# Waterfowl numbers



## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Duck numbers appear to be good

Goose numbers appear to be not so good.


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## Duckboys42 (Oct 1, 2012)

Depends where you are I have seen more geese in the salt marsh then usual.


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Driving the Eagle Lake/Lissie prairie a couple of times in the past week I didn't see much for geese.

And driving on FM 1162 there are few geese there either.

Historically those would be two of our better areas for geese this time of the year.


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## goinpostal3 (Jul 2, 2004)

Duckboys42 said:


> Depends where you are I have seen more geese in the salt marsh then usual.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Agreed. We've seen a bunch of geese over the last few weekends. Flying high along the coast where we were duck hunting, but some of the rice fields along FM 2004 were loaded with resting/feeding geese.


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## aTm08 (Dec 30, 2011)

Have you considered the lack of geese in eagle lake may be directly related to the lack of rice in the area this year? Also, most of the little second crop in eagle lake is just now being cut. 


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

aTm08 said:


> Have you considered the lack of geese in eagle lake may be directly related to the lack of rice in the area this year? Also, most of the little second crop in eagle lake is just now being cut.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Eagle Lake/Lissie to Egypt has probably the most concentrated area of rice farming. Either that or Garwood to Provident City

I see plenty of cut fields that have no geese.

Overall the numbers of ducks looks to be good whiich is encouraging but geese are on the low side,

Specklebelly numbers seem to be especially low.

The down trend for them over the past 20 or so years is pretty alarming. I am afriad they are going to be the next Canada goose for us.

Maybe in ten years we will have white goose numbers equal to the numbers of specklebelly numbers we have now if the slide continues?

But we also might see a huge herd of them show up on the next front?


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## aTm08 (Dec 30, 2011)

No, there is way way more plowed ground this year than last (at least what we hunt). There are lots of geese around, but they are somewhat concentrated. Give it some time. Itâ€™s not even thanksgiving. 




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## Capt. Marcus Canales (Aug 25, 2005)

Have seen VERY few here on my home ranch when usually my tanks are covered. Could be this weather too. Finally saw 6 sand hills the other day, first ones of the season.....la salle county

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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Drove the Eagle Lake/Lissie/Chesterville/Altair area today.

Beale Road, Hunt Road, Hall Road, County Road 271, the Vineyard, Little Public Road, 3013 and bunch of other roads and country.

Saw 200 white geese and 7 specklebellies.

Drove my many cut second crop rice fields, uncut rice fields, volunteer rice fields, wetland units, plowed fields, winter pasture and a bunch of other stuff. 

The sky and ground was devoid of geese.

Kind of demoralizing.


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## DUKFVR2 (Sep 12, 2018)

Hunted just west of Garwood this AM. Saw 10 specks flying & about 20 later on while driving around. Didn't see a duck in the air this AM. Saw 4 groups in the field when I left & bet I didn't hear 50 shots all morning.
Prairie definitely ain't what it used to be.


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## Bullitt4439 (Sep 18, 2014)

Coast has been loaded most of this year, Wednesday has been our slowest day and I still managed a pintail, redhead, and bluebill. 

Seen more geese this season than I did all of last season. 

Friends on the prairie paying $1500 and up for a lease have been struggling to pull out a few birds a hunt.


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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

Ducks have been good around the Taiton/El Campo area. Last Sunday was the first day we havenâ€™t limited out, but it went from limits Saturday to not seeing a bird Sunday. Been lots of geese flying around, just havenâ€™t had the weather to hunt them. More cranes than I have ever seen this time of year, wish I could figure out how to hunt them.


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## quackiller (Jan 27, 2012)

good numbers of geese west of el campo. Havent checked near eagle lake or the coast. Good numbers of sandhills since the opening weekend of duck as well. Duck numbers have dropped significantly - first 2 weekends were great but weve hit our late first split lull that's typical for this time of year...


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Goose hunted north of Egypt today.

Saw, at best, 700-800 white geese and a couple hundred specks.

Miserable goose numbers.


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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

We just havenâ€™t had any weather since that first good front at the beginning of the season, and have been hunting the same birds thus far. Hopefully it gets cold again for the second half.


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

The cold front we had at the end of the second week of November was one of the strongest in recorded history for that time of the year.

It was below 59 for three days and blew 40 MPH out of the north.

