Texas sets waterfowl seasons for 2014-15

Good news of record-setting waterfowl populations, with nearly all species numbering above the long term goals identified in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan, sets the table for the 2014-15 hunting season in Texas.

“Waterfowl are doing well,” Dave Morrison, Small Game Program Director for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department told commissioners. “This is the 20th straight year we’ve been in a liberal framework for waterfowl seasons. That’s unheard of.”

The commission retained a staggered split between the North and South Zones to allow for the opportunity of an additional week for those duck hunters who travel between zones.

In the only change in bag limits this season Texas waterfowlers can take only one canvasback daily. The possession limits for all migratory game birds is three times the daily limit. For ducks, including teal during the early Sept. 13-28 season, the possession limit is 18.

Following are the adopted season dates and limits for the 2014-15 migratory game bird seasons:

Ducks
High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Youth: Oct. 18-19; Regular: Oct. 25-26 and Oct. 31 — Jan. 25; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 3 — Jan. 25.
South Zone: Youth: Oct. 25-26; Regular: Nov. 1-30 and Dec. 13 — Jan. 25;“Dusky” Duck: Nov. 6-30 and Dec. 13 — Jan. 25.
North Zone: Youth: Oct. 25-26 ; Regular: Nov. 1 — Dec. 7 and Dec. 20 —Jan. 25;“Dusky” Duck: Nov. 6 — Dec. 7 and Dec. 20 — Jan. 25.
Bag Limit: 6/day in the aggregate to include no more than 3 wood ducks, 3 scaup, 5 mallards, of which only 2 may be hens, 2 redheads, 2 pintail , 1 canvasback, 1 “dusky duck” (mottled, black or Mexican-like) after the first 5 days. Mergansers: 5/day with no more than 2 hooded merganser. Coots: 15/day

Geese
East Zone: Light Geese Nov. 1 — Jan. 25, Canada Geese Nov. 1 — Jan. 25; White-fronted Geese: Nov. 1 — Jan. 11; Light Geese Conservation Order Jan. 26 — Mar. 22.
Bag Limit: 3 Canada geese, 2 White-fronted geese, 20 light geese (no possession limit).
West Zone: Light Geese Nov. 1 — Feb. 1; Dark Geese Nov. 1 — Feb. 1; Light Geese Conservation Order Feb. 2 — Mar. 22.
Bag Limit: 5 dark geese with no more than one white-fronted goose, 20 light geese (no possession limit)

Photo: www.nrcs.usda.gov

Author: Tom Behrens

Tom Behrens has over 50 years experience in fishing and hunting across the United States. Much of this time was spent in Oklahoma and Texas where he became very familiar with the outdoor opportunities in these states. You may contact him by email at: [email protected]

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GOOD. Water normal stain; 67 degrees; 0.33 feet below pool. Striped bass fishing is great on top waters early along rocky shorelines and sandy flats around coves. Watch for birds on the banks and fish the direction the birds are moving up and down the rocks. Live bait is still very effective fishing ledges and humps near the river channels in 35-45 feet of water. The shad spawn is on and catching will only get better. Crappie fishing is good near boat docks and on structure also using electronics to locate roaming fish in 12-15 feet of water. Glo and milk are colors of choice with a crappie nibble tip. Seeing females in the creeks 2-5 feet of water as well. Catfishing is getting better on cut shad and prepared baits anchored on ledges in 40-50 feet of water a few reels off the bottom near rocky banks. Slip cork with a cut shad down the bluffs are producing channel cats preparing to spawn as well. Bass fishing is good using top waters early, spooks or closed face glide baits and fish crawl baits later. Fish are roaming near the beds and hitting white chatter baits as well. Live shad down the bluffs are producing numbers with the occasional big fish off the rocks in 5-8 feet of water. Report by Jacob Orr, Guaranteed Guide Service Lake Texoma. Hybrid stripers are excellent with limits coming on topwaters along the bank early in the morning watching for Egrets. Then switch to swimbaits on flats and points in 10-20 feet of water. Shad are spawning along the banks. Report by John Blasingame, Adventure Texoma Outdoors.

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