Weather is not looking good for South Zone

**Pablo** · #1 09-22-2004, 09:39 AM

Looks like a front is coming in this weekend for the South Zone opener. Sure gonna play havoc with the dove hunting. Might make things interesting for the bow hunters, though.

Good luck guys and gals.

Pablo

**Dunc** · #2 09-22-2004, 09:40 AM

Shouldn't the cool front push more birds into the south zone? I don't see what the problem is. Looks like a bonus to me.

**troy merrill** · #3 09-22-2004, 09:49 AM

Fronts cause wierd things to happen. It is hard to accurately predict what will happen. Hopefully nothing as we have fields scouted that are absolutely red hot and ripe for the picking!

As long as it doesn't blow them out of there or gulley wash the whole area, it should be on like the proverbial donkey kong.

**Dunc** · #4 09-22-2004, 09:50 AM

Posted by TPWD today:

South Texas: The South Zone dove season opens Sept. 24 and prospects are good around watering holes. Fashing, George West, Three Rivers and surrounding areas are holding birds in corn, milo and wild sunflower fields. Fields around Laredo, Harlingen, Port Mansfield and Freer are holding whitewings and mourners. The forecasted cool front should deposit new birds to the area. Prospects are good.

**Pablo** · #5 09-22-2004, 09:53 AM

Dunc, it's been my experience that the local or "native" birds get blown out and the ones from further north just push on thru. It may be different in other areas, but that is what I've seen around here. Maybe we could put up a STOP HERE AND EAT sign. LOL

Pablo

**Dunc** · #6 09-22-2004, 10:00 AM

Well, you could mow a milo field--that'll get them to stop. But the warden might not like it!

TXPalerider · #7 09-22-2004, 10:47 AM

Cool fronts generally blow native birds out and move new birds in. However, the catch is in the timing. My experience has been, they don't come and go at exactly the same time. It usually takes a day or so for the native birds to leave. Then the migratory birds generally lag behind a couple or 3 days. Then it takes them a while to settle into a pattern.

I guess it's all gonna depend where Opening Weekend falls in the timing of it

**StinkBait** · #8 09-22-2004, 12:21 PM

My friends that hunt near Pablo slaughtered the birds last year in the rain, not sure if it was a cold front or not. Needless to say i think they had to spend as much time cleaning guns as they did their birds!

TXPalerider · #9 09-22-2004, 12:38 PM

We slaughtered them in the rain last year too. But, they checked out soon after that. It's all in the timing.

**hunting dog** · #10 09-22-2004, 12:55 PM

Pablo, i'm with you. The birds that nest around town move on when a cool front moves in. It has happened for the last 3 years around here. About 25 min south of San Antoino. Alot of birds early. Thats why i am pushing to get the zone date changed. But TWD can not under stand . EEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR. Happy hunting