Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.

High Plains Mallard Management Unit — Panhandle: Few hunters took to the field over the weekend due to the Christmas holidays. Goose hunting continues to impress local outfitters with consistent decoying action. Canada geese are readily decoying in hot feeding fields despite high, blue-bird skies. Snow geese are decoying for hunters willing to mix a salt and pepper spread. Best hunts have been had around Lake Etter. Duck hunting near Dumas is spotting, with only a few playas available to hunt due to dry conditions. Duck hunting is better in the Knox City area. Canada geese and few snow geese continue to provide steady shoots. The region could use a strong shot of rain to sustain habitat for the remainder of the season. Pheasant hunting remains strong, and runs through Jan. 1. Prospects are fair to good.

North Zone Waterfowl: The region received another week of dry conditions. Duck hunting has slowed a bit, and available watering sources are hard to find, other than big water areas like lakes, rivers and reservoirs. Mild temperatures this week should not favor migration of new birds to the area. The bright spot has been the number of diver ducks like scaup, ringed-necks and canvasbacks on Toledo Bend, Lake O’the Pines, Lake Fork and other deep water lakes in the region. Hunters closer to the coast on the IH-10 corridor have seen average hunting at best. The bright spot was the ability to harvest pintails this week. The pintail season runs through the remainder of the regular duck season. If not for green-winged teal, duck hunters would be taking much less than half-limits, which has been the norm during most of December. Central Zone dove hunters get another crack Dec. 26–Jan. 4. Doves have been building with each passing front, though hunter participation is expected to be light. Prospects are fair to good.

South Zone Waterfowl: Duck hunting has slowed during the last 10 days across the coastal prairie and marsh. This is a typical occurrence as food supplies are consumed until gone and ducks scatter to find sustainable nourishment. The brunt of the duck population seems to be along the coastline on the grassy shorelines of the bay. Good numbers of ducks, including scaup, teal, gadwalls and pintails are feeding on the vegetation of the north shoreline of Trinity Bay, though soft, marshy bottoms are not conducive to those with weak cardiovascular systems. West Matagorda Bay, Espiritu Santo Bay, San Antonio Bay and Aransas Bay is holding pintails, wigeons, gadwalls, scaup and redheads. Shovelers, gadwalls, teal, pintails and mallards are the species showing up on prairie straps. Half-limits have been the norm, recently. Goose hunting picked up last week as snow geese have moved from rice to fields with green vegetation. More Canada geese have found the prairie and are showing on straps. Sandhill crane season opened Dec. 24 and results were mixed. Those who hunted and were able to find concealment got their birds; however, since the season opened Christmas Eve, few hunters participated. South Zone dove hunters get another crack at doves Dec. 26–Jan. 15. Prospects are fair to good.