# Big Duck Countdown and Big Duck Sightings



## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

Alright fellows! Getting pumped up with this cool front.

25 days!!

Been seeing good amount of bwt still, few gadwall and spoonies..

Brazoria County


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## gulfcoast200 (Jun 26, 2004)

Throw geese in there too for us non duck hunting folks.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Plenty of BWT and Pintails in Garwood.


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## TheRooster (Jul 15, 2012)

Wish I could scout boats in the shop gettin carbs and tune up, does anybody know if the ramps to wallisville locks or gouhole ramps open?

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## Rip-N-Lips (May 25, 2004)

Gouhole/Hugo is still open. Wallisville is closed due to our great government.....


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## BPitcher (Aug 23, 2004)

Big ducks showing up South of El Campo and in the Bay City area.

Heard reports of Specks near Sargent and Nada as well.


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## TheRooster (Jul 15, 2012)

Rip-N-Lips said:


> Gouhole/Hugo is still open. Wallisville is closed due to our great government.....


Appreciate it bubba, god only knows how packed Hugo is gonna be if the locks are still closed for opening day for those trying to get to the bay lol

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## KDubBlast (Dec 25, 2006)

Didnt see to any out in copano last wed-fri. It was pre front though, hope this pushed some down that way.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

7 Indian Runner ducks and 2 African geese in my back yard in Nada. Do those count?


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

30 specks over 71 between Nada and Taiton this morning heading Southwest. I didn't get a chance to get out and drive the prairie this weekend. Got a $%&*% list a mile long to get done before waterfowl season starts so I was working on that.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Now what kind of list was that again Chuck??


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## Copano/Aransas (Dec 18, 2011)

Dang i was going to start this same thread today LOL. O well can't wait, i'll keep an eye out for em in the Rockport area.


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## gulfcoast200 (Jun 26, 2004)

Tpwd video lots do good info for the beginers, newbies, and Duck Dynasty types.


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## klimitd (Jan 5, 2012)

Hugo has been full the past two days. People having to park on the hill. Anahuac park is pretty full also.


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## TheRooster (Jul 15, 2012)

klimitd said:


> Hugo has been full the past two days. People having to park on the hill. Anahuac park is pretty full also.


I hate parking on that steep hill, always feel im going to come back from fishing to see my truck rolled over haha

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## nate56 (Dec 11, 2010)

TheRooster said:


> I hate parking on that steep hill, always feel im going to come back from fishing to see my truck rolled over haha
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2


I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks the same thing...I'll tell the wife to park up top because I know shell forgot to set the ebrake, besides its good exercise for her....:rotfl:


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## Run-N-Gun (Jul 5, 2007)

Saw a couple hundred yesterday on a pond between Blessing/Palacios. Mostly teal, but a few pintails and spoonies mixed in as well.


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## TheRooster (Jul 15, 2012)

nate56 said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks the same thing...I'll tell the wife to park up top because I know shell forgot to set the ebrake, besides its good exercise for her....:rotfl:


Lmao she got a sister? I need a woman to park my boat for me when I launch my boat there, to much exercise for me lol

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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Specks*

Heard what seemed like to be a decent group of specks flying over my house yesterday evening. Its getting close

Brazoria County


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Ducks!!!!*

Went out to work on property yesterday. Brazoria County

Seen prob 800+ bwt and gwt teal.

Some gadwall, spoons, ringers, and motts.

Good numbers for being 2.5 weeks from opener..

Next week should be a bunch more show with front and approaching full moon.


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## Hookedonquack (Mar 4, 2013)

I saw a group of thirty plus yesterday at the lease. Could not identify the species but, they landed and stayed on the water for awhile before jumping up and heading south.


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## Run-N-Gun (Jul 5, 2007)

Couple hundred on a pond south of El Campo yesterday. Roughly 100 teal and then the rest big ducks. This front with a FULL moon should move some birds into the area for sure.


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## Copano/Aransas (Dec 18, 2011)

Saw a few birds over the weekend around Copano bay area. Pintails and Redheads.


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## 3CK (Oct 5, 2010)

Specs seen in flying over Bayou Vista marsh Monday and Wendnesday mornings.


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## Jason Slocum (Jul 9, 2004)

*10-16-2013*

The front this AM had about 5-7 groups of ~30+ big ducks (assuming redheads) in the Corpus Christi Bay area.

Jason Slocum


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## Russ757 (Apr 5, 2010)

Driving home from school in Cypress saw 4 groups of around 20-30. Seemed to be some type of ducks (how do you tell from high up) and one group of geese.

Russ


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## basschump (Jun 8, 2005)

Flock of sandhills flying over MOPAC (austin) on my commute home. They were riding the norther heading south. I love October.


