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TPWD News Release — Aug. 26, 2010

TPWD Sets Waterfowl Seasons; Outlook Bright

SAN ANTONIO – The stage is set for what could be one of the better waterfowl hunting seasons in recent years and Texas hunters will be able to take full advantage with a 74-day season and six bird daily bag limit. The 2010-11 late season migratory proposal was finalized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its Aug. 26 public meeting.

“Texas has water on the ground and when you factor in predictions for an early winter in the north, we’re set up for a good season,” said Dave Morrison, TPWD waterfowl program leader. “There’s going to be a lot of production out of the Dakotas this year because of wet conditions and good habitat and I expect we’ll see more birds migrating from and through the Central Flyway.”

With a 9 percent jump in pintail breeding population estimates this year comes an increase in the daily bag limit to two, which should be a welcome addition for coastal waterfowlers that have been hunting under more restrictive measures for more than a decade.

The only other significant change from last year will see an increase in the Canada good bag limit for the Western Goose Zone where hunters may now take up to five Canada geese daily.

Texas also received a 16-day early teal season to run Sept. 11-26 with a daily bag limit of four birds.

Following is a summary of the Texas late season migratory framework for 2010-11.

Ducks

High Plains Mallard Management Unit

All species other than “dusky ducks”: Oct. 23-24, 2010 and Oct. 29, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011; “Dusky ducks”: Nov. 1, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011; Youth-only Season: Oct. 16-17, 2010

North Zone

All species other than “dusky ducks”:  Oct. 30 – Nov. 28, 2010 and Dec. 11, 2010 — Jan. 23, 2011; “Dusky ducks”: Nov. 4 – 28, 2010 and Dec. 11, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011; Youth-only Season: Oct. 23-24, 2010

South Zone

All species other than “dusky ducks”: Oct. 30 – Nov. 28, 2010 and Dec. 11, 2010 — Jan. 23, 2011; “Dusky ducks”: Nov. 4, 2010 – Nov. 28 — Dec. 11, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011; Youth-only Season: Oct. 23-24, 2010

The daily bag limit for ducks is six, to include no more than five mallards of which only 2 may be hens; three wood ducks; two scaup; two redheads; two pintails; one canvasback; and one “dusky” duck.  Dusky ducks include: mottled ducks, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids. For all other species not listed, the bag limit is six. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, which may include no more than two hooded mergansers.

Geese

Western Zone

Light geese: Nov. 6, 2010 – Feb. 6, 2011, daily bag limit is 20 and no possession limit.

Dark geese: Nov. 6, 2010 – Feb. 6, 2011, daily bag limit is five in the aggregate to include no more than one white-fronted goose

Eastern Zone

Light geese: Oct. 30, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011, the daily bag limit for light geese is 20 and no possession limit.

Dark geese: white-fronted geese: Oct. 30, 2010 – Jan. 9, 2011, daily bag limit is two;

Canada geese: Oct. 30, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011, daily bag limit is three.

Light Goose Conservation Order

Eastern Zone

Jan. 24 — Mar. 27, 2011, no bag or possession limits.

Western Zone

Feb. 7 — Mar. 27, 2011, no bag or possession limits.

Sandhill Crane

Zone A

Nov. 6, 2010 — Feb. 6, 2011, daily bag limit is three and possession limit is six.

Zone B

Nov. 26, 2010 — Feb. 6, 2011, daily bag limit is three and possession limit is six.

Zone C

Dec. 18, 2010 — Jan. 23, 2011, daily bag limit is two and possession limit is four.

Extended Falconry Season

Ducks, coots, and mergansers:

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: no extended season.

North Duck Zone

Jan. 24 — Feb. 7, 2011

South Duck Zone

Jan. 24 — Feb. 7, 2011

For all zones the daily bag limit is three and possession limit is six.

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