Every day that goes by and the geese don't show up makes it less and less likely they will

At some point they won't push south for long distances.

If someone would have predicted 20 plus years ago the number of geese I saw today north of Egypt that would have been considered so far fetched to not even be considered a possibility.


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## Jkmoore03 (Jun 19, 2015)

We’ve had great luck along the 1162 corridor SE of El Campo. Speck numbers have definitely seemed to decline slowly over the past several years, but we are still killing them. Our properties have been loaded with snows and the cranes are coming in pretty good. This photo was from last Thursday.


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## Beaux (Oct 11, 2012)

Duck numbers are bad here in central texas on the public lakes.


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## c hook (Jul 6, 2016)

*slowly but surely declining*

the number of birds has declined drastically over the last ten years. a lot of the rice has been converted to crawfish east of town, and west of town for whatever reason, they don't grow the quantity of rice they used to. at one time east or west of town, it was wall to wall geese, those days are gone. a lot of birds have been stopping shy of texas, due to an abundance of food north of us. the flyway has been altered with time. :texasflag


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Seen way more geese than ducks first split, west of El Campo...


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## WADER13 (Jul 20, 2008)

Mojo you know where the ducks are.....?


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## Texas Jeweler (Nov 6, 2007)

*Duck numbers*

This seems to be an odd year. oN the east side of Houston, plenty of water, quite a few white geese around I-10-Stucky's. Ducks more than previous years. Just made a day trip to Austin, did not see even one duck on any pond along hwy 290. The dryness on the west side has not helped them either.


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## Swampstomper (Apr 19, 2010)

Geese have finally arrived at Eagle Lake. They were thin in the area until now.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

goinpostal3 said:


> Agreed. We've seen a bunch of geese over the last few weekends. Flying high along the coast where we were duck hunting, but some of the rice fields along FM 2004 were loaded with resting/feeding geese.


Yep just north of the LB plant. Them and cranes are filled in pretty good!


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Drove through much of Wharton County this week.

Goose numbers were miserable.

I drove some of the most concentrated rice country that we have.

Saw only one group of some size. I estimated 6,000-7,000 and that was about it.


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## capt2016 (Mar 4, 2016)

Decent duck numbers west of chocolate bay last week pushin down tha icw looked like mostly greys, baldpate, boot lips, and teal also a few specs mixed in


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Drove through the middle of the Eagle Lake prairie today and from Eagle Lake I took Highway 102 to Interstate 10.

I did not see a goose. Hard to believe. And there were a considerable number of recently cut second rice fields. The sky is empty. Saw four small flocks of cranes south of Eagle Lake and one flooded rice field had an estimated 200 ducks on it.

All of the other areas holding water had no ducks. 

I never thought I would see the day when the Eagle Lake prairie was almost devoid of waterfowl. And this isn't the first time I have seen it like that this year. It has been really weak all fall/winter from my observations.


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## DUKFVR2 (Sep 12, 2018)

We observed the same lack of birds on the Garwood prairie last week.


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## Swampstomper (Apr 19, 2010)

We hunted geese just off 102 south of Eagle Lake this past Saturday and there was a big roost close by. Plenty of geese coming up from the Bonus/Egypt area as well. We did not see any ducks flying all morning.


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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

Hunted geese yesterday off 1160. Killed one speck before the rain hit. Thereâ€™s a few thousand snows on a roost a few miles south and a few thousand a few miles northwest. Guess they didnâ€™t move because of the full moon.


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## gajaw (Sep 19, 2011)

Brady please note I believe you are generally correct on the waterfowl both ducks and geese, however, if you are driving through mid day, it has been so dry geese may be sitting on water!! I found that true in West Garwood!! If they are sitting on water, then they can be harder to see!!


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## Tightlines1984 (Mar 28, 2014)

Will be traveling through Eagle Lake on Sunday and will report out later that night


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

gajaw said:


> Brady please note I believe you are generally correct on the waterfowl both ducks and geese, however, if you are driving through mid day, it has been so dry geese may be sitting on water!! I found that true in West Garwood!! If they are sitting on water, then they can be harder to see!!


I was driving through those areas for the most part at 8:00AM.

The goose numbers look grim to me.

Did see big piles of ducks on FM 1162 yesterday along with four groups of geese on the ground. That was pleasent.

