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Excellent conditions point to good season despite lagging numbers
Those stately greenheads may be the sexiest of all the ducks on the pond, but bluewinged teal always grab the most attention with Texas’ early bird waterfowl crowds. The bell is ringing especially loud these days.
The statewide early teal season in Texas got underway at 30 minutes before sunrise on Sept. 14. The season runs for 16 consecutive days through Sept. 29.
Teal are always the first migrant ducks to pass through Texas each fall and the last to trek north in spring. Bluewings are the second most abundant duck in North America behind mallards.
Small and agile, teal aren’t the speediest of ducks. But they are among the most acrobatic and challenging to follow with a scattergun.
The birds are famous for zipping in low to the water like little fighter jets with whistling wings, often in tight groups. Some have likened their erratic moves to bats on crack.
Teal prefer to dine in the shallows, often in water so skinny that it’ll barely float a decoy.
The birds will eat insects and other invertebrates, but they really prefer new growth vegetation and seeds. Like other dabbling ducks, teal frequently feed by with a head down, butt up posture.
A second growth rice field spurred to life by timely rains can be a magnet for migrant teal looking for a spot to loaf and recharge for their journey south. The same is true of freshwater flats ripe with vegetation.
Experts say hunting conditions are ideal this year thanks to a bounty of inland and coastal rainfall in recent months. The bad news is teal numbers are lagging in comparison to the past. Prolonged drought is the culprit.
Population estimates are at a 20-year low across historic breeding grounds in Prairie Pothole Regions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Saskatchewan and Alberta, according to Kevin Kraai, Waterfowl Program Leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“The population estimate this past May was 4.55 million birds and is down 15 percent from last year’s estimate,” he said.
The decline will result in a shortened season (16 days to 9 days) in Fall 2025.
On a brighter note, the biologist says above average summer rainfall across much of the birds’ northern breeding grounds is expected to have a positive impact on production and survival for 2024.
Legal for Teal
If you are planning to hunt during the early teal season, remember that blue-winged, green-winged and cinnamon teal are the only ducks you can shoot.
If you are unsure of the target, don’t pull the trigger. Fines for shooting other ducks out of season can be brisk. The daily limit on early teal is six per hunter, per day.
Also, remember to purchase a new hunting license and make sure to answer a short list of questions about last year’s migratory bird hunting successes required for HIP (Harvest Information Program). Additionally, you will need the migratory game bird and Federal Duck Stamp endorsements. The migratory game bird stamp costs $7; the the Federal stamp is $25.
A person 17 years of age or older must possess a migratory game bird endorsement receipt to hunt any migratory game bird in this state. Waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over are required to have a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (commonly called a Duck Stamp; available at most post offices and TPWD offices).
Finally, remember to carry only steel or another nontoxic shot into the field. Shotshells containing lead shot are not legal for hunting ducks. Shotguns must be plugged to accept no more than three shotshells.
Sharing Water
Big water teal hunters should remember is they will likely be sharing their hunting areas water with fishermen, a vice versa. Be respectful of one another and use common sense to avoid accidents or confrontations.
Duck hunters are typically on the water well before daylight. It can be frustrating to make a long run a favorite fishing area and find it already occupied by duck hunters, but it happens pretty frequently.
Anglers should do the courteous thing and relocate to a different spot, or stay far enough away duck hunters so as not screw up their hunt.
Duck hunters, meanwhile, should be mindful of distant anglers and avoid taking risky shots in their direction. Shotshell pellets can travel farther than you think. All it takes is one stray pellet to take out an eye.
Matt Williams is a freelance writer based in Nacogdoches. He can be reached by email, [email protected].