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Ducks!!!!*

Teal are building in big numbers at my place in Brazoria County. Which is not unusual. I always have a big concentration of bwt an gwt every year at the end of October. My opener is always like another teal season.lol

Decent number of gadwalls, some spoons, ringers, few pintails.

Starting to see alot more mottle ducks showing up as well.

Been hearing specks just about every night flying over.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

The specks have arrived in the Nada/Garwood area. Saw 10 or so flocks either coming in or coming back from feeding to the West of town. I also drove by the Vineyard South of Eagle Lake and there is a lot of water there now. Every flooded field had ducks on it. Some had just a few and others a couple hundred plus.


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## quackiller (Jan 27, 2012)

Specks and whistlers over the house this morning


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## Mini-x Fan (Jun 9, 2011)

Big flock of geese flew over the school this morning in Cypress.


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## Fowlerfantasy (Jun 30, 2013)

saw a few groups of about 10 ducks while fishing the pass this morning.


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## RonE (Apr 10, 2006)

Seeing a few on and around the Aransas Bay .


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Happy to say...........we saw thousands of Teal over the weekend while brushing up some blinds. Also saw plenty of Specs on the Garwood Prairie.....
Can't wait for opening morning.......


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## quackiller (Jan 27, 2012)

Even saw a few greys in central tx this weekend which is odd, and they were most likely just passing through because we don't generally get good numbers until thanksgiving


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## bigmike76 (Aug 26, 2013)

saw about 50 teal and 50 redheads in seadrift on sunday while brushing blinds.


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## Rack Ranch (May 25, 2004)

Saw my first flock of speckle bellies yesterday down south outside Corpus..


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Pic taken from the weekend with Axsbilly at his place in Danbury... We saw a few hundred birds, but only got good photos of these guys.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

That is a good picture.........


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## 3CK (Oct 5, 2010)

Saw a couple of groups of teal and a group of divers on the lake this weekend while building blinds.

Youth hunt this weekend!!! Taking my fiances little brother.


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## TheRooster (Jul 15, 2012)

Mojo281 said:


> Pic taken from the weekend with Axsbilly at his place in Danbury... We saw a few hundred birds, but only got good photos of these guys.


Thats an excellent picture! As fast as them suckers fly im suprised it isnt blurry, man them things are pretty even when their not in full plume

keep your booger hook off the bang switch!


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## Russ757 (Apr 5, 2010)

Saw a couple groups of 5-8 teal flying this morning. A pair of them was flying no more than 10ft in the air at one point


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## Mini-x Fan (Jun 9, 2011)

Saw a bunch of teal this morning as well as a flock or 2 of big ducks. Also, I saw a huge V of about 150 geese way up! Cypress area


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Birds*

Brazoria County - Lots of bwt and some gwt around. Seen the first few woodies yesterday ay my place. Starting the see alot of ringers, which I usually dont see good numbers of those until second split. Gads, few pintail, and decent amount of motts. Also seen about 12 specks flying over my property yesterday evening. Looking good for the opener!

Good luck to the youth this weekend!


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Oh Yeah*

4 days 21 hours 31 minutes 30 seconds until LST!!!!!!


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## Blue Water Roughneck (May 22, 2004)

Not many big ducks at my place NW of El Campo. Lots of geese but only a few hundred BWT and a few GWT. No big ducks seen while I have been grassing up duck blinds since Thursday. I had more big ducks in September.

Hoping the front mid week brings in some birds. Otherwise, it might be a slow opening weekend which will be a first for me in the last 30 years.

Anyone else seeing any big ducks or GWT in numbers on the rice prairies from EC to Eagle Lake?


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## 3CK (Oct 5, 2010)

2 easy limits Saturday for the youth season hunting East of Houston. Saw solid numbers of greys and teal, some widgeon and woodies. 

Saw a group of Specks flying East Sunday afternoon around the Bayou Vista Marsh.

Almost Game Time!


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## shauntexex (Dec 12, 2007)

Welp I spotted a few about a day and a half's drive up north. Headed this way boys lots of ducks this year and LOTS of water up here. Should be a heck of a year!


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Took this pic Saturday evening at one of our ponds on the Garwood Prairie. Saw quite a few flocks of Specs moving around. Season looks to be a good one.


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## CDOGS (Apr 27, 2009)

New plan, give you guys a good week to hammer on them, I think that will push some of the birds down our way....going deer huntn if I get down to the coast and don't see any.



daddyeaux said:


> Took this pic Saturday evening at one of our ponds on the Garwood Prairie. Saw quite a few flocks of Specs moving around. Season looks to be a good one.


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## oOslikOo (Jul 13, 2010)

Solid influx this week.


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## Timemachine (Nov 25, 2008)

We had 26 kids out this past Saturday for the Youth Hunt. We were near Markham and for more than an hour, Teal poured into our spread. The kids had one of the best shoot-em ups I've seen. Enough birds were landing that even the 4 year olds were getting water swatter shots. Hope it hold this weekend.


