Weekly Migratory Waterfowl Report

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Decoying action for Canada geese was great over the weekend with snow on the ground. Limits of dark geese has been the norm since the front. Snow goose numbers are strong near Lake Etter, though they have been tougher to decoy.

The brunt of the goose population is roosting on Lake Etter and on playas near Spearman and Dumas. Duck numbers are strong and hunters have been taking advantage of excellent decoying action. Mallards are good on just about every watering source.

Hunting in Haskell County continues good for Canada geese and a few snows. Ducks on playas continue to be solid over decoys. Mallards, pintails, wigeons, gadwalls and teal have comprised the brunt of the bag. Prospects are good.

North Zone Waterfowl: The recent cold front brought new birds to Texas, especially mallards. Good hunts were posted in the Keechi Creek area near Centerville.

Good shoots for greenheads were had along the river bottoms in Harrison County and Gregg County.

The Navasota River bottom has produced good shoots for mallards, gadwalls and wood ducks. Timber shoots near Waco and Corsicana have been good for mallards and woodies.

Public lakes like Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn, Lake Fork, Caddo Lake, Cooper Lake and Lake O' the Pines are holding the brunt of the ducks. Mallards, wood ducks, scaup, ringed-necks, gadwalls and a few wigeons have made it on straps.

Canvasbacks have been showing on Toledo Bend, Lake O' the Pines and Sam Rayburn. Prairie ponds along the IH-10 corridor saw fair to good action for ducks.

More pintails are showing, along with green-winged teal, gadwalls and shovelers. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Waterfowl: Snow goose hunting continues to baffle many outfitters. Some say it has been the toughest they can remember. So many old snows in the flock have made for tough decoying action unless fog or a low ceiling is present.

Many snows are feeding on green grass, wheat and plowed fields. Specklebellies have decoyed fair, but dark geese are beginning to segregate themselves from light geese. Canada geese are beginning to build into huntable flocks. The largest concentrations have been around Eagle Lake.

Duck hunting in Eagle Lake, Garwood, Lissie and Wharton have been good, not great. The west side of Wharton County has seen fair hunting at best.  Mallards continue to show up in bags along the coast and coastal prairies. Duck hunting in the High Island marsh has been steady for teal, gadwalls, wigeons and spoonies.

Hunting in the Trinity Bay marsh has been fair for wigeons, gadwalls, teal and spoonies. Two-feet low tides made navigating tough in some areas of the bay and marsh.

Lots of pintails are working the shoalgrass shorelines of Port O'Connor, Rockport and Seadrift. Hunters there are also taking redheads, scaup, buffleheads, wigeons, gadwalls and spoonbills.

Sandhill crane hunting in Zone C opens Dec. 22 and prospects are good along the prairies. Some outfitters report more sandhills than they have ever seen on the coastal prairie. The bag limit for cranes is two birds per man. Prospects are good.