Migration Alert: Improving Conditions Has Texas Waterfowlers Optimistic

The first split of Texas’s 2024 duck season could not have ended any sooner.

Hampered by what many meteorologists consider the warmest, driest October and November on record, seasoned waterfowlers agree the first 30 days might have been the slowest hunting they can remember.

“It was sketchy for sure,” says guide Brian Davenport of Fin and Fowl Outfitters in Chamber County. “The first split was definitely different than anything we have seen.”

The good news is that things have changed during the split. Colder temperatures and a bright moon have encouraged all species of waterfowl to head south of the Red River for the winter.

“The weather and Mother Nature finally worked their magic,” Davenport says. “Looks like this front brought us lots of new birds, and it’s finally starting to look normal again. I’m excited about the second split opener.”

Davenport adds that he is seeing more and more gadwalls in the Anahuac marsh and lots of green-winged teal just about everywhere. Pintail and wigeon numbers are improving and more divers are showing up on the bays. He says the east side high-ground blinds north of Interstate 10 look better, too.

The coastal prairies west of Houston, where most of Texas’s rice crop is grown, were almost barren of ducks, geese, and cranes during November. Hunting opportunities were so slim many outfitters were forced to cancel hunts.

“We just thought it was a struggle opening weekend,” says Matt Sbrusch of East Bernard. “Hunting got tougher and tougher. There was just nothing here yet.”

Texas remains dry, especially along the coast and coastal prairies. Most leveed ponds and moist-soil impoundments pumped in August and September for teal season are now dry, further stressing what has been an even more demanding season.

Nevertheless, there is reason for optimism.

The past 10 days have changed the landscape as more and more birds arrived on the new moon, and now more are hopefully on the way.

“There are lots of geese on the prairie and more sandhill cranes than I have seen in a long time,” reports James Russell of El Campo. “Duck numbers are better with more big ducks showing.”

According to Russell, snow geese and whitefronts are gorging on all the “hurricane corn” that was knocked down by Hurricane Beryl in July. That unspoiled corn is littering the ground throughout the prairie and is still consumable due to the absence of rain and fresh sprouts.

“There are tons of cranes, and goose numbers are impressive,” Russell adds. “We didn’t shoot many pintails during the first split, but we have them now.”

Bay and marsh hunters from Matagorda to the Laguna Madre are hoping for better second-split results as well. More ducks have found the shoal grass shorelines from Port O’Connor to Rockport to Port Mansfield. Duck season in the South Zone opens back up Dec.14. and runs through Jan. 26. Sandhill crane season in Zone C (coastal) runs Dec.14–Jan.19.