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## Mini-x Fan (Jun 9, 2011)

Is anybody else planning to hunt the coast near Galveston this weekend? Is anybody seeing any ducks down there? I'm gettin worried...


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## bigmike76 (Aug 26, 2013)

birds havent made it down to the coast yet... should be a tough opener.

Im considering making the trip to waco to hunt with a buddy.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

TimeMachine, where you at near Markham? We have a spot down there also.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Jerry, We were about 5 minutes East of Markham. Wave after wave of teal for the first hour of shooting time. The big ducks were there during the week but disappeared by the weekend. I hear they are back. There were good numbers of specks and around 20 snows on our roost pond West of Markham. More geese have arrived since the weekend.


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## Timemachine (Nov 25, 2008)

daddyeaux said:


> TimeMachine, where you at near Markham? We have a spot down there also.


We signed up with Third Coast Outfitter (Chuck Leamans exeucutive group) for the season. Seth is already settled in and making friends his age. We are looking forward to a great season. I don't know most of the properties. What I do know is there are a bunch of spots!!


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## 3CK (Oct 5, 2010)

Mini-x Fan said:


> Is anybody else planning to hunt the coast near Galveston this weekend? Is anybody seeing any ducks down there? I'm gettin worried...


Too much freshwater everywhere for the birds to be stacked up in the bay system.

Go do some scouting and look for them!


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Chuck we have a spot north of Markham. I looked for your truck all last weekend but couldn't catch you at home. Although that front yard looks pretty scary. I will be back down this Friday, give me a shout when you get home.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

TM, Third Coast is a good place to be, Chuck is a great guy. I am on their dove lease. Glad Seth is having a good time and making friends.


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## Timemachine (Nov 25, 2008)

daddyeaux said:


> .... Glad Seth is having a good time and making friends.


Seth has turned out to be an excellent hunter. Can't imagine what my hunting would be without him. He is truely is a gift from God. Chuck is a really good guy and has the same priority towards kids. This past weekend was an excellent example of that.

We missed you in August at the Duck Hunters Meet-n-Skeet. Seth shot a 19 out of 35 before the shoutgun got the best of him. Spec-rigg006 won the choker. It was the smallest showing in the 5 years that I have put the event together but we had a good shoot.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

I would have been there for the shoot but that happened to be a work weekend down at Garwood. I heard it was a small turnout, but I'll try again next year.
Not bad shooting for Seth.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

This week is dragging on. I've broke my shotgun down and cleaned three times already, gear is ready and so am I. Time just seems to have slowed down.

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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

Thanks for the kind words. Its been a crappy year for me but I'm fighting my way through it. Come by the house Saturday for some gumbo.


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Will do.........


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

Welcome back Axsbilly.


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Soooo.... Anyone seeing any big ducks??

The old men kinda hijacked the thread!!


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## daddyeaux (Nov 18, 2007)

Here you go Mojo


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## Gilbert (May 25, 2004)

Mojo281 said:


> Soooo.... Anyone seeing any big ducks??
> 
> The old men kinda hijacked the thread!!


I haven't seen much. Its gonna be a tough one if they don't show up in the next couple days.


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## chuck leaman (Jul 15, 2004)

The hunting pressure should move em around. The first flock of snow geese went over my house this morning. 10 birds heading Southwest toward the cr 378 area.


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## Jacinto (Sep 14, 2013)

I'm going to be walking into the marsh on opening day regardless. 

There was too much water for teal season, & I expect big duck will be the same. Sure would be nice to have a big northern hit by second weekend.


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

Fishin' Soldier said:


> Welcome back Axsbilly.


lol Thanks!

Still lots of teal in Brazoria County. Also seen 200-300 ringers. But only about 30 gads, 2 pintail, 4 woodies, and some motts.

Not many big ducks at my place yet..

Once they get broke up of the prairie like Chuck said, everyone should start seeing more.


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## Logan (Aug 7, 2009)

Divers on the coast already....sure some puddlers are around


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## Drundel (Feb 6, 2006)

This weather sucks, can't get excited when sweating putting out decoys. We usually scout the Friday before the opener and I remmeber two years ago it was in the high 30's, last year, mid-low 60's, I bet this year its in the **** 70's.

With the A&M game on late, I have serious doubts on hunting Sunday.


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## tealnexttime1 (Aug 23, 2004)

went out to property yesterday evening after work . saw a few big ducks on one of our ponds . but right at dark saw thousands of teal going to lay up for the night. i mean wave aftr wave of teal . we saw alot in the evening during teal season but this time many ,many more.so it shouldnt be to bad saturday.


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## Timemachine (Nov 25, 2008)

TEALnexttime said:


> .......... i mean wave aftr wave of teal . we saw alot in the evening during teal season but ..........