Not a lot of geese total 10,000 plus or minus but nothing anywhere else as I drove through Matagorda and Wharton County.

Hatch doesn't look particulary good from what I could see of the groups close the road. And I had binocs also. I guessing 10-12% That is consistent with other groups of geese I had seen earlier this winter.


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

I believe the TP&W aerial goose counts will be done this week.

Anyone care to guess what the total will be?

I am guessing 150K white geese.

Last year it as 306K or something close to that.


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## DEXTER (Jun 28, 2005)

I'm in the southern Panhandle and typically we are covered up with geese this time of year. Have only seen two small flocks this year and they didn't stay around long. Have yet to see any sandhill cranes.


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## DrakeFrst (Dec 18, 2019)

Tightlines1984 said:


> Will be traveling through Eagle Lake on Sunday and will report out later that night


Please don't leave is hanging like that! Super interested to see what you've brought home from that trip. I was planning to go this week til 29th dec but seems like it all won't happen for a 1-2 months with the amount of work i have atm


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## Tightlines1984 (Mar 28, 2014)

DrakeFrst said:


> Tightlines1984 said:
> 
> 
> > Will be traveling through Eagle Lake on Sunday and will report out later that night
> ...


I was not going to be hunting down there but just passing through on my way to Hallettsville. Unfortunately between work and the kids did not get on the road till after dark. That being said been making that drive for over 30 years. I remember how it used to be that every field between East Bernard and Eagle Lake would be absolutely loaded with Geese in December and with thousands more up in the sky. Sadly though that has clearly changed.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

seen specks over Eagle Pass a few days ago


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

I was told the light goose counts are really poor.

It was from a good source.

But there was some counting left to complete so we don't know the numbers yet. 

I am guessing next week,

Sticking with my guess of 150K or less.


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## Tightlines1984 (Mar 28, 2014)

Well made the trip back home today driving along 90 and every field was completely empty and the skys devoid of life. Depressing that it’s come to this....Following for the final count on the aerial survey


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## buckweet (Aug 8, 2011)

Decent group of geese this evening, between eagle lake and chesterville 
Looked to be near vinyard , I was on 1093


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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

I must be in the flight path of the largest concentration of birds on the Garwood Prairie. Thereâ€™s a field off 2546 just southwest of Taiton holding 10,000 snows, 1,500 specks, and a few hundred cranes. 


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## Hayniedude24 (Jun 15, 2016)

shalley said:


> A water softener removes minerals that create water hardness, one of the most common water quality problems a homeowner encounters. Hard water destroys appliances, leaves filmy soap scum across bathrooms and kitchens, and dries out hair and skin. With over 85% of the United States relying on hard water for their cooking, cleaning, and bathing, water softeners serve a vital purpose. A water softener saves you from replacing prematurely ruined water heaters, scaly faucet heads, and hours and hours of cleaning up soapy residue. Investing in a water softener saves you time, energy, and money, and protects your home and your property. https://bestwatersoftenersystem.com/best-water-softener-cleaner/


This the same **** that got banned yesterday?


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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

shalley said:


> A water softener removes minerals that create water hardness, one of the most common water quality problems a homeowner encounters. Hard water destroys appliances, leaves filmy soap scum across bathrooms and kitchens, and dries out hair and skin. With over 85% of the United States relying on hard water for their cooking, cleaning, and bathing, water softeners serve a vital purpose. A water softener saves you from replacing prematurely ruined water heaters, scaly faucet heads, and hours and hours of cleaning up soapy residue. Investing in a water softener saves you time, energy, and money, and protects your home and your property. https://bestwatersoftenersystem.com/best-water-softener-cleaner/


And that applies to anything waterfowl how?

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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

We are making a hunt in northern OK again this year...just after New Years.

Hoping there are still a lot of birds up that way!


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## Reel Screamer (Jun 8, 2004)

Going after those White ones around Markham this morning.


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## 3CK (Oct 5, 2010)

98aggie77566 said:


> We are making a hunt in northern OK again this year...just after New Years.
> 
> Hoping there are still a lot of birds up that way!


The ducks were hanging up in Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas as of a week ago. Lots of little geese around. 
Y'all should be all set for bird numbers unless something major happens weather wise between now and then.


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

This morning I was about 2.5 miles north of Egypt.

Duck and goose numbers were really sad.

