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Texas Parks and Wildlife Migratory Bird Report No. 10 2011

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

AUSTIN, Texas --(Ammoland.com)- Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Opening weekend in the Panhandle saw lackluster results due to an absence of water. Very few playas, if any, are wet, so habitat is stressed. Most ducks were taken over feed lot ponds. Melting snow from last week’s cold front left a little moisture, but the region is in dire need of rain to sustain the winter waterfowl population. Sandhill crane numbers look good; however, lack of roosting water might be a problem as the season progresses. Duck season reopens and runs Nov.4-Jan.29, 2012. Goose season runs Nov.5 in the West Zone. That season also opens Nov. 5. Prospects are fair.

North Zone Duck: Duck season opens Nov. 5 and best prospects have been found on lakes and reservoirs still holding water. Lack of ponds and sloughs have ducks concentrated on big waters. The problem lies with access to these large water bodies, as many boat ramps are inoperable due to extreme low water conditions. Mobile hunters with shallow-running flatbottoms able to traverse muddy timber should see good shoots. The front that blew through last week brought new birds to the area and deposited wigeons, gadwalls and teal on lakes and reservoirs. The coastal region continues to suffer from the drought, however, many hunters have the ability to pump water from wells. Another front this week should encourage more birds to move to Texas, though most coastal prairie ponds holding water are already covered with ducks. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Duck: Opening day is Nov. 5 and prospects look excellent if you have access to water. Coastal prairie ponds are black with ducks and specklebellies, and a few snow geese showed with last week’s front. Concentrations of dark geese on the ground indicate a good hatch of young specklebellies, which should encourage steady decoying action. The front forecasted for this week should shove more light geese to the coast. Reports along the bay flats indicate good numbers of pintails, wigeons, gadwalls and redheads. More divers are showing daily with fronts. Bay hunters should enjoy steadier hunting this year with the lack of water on the coastal prairies. Prospects are good.
Season/Bag Limits:

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Oct. 29-30, Nov. 4-Jan. 29, 2012.

Duck:
North and South zones: Nov. 5-27, Dec. 10-Jan. 29, 2012.

Goose:
West Zone:

• Nov. 5-Feb. 5, 2012 (20 light geese, 5 darks, to include no more than one white-fronted)

East Zone:

• Light geese and Canadas: Nov. 5-Jan. 29, 2012 (20 light geese, 3 Canadas, 2 white-fronted)
• White-fronted (specklebellies): Nov. 5-Jan. 15, 2012

Bag Limits: The daily bag limit shall be 6 ducks, to include no more than the following: 5 mallards (only 2 of which may be hens), 3 wood ducks, 2 scaup (lesser scaup and greater scaup in the aggregate), 2 redheads, 2 pintails, 1 canvasback, 1 dusky duck (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids are closed the first five days of the season in each zone). All other species: 6.

About:
The Mission of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, (TPWD), is to manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Visit: www.tpwd.state.tx.us

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Wisconsin DNR Outdoor Report Summary for October 27, 2011

Wisconsin DNR

MADISON, WI --(Ammoland.com)- Reports from across Wisconsin indicate that white-tail deer movement has picked up considerably in the last week, with bucks beginning to pursue does even during the day.

The most activity continues to be near dusk and at night, and conservation wardens across the state are reporting increased numbers of car-vehicle collisions in the last week. Drivers should slow down and watch for deer along roads. If a deer crosses the road, be prepared for another deer following closely behind.

With leaf drop done across most of the north and progressing rapidly in central and southern Wisconsin, archery deer hunters reported a big increase in success this week, with many nice bucks reported. Crop harvest is also progressing rapidly, which is also making it easier for hunters to spot deer.

The strong winds of a week ago brought in the first flights of northern ducks and increased the number of Canada geese moving into the state. Diving duck numbers are building to peaks on the Upper Mississippi River and large inland water bodies. The aerial counts for pools 7, 8, and 9 on the Upper Miss exceeded 80,000 canvasbacks early last week.

Pheasant hunters are reporting very good success on the stocked state hunting grounds. Woodcock numbers also increased in many locations this week, as their migration seems to be peaking.

Trapping has begun and trappers are reporting increased numbers of raccoon and muskrat, with some potholes and marshes that were empty several years ago due to the drought showing muskrat houses again.

With all the hunting and trapping activity, fishing has been slower, but some very good reports are coming in from anglers who are still fishing. Water temperatures have now dropped into the low 50s and upper 40s on northern lakes, and many lakes either have or are turning over. Musky anglers have continued to provide most of the fishing pressure, with nearly all having switched to live suckers now. Some very good crappie and bluegill action is also being reported on the backwaters of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers.

Water flows on Lake Michigan tributaries have been kept pretty constant with some timely rains, but levels have now been dropping. This has helped to extend the fish run through October. Salmon were still being reported in most tributaries this week, but numbers have been declining. Egg collection at spawning facilities is coming to a close, after a very successful year.
DNR fish crews netting sturgeon on the Wisconsin River below the Prairie du Sac Dam this week pulled in a 46-and-a-half pound bighead carp, an invasive fish. This is the second bighead carp documented on the Lower Wisconsin River. Bighead carp are a concern because they eat plankton and can potentially decrease populations of native fish and mussels.

Common Loon migration has begun with birds moving into the bigger lakes in Southern Wisconsin and onto Lake Michigan to stage before they leave for the Gulf Coast for the winter. People can follow the loon migration online at the USGS Loon website (exit DNR).

Tamaracks, the only conifer in Wisconsin to turn color and drop leaves, are now bright gold across northern and central Wisconsin, and a second burst of fall color has arrived in southern Wisconsin this week, with trees that were green last week turning red/rust color, and many yellow leaves still holding on.

DNR Outdoor Report in Portable Document Format (Requires Adobe® Acrobat® Reader®)

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