I been trying to told people about this.!!


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Almost Go Time*

Welllllllll 1 day 20 hours until LST!

Plus inches of rain to spread all the birds we have out. But cant curse the rain, we been needing it for awhile...

Good Luck!!!!


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

23 hrs 49 minutes to LST!!

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## capthunterdude (Nov 15, 2006)

If it get to hunt the opener this year, it looks like it is going to be another year of no waders. We have quite a few ducks around between the teal and whistlers and mottoes. A few other ducks mixed in. Last year I wore my waders while hunting a whopping 4 times in about 20 hunts. Just to dang warm. It is looking that way for this weekend.


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

capthunterdude said:


> If it get to hunt the opener this year, it looks like it is going to be another year of no waders. We have quite a few ducks around between the teal and whistlers and mottoes. A few other ducks mixed in. Last year I wore my waders while hunting a whopping 4 times in about 20 hunts. Just to dang warm. It is looking that way for this weekend.


Im wearing hip boots.


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## capthunterdude (Nov 15, 2006)

I am wearing my usual, no wader hunt gear- camo shorts and neoprene boots. If I think the Mosquitos will be a problem, I might wear my camo pants with said wading boots. That was the garb for most of last year.


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Should be some fresh birds showing up with this front!! Can't wait to get at them this weekend!


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## wennis1 (Nov 5, 2008)

Some buddies and I can't wait until this weekend and are going to hunt a big pond in Hempstead tomorrow morning. Wind chill is supposed to be 21. I'm hoping to see some green in that sunlight.


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## ctt17 (May 7, 2007)

Any reports on birds showing after this front? I'm stuck in Houston for the next 10 days....


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## perchjerk (Apr 15, 2011)

My buddy hunted china today and said there's tons of big ducks. Pintail out the wazoo and saw a few groups of greenheads


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Birds!!!*

Did some scouting this am before work...

The Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge off of FM 2004 / Hoskins Mound road is holding Thousands and thousands of geese, cranes, and ducks. Seen a ton of snows, specks, pintail, gads, teal widgeon, everything!!!!

My place about a 2 miles away had good number as well. But all the new birds are mostly stacked on the refuge.. They should start filtering out in the next day or so. This weekend it will be on!!!!

They are here!!! Enjoy!!!


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## Jacinto (Sep 14, 2013)

Yeah, I walked into Brazoria nwr Wednesday. Popped one duck, shoulda had 3. Other than a flock of 3 & one of 5, though, no ducks came by. Wind was way less than forecast. A lot of snows flew over, 80-120 yds up
On the drive outta there, I saw the biggest sandhill concentration I've ever seen. A few geese in there, too. This was right off the road in some fields by some big hay bales lined up. I thought of stopping, cuz I just had a feeling there was a whooping crane in there! Weird, guess I shoulda seen my hunch through. After that trek guess I just wanted to get home.


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## Goose Lover (Jan 23, 2012)

Had a report the Whooping Crane is still there.

Talked with a friend that was driving on FM 2004 this morning and later in the afternoon.

He said the Brazoria NWR is absolutely loaded with birds. Geese, Cranes, Ducks.

According to him birds were moving all along the highway and as far as back as he could see. He said the ducks were like a beehive.


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## GunDog (Jun 6, 2006)

Saw several groups of geese on Wed/Thursday in/around Seadrift (ended up getting some out of the duck blind on Wed). Once it warmed up over the weekend, like always the numbers decreased. More should be headed down this weekend with that other front.


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

Goose Lover said:


> Had a report the Whooping Crane is still there.
> 
> Talked with a friend that was driving on FM 2004 this morning and later in the afternoon.
> 
> ...


Drove by BNWR on Sunday again. Still thousands and thousands of ducks, geese, cranes. Most I have ever seen there!!! But they are staying there all day long and just jumping from pond to pond on refuge. My property is only a mile away and we didnt see hardly any birds. Need some good strong weather to break them up and move them around the area..

Also the whooping crane was still there. We sat on the road and watched him with some bird watchers for awhile. Pretty cool.


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## AlvinDucksUnlimited (Jun 7, 2006)

*Few Pics from BNWR*

Took these two pics Sunday at Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge.

Its the most ducks, geese, cranes I have ever seen holding there. Hopefully they eat it out soon and the weather pushes them out of refuge to surrounding areas so we can kill some of them..

Good luck!


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## Goose Lover (Jan 23, 2012)

Drove down FM 2004 and through the Brazoria NWR. There are wild and incredible numbers of ducks. Enormous numbers of Pintails and Greenwing along with plenty of Gadwall, Mottled Ducks, Mallards and all kinds of other ducks.

Saw several thousand geese and several thousand cranes. The big white crane was there too.

It was good fun


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