Saw 6 specklebellies, an estimated 200 Sandhills and not a duck.

There are several cut second crop cut ricefields in this area. All have been cut since the opening of the season and a few were completed last week.

I have yet to see a goose on them.


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## aTm08 (Dec 30, 2011)

Brady said:


> There are several cut second crop cut ricefields in this area. All have been cut since the opening of the season and a few were completed last week.
> 
> I have yet to see a goose on them.


Weâ€™re they seed rice? Weâ€™re they dry fields? I donâ€™t know why you keep posting about doom and gloom for prairie waterfowl. Itâ€™s January and it has been rather mild. Yes Kansas and Nebraska have had a cold spell, but overall the migrations we have already found greener pastures. The prairie is alive with large flocks of green wings and pintails that are common this time of year as far as ducks go.

On the geese front there are plenty, but geese can be geese (especially the white ones).

Get out and watch some of the roosts that hold real numbers. Enjoy them from the spread or through binoculars. I think you said that 150k was a generous number, and I can promise you there are more than that.

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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

Granted this is literally my first season duck hunting, we saw an insane amount of redheads down in POC last week. Was there for 4 days and shot a limit or two of them everyday so we were happy being first timers. Sure learned a lot down there seeing that I could actually get the birds to come into our spread. Talked to lots of guys at the ramp loading up and they also reported all they've been seeing are redheads with the occasional pintail.

Past two days been seeing lots redheads around Christmas bay. 

It's funny.. My number one goal getting into waterfowl was to shoot a redhead... Now I can't get away from them! They are literally all I've seen so far, and all we've shot since Friday. Next duck is a wood duck or even a mallard but they aren't around the coast from what I've been told


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

We are headed to northern OK this morning.

Outfitter we used last year and had an amazing hunt....said there are not near the numbers of birds compared to last year.

Temps are about 10 degrees warmer a week later in the year.

Buddy hunted Canada early in the season...worst duck hunting they have seen in 10 years of going to the same place.

Not sure where the birds are hiding.


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## tealnexttime1 (Aug 23, 2004)

gotta say pretty slow hunting . peach point ( hurst ) aint got **** for birds, unless some came in last weekend, which i doubt. done ok around bay city, but pretty slow this year.


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## greygoose13 (Jun 3, 2016)

aTm08 said:


> Weâ€™re they seed rice? Weâ€™re they dry fields? I donâ€™t know why you keep posting about doom and gloom for prairie waterfowl. Itâ€™s January and it has been rather mild. Yes Kansas and Nebraska have had a cold spell, but overall the migrations we have already found greener pastures. The prairie is alive with large flocks of green wings and pintails that are common this time of year as far as ducks go.
> 
> On the geese front there are plenty, but geese can be geese (especially the white ones).
> 
> ...


I agree 100%!!!! Plenty of birds in the normal places in both Eagle Lake and Garwood. Whatever Brady is watching.....he is in the wrong place.


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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

tealnexttime1 said:


> gotta say pretty slow hunting . peach point ( hurst ) aint got **** for birds, unless some came in last weekend, which i doubt. done ok around bay city, but pretty slow this year.


Sucks to hear.. I got my APH just to go try Justin Hurst


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## reel thing (Jul 1, 2010)

*big ridge #4*

Try big ridge # 4 always worked for me at Justin Hearst. Ducks always wanted in there for some reason


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## GunDog (Jun 6, 2006)

dk2429 said:


> Granted this is literally my first season duck hunting, we saw an insane amount of redheads down in POC last week. Was there for 4 days and shot a limit or two of them everyday so we were happy being first timers. Sure learned a lot down there seeing that I could actually get the birds to come into our spread. Talked to lots of guys at the ramp loading up and they also reported all they've been seeing are redheads with the occasional pintail.
> 
> Past two days been seeing lots redheads around Christmas bay.
> 
> It's funny.. My number one goal getting into waterfowl was to shoot a redhead... Now I can't get away from them! They are literally all I've seen so far, and all we've shot since Friday. Next duck is a wood duck or even a mallard but they aren't around the coast from what I've been told


Redheads congregate and some winter on the Texas coast so unless you are in the back lakes, redheads are your primary ducks. As for mallards and woodies, head to the woods and rivers.

