Latest dates for the Texas Duck Season 2016-2017
| Species | Season Dates | Bag Limits (Daily) | Possession Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ducks | North Zone Nov 7 to 29 Dec 12 to Jan 31 South Zone Oct 31 to Nov 29 Dec 12 to Jan 24 High Plains Mallard Management Unit Oct 31 to Nov 1 Nov 6 to Jan 31 | 6 in aggregate with no more than: 5 mallards (only 2 hens) 3 wood ducks 3 scaup 2 redheads 2 pintail 2 canvasback 1 "dusky" duck "dusky" ducks season closes after first 5 days of the season. | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Dove | North Zone Sept 1 to Oct 25 Dec 18 to Jan 1 Central Zone Sept 1 to Oct 25 Dec 18 to Jan 1 South Zone Sept 18 to Oct 21 Dec 18 to Jan 22 Special White-winged Dove Area Sept 18 to Oct 21 Dec 18 to Jan 18 | 15 white-winged, mourning & white-tipped doves aggregate Max 2 white-tipped | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Woodcock | Dec 18 to Jan 31 | 3 | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Teal | Sept 12 to 27 | 6 | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Rails Gallinules Moorhens | Sept 12 to 27 Oct 31 to Dec 23 | 15 King & Clapper Rails aggregate 25 Sora & Virginia Rails aggregate | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Common Snipe | Oct 31 to Feb 14 | 8 | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Sandhill Cranes | Zone A Oct 31 to Jan 31 Zone B Nov 20 to Jan 31 Zone C Dec 19 to Jan 24 | Zone A&B: 3 Zone C: 2 | 3 times daily bag limit |
| Geese | Early Canada Geese Season East Zone Sept 12 to 27 Sept Light and Dark Geese West Zone Oct 31 to Jan 31 East Zone Nov 7 to Jan 31 Light Geese West Zone Feb 1 to Mar 20 East Zone Feb 1 to Mar 20 | West Zone 5 Dark Geese (Max 2 white-fronted) 20 Light Geese East Zone 5 Dark Geese (Max 2 white-fronted) 20 Light Geese | Dark Geese: 3 times the daily bag limit Light Geese: No possession limit |
Duck Hunting Season Zone Map
Dove Hunting Season Zone Map
Cranes Hunting Season Zone Map
Geese Hunting Season Zone Map
If you are planning on participating in the duck hunting season Texas, there are a few very important things that you have to keep in mind in order for your endeavor to be successful. Texas is one of the most popular locations for duck hunting since the place offers a variety of lakes, streams, and other waterways where ducks tend to reside during the Texas duck season. This is why you will have little to no trouble at all finding ducks to hut, regardless of the fact whether you are going there just for the Texas duck season or you plan on moving to live there.
First of all, before you proceed with your participation in the duck season in Texas, you have to be aware of all the requirements that you have to be able to meet in order to legally hunt ducks. All of the migratory game bird hunters are required to have a valid hunting license. All of the non-residents of the state that are aged under 17 are designated as residents and as such are able to hunt using a resident license. Hunters which are aged 17 or above are required to have a driver’s license or personal identification certificate while hunting. Non-residents are also required to have similar documents that have been issued by the agency in the state that they reside in and is authorized to issue driver’s licenses or personal identification certificates.
Hunters who are aged 17 or above are required to have either an Annual Public Hunting Permit or a Daily Hunting Permit in order to be able to legally hunt during the duck season in Texas. Youth who are aged below 17 are able to hunt on federal lands free of charge. In addition to this, people who are aged 17 or older are required to possess a migratory game bird stamp endorsement receipt that allows them to hunt migratory birds. Federal law also requires hunters aged 16 or older to have a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, which is most commonly referred to as a Duck Stamp and is available at most post offices and TPWD offices.
After you have managed to fulfil all of these requirements you will be able to legally participate in the Texas duck season. Now we will take a look at some tips that might be of help to you during the hunt itself. First of all, remember that there are actually two different ways of hunting ducks – by water or by land. If you are hunting by land then you will need to find a way to make the ducks get out of the water and up in the air so that you could shoot them. This type of duck hunting requires more range and you will need a gun that is able to fire at longer distances.
If you are planning on hunting this way then you should find out where are the ducks residing and where do they feed. Once you have acquired this information, simply stay on the path that they will be taking when they are going to feed or while they are coming back.
If you plan to hunt by water then you should look for a boat that is camouflaged so that you could blend with the surroundings. This way you will be able to get closer to the ducks without them spotting you. Additionally, if you find a good marshland which has some tall reeds you will be able to hide your boat there and easily approach the ducks. The most important thing of all is that you find a way to avoid the ducks seeing you.
Another great tip for duck hunting season Texas is to wear clothing that is camouflaged and make sure that the ducks can’t smell you. Try hunting upwind of the ducks so that your smell is not carried to them. You should also make sure that you are wearing warm clothes because you might have to spend many hours just sitting on the boat and it can sometimes get cold. Make sure that the clothes are waterproof as well. There is nothing worse than sitting in the cold with wet clothes.
One last tip for Texas duck hunting season is to look for a folding hunting knife that you could bring along with you. They are quite effective when it comes to skinning the duck and it would get the meat off pretty easy. Make sure that you meet all Texas duck season requirements and that you follow these tips so that you have a successful trip.
For more detailed info check out the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website.