A cool front passing across Texas has converted abundant moisture into much needed rain in the state and putting smiles on the faces of the state's waterfowl hunters looking ahead to Saturday's opening of duck and goose seasons in most parts of the state. "Timing wise, it could be great," said Kevin Kraai, waterfowl program leader for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's wildlife division. "Wetlands need disturbance of one kind or another, and drought can act as one of the best disturbances to stimulate favorable plants for waterfowl. The drought, which has plagued most of Texas over much of the past decade, has severely reduced wetlands in the region and diminished their production of terrestrial and aquatic vegetation on which wintering water fowl depend to sustain them through winter. "This rain along with earlier rains stimulates growth of wetland waterfowl vegetation." The same front brought freezing temperatures to northern states. "It'll push some birds south, but rain will be the best thing about it." Steve Lightfoot with TPWD says duck hunters should brace themselves for what could be a good season. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's survey estimates 48.6 million breeding ducks, a 7 percent increase over last year and 43 percent above the 1955-2010 long-term average. This year's estimate is a record high and is only the sixth time in the survey's history that the total duck population has exceeded 40 million. However a mild September and most of October are affecting migrations. What we will see in November is more what we would expect to see in October. A late spring on northern nesting grounds means most of the birds remain north of Texas. Duck broods were hatched a couple of weeks later than normal, and a mild September and most of October resulted in southern migration starting later than usual. The number of ducks and geese will increase with arrival of subsequent cold fronts. North zone season is Nov.2 - Dec. 8; south zone is Nov. 2 - Dec. 1. Be sure to check www.tpwd.state.tx.us for all regulations pertaining to waterfowl hunting. Photo: Courtesy of Ducks Unlimited