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## dk2429 (Mar 27, 2015)

Aggiechick said:


> Redheads congregate and some winter on the Texas coast so unless you are in the back lakes, redheads are your primary ducks. As for mallards and woodies, head to the woods and rivers.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


I was hunting with a random group of guys from East Texas the other day and they told me they shoot wood ducks all day up there in Crockett. Also, another friend of mine sent me pics of a few mallards he shot up in Centerville a few days ago.

The group I was hunting with told me another good place to go for wood ducks is Lake Livingston.. I doubt I can make it up there this season, but if they are telling the truth that's good because I grew up fishing Livingston and can run that lake no problem. And to be quite honest with you, I didn't know you could hunt on main lakes like that. Never paid attention to it


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

White goose and specklebelly counts were:
Zone 1 23,564  East of Houston
Zone 2 211,884 Houston to Victoria north of Highway 59
Zone 3 16,441 South of Highway 59 to Victoria
Zone 4 7,107 South of Victoria

Total white geese were 243,016. 

That is 23% below last years count. It appears that Zone 2 is the only zone that has enough white geese to hunt.

That is not the lowest count in the past 15-20 years but it is still way on the low end.

In the the late 1990's about 1.1 million white geese were counted.

Specklebelly counts were just under 16,000. That is way down from last year and near the bottom of the other historic counts.

Zero Canada's were counted.


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## 98aggie77566 (Jul 7, 2009)

3CK said:


> The ducks were hanging up in Northern Oklahoma and Southern Kansas as of a week ago. Lots of little geese around.
> Y'all should be all set for bird numbers unless something major happens weather wise between now and then.


Made our trip last week to Tonkawa, OK.....had good hunts....but man the guides were working hard to make it happen.

I would say there were less than half the birds, and weather was 15 degrees warmer.

We didn't get limits, but close most days.

They even put us on an evening hunt after a slow morning hunt....evening hunt was really nice.

Oklahoma guys are saying to birds are still well north of them, and don't look likely to even make it down during the season.

Crazy year


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## gajaw (Sep 19, 2011)

Brady while I look at that and I think we can all agree that is not good, honestly every report from Tx, Ark, Okl, LA says migration of all ducks and geese was not good. East central Kansas is reporting tons and tons of snows and specks and have most of the year. 

I see reason for minor optimism as I have to believe most winters (not all) will be colder than this one and those numbers should increase at least most winters. Although I have real real concern about Specks and that could go to zero soon!!


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

The counts have been consistently poor for 18 years now.

Two years ago we had a tremendous amount of cold weather and the goose numbers were lower that year.

This year we had a monster cold front in mid November. We went to, or near, record low temperatures. It was gusting to 40 mph out of the north.

Yet our numbers dropped this winter.

Maybe things will improve?

But the trend is not our friend.


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## aTm08 (Dec 30, 2011)

What is the accepted percentage of error in those counts? 

While it is my personal opinion I really wonder about the accuracy of the counts. They are not performed in one day. Geese can move a long distance away and back in just a day or less time. 

While goose numbers may not be what they used to be (and that goes for other states, guys in Kansas may have large numbers of white geese right now, but I bet they would like the darks they had 15 years ago). Whatâ€™s the crane numbers this year? Panhandle has been a hit spot, but this year the prairie/coast has been crane strong. 


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## gajaw (Sep 19, 2011)

The winter counts are always low. For example the overall winter (all states) count for snows is give or take 3 million, but most biologist think there are 10-15 million. Most people think Texas count is more accurate but I am sure it is still off and just an estimate based on traditional transecs. I am sure it is typically low. 

As far as cranes dont know if they are counted as this is mid winter for ducks and geese. 

Personally I think there should be a new thread on this site discussing expanding the Crane limit. Possibly the season time frame but that may be due to the Wooping cranes who knows. 

I do think us hunters and guides should push for expanded limits.

Hey it worked for expanding teal season limits why not cranes!!


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Whatever error factor there may be today would have been around 20 years ago.

Maybe instead of 1.1 million white geese in the late 1990's there were really twice that many. 

And perhaps this year the geese moved to Zone 2 the day after all of the other counts were completed and made it artificially high.

The fact is that the goose numbers have plummeted. All species.

They don't even count Canada's because they never see them. It was zero this year and zero last year.

And sixteen thousand specklebellies for the entire coast is really sad.

