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TPWD
Sets Waterfowl Seasons; Outlook Bright
News Release
Media
Contact: Steve Lightfoot,
512-389-4701, steve.lightfoot@tpwd.state.tx.us
Aug. 26, 2010
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.