourning doves throughout the weekend around Paris. Soybeans were good as well. Grain fields north of Fort Worth enjoyed good hunts around tanks in the afternoon. Best hunts in the High Plains have been in harvested corn and milo fields in the morning. Playa lakes adjacent to agriculture fields have been best in the afternoon, though an abundance of water is not concentrating birds. Sunflowers and plowed ground have held most of the doves in the Abilene and Lubbock areas. Late-week rains from Hermine should put a damper on the flight. The season runs through Oct. 24. Prospects are fair to good.
Central Zone Dove: What had been a steady flight of birds in and around San Antonio for the first five days of the season quickly turned in to a slosh as Tropical Storm Hermine came ashore in South Texas. San Antonio and the Hill Country were obliterated with rain and lightning bands from the cyclone. Before the storm, hunters had taken limits in fields near Uvalde, Sabinal, Hondo and Del Rio. Nearer to the coast, fields north of IH-10 on both the east and west sides of Houston saw steady shoots, though the rain put a damper on the flight mid-week. Hunters had taken limits around Hankamer, Anahuac and Devers. Good shoots for whitewings have come from Sealy and Columbus. Expect a steady flight when the moisture clears as birds will be eager to feed. The season runs through Oct. 24. Prospects are fair to good.
Special White-Winged Dove Area: The season has only one weekend left, Sept. 11-12, and prospects depend on the weather since this area was hit hard by Tropical Storm Hermine. Hunter participation was down over the Labor Day Weekend due to the approaching storm, but those hunting between showers enjoyed decent shoots. As a reminder, the special season is afternoon-only. Prospects are fair to good.
Teal Forecast: Teal season opens Sept. 11 and prospects look solid, but wet. The coastal prairies and marshes were inundated with rain as Tropical Storm Hermine came ashore early this week, which blanketed normally dry fields with sheets of water. The excess water should scatter teal a bit, but expect normal success from established haunts. Good numbers of teal have been seen around Eagle Lake, Garwood, Lissie, East Bernard, El Campo and Wharton. The same holds true on the east side of Houston around Anahuac, Winnie and Port Arthur. Marsh hunters have seen good numbers as well. The 16-day season runs through Sept.26 with a 4-bird bag limit.