In the late 1990's they would count 500,000 - 600,000 in the fall survey. 

Check the harvest data or the number of bands being returned from this area. Hard to question that. And how many guides still target geese? 

LCRA water rates are gong to rise again for the rice farmers. Not good for habitat in the future.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

20-25 years ago there were too many sky carp and something needed to be done before they got wiped out. That was what the experts said. I don't see as many geese but the habitat here ain't the same. Probably not making it down here like the "good" days.

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## GooseCommanderozz (Feb 17, 2012)

This thread turned depressing with all the doom and gloom. Other than one good cold front at the beginning of November, it hasnâ€™t been that cold. No reason for the birds to come south if itâ€™s not that cold. There is plenty of birds, just not here.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

arkysaw has cheaper rice water...
that's it in a nutshell...


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## Hunter.S.Tomson (Aug 15, 2018)

aTm08 said:


> What is the accepted percentage of error in those counts?
> 
> What i understand from a well eductated professor/hunter who hunts the same area as i do its +/- 30%. He's made a 2 part video and you can find it on YouTube. If you haven't watched them they're called "where are the ducks". There's alot of interesting facts/info in them and if you haven't seen it yet some of it could surprise you. Definitely informed me on a few things


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## [email protected] (May 24, 2004)

Hunter.S.Tomson - Can you refine the search criteria or actual link to the YouTube stuff? Was not to find it during my search. Thanks!


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## Hunter.S.Tomson (Aug 15, 2018)




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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

Read a report on the DU Migration Map of multiple flocks of snows over Colorado County way up high and headed north this weekend.

Not sure where those would be going but likely it is a long ways from here.

It is not even mid month yet and some snows are apparently headed north.

I can remember when the spring migration really got cranked up the first week of March.

Now you have to be concerned they will leave out in late January if it warms up and there is a strong south wind.


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## DUKFVR2 (Sep 12, 2018)

I was told by a federal wildlife biologist that some snows start trickling out in mid January. He said it has always been like that.


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## c hook (Jul 6, 2016)

*wow*

I remember not too long ago both sides of I-10, starting in the Winnie area, and stretching all the way to La., was solid geese and ducks, every year without fail. Millions and millions of birds, Eagle Lake, Garwood, Katy, all of the area praries were the same way. You could drive to any of these areas anytime during the season, and it was staggering the sheer number of birds we had. Holding tanks/lakes/ponds were inundated with birds. When I think back, things have changed drastically from those times. The birds are stopping short of us, we don't have near the migrations we once had, I don't care what the experts say. Witnessing/seeing/experiencing is beleiving, the duck and goose hunting we had then was indescribable. I'm 58 and started hard core duck hunting at the ripe age of 17/18. The limit was basically 10 birds each, we had a point system with birds ranging from 10 points like a pintail drake (we were allowed 10 a piece) to a canvasback which was 100 points. I walked out of a matagorda island hunt, with 9 bull sprig and a canvasback, 190 points legally. The last bird to hit or exceed 100 points was a limit. The wardens dropped us off, and picked us up in a school bus. I'll never forget one warden saying I was illegal, and the other game warden correcting him, by reminding him I shot the canvasback last. It was 1979 Matagorda Island 1st year open to public duck hunting, I was there. Read about it in the Houston Chronicle or Post not sure which one, off we were jon boat in back of truck, motor guns decoys and black lab in the boat. :texasflag


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

c hook said:


> I remember not too long ago both sides of I-10, starting in the Winnie area, and stretching all the way to La., was solid geese and ducks, every year without fail. Millions and millions of birds, Eagle Lake, Garwood, Katy, all of the area praries were the same way. You could drive to any of these areas anytime during the season, and it was staggering the sheer number of birds we had. Holding tanks/lakes/ponds were inundated with birds. When I think back, things have changed drastically from those times. The birds are stopping short of us, we don't have near the migrations we once had, I don't care what the experts say. Witnessing/seeing/experiencing is beleiving, the duck and goose hunting we had then was indescribable. I'm 58 and started hard core duck hunting at the ripe age of 17/18. The limit was basically 10 birds each, we had a point system with birds ranging from 10 points like a pintail drake (we were allowed 10 a piece) to a canvasback which was 100 points. I walked out of a matagorda island hunt, with 9 bull sprig and a canvasback, 190 points legally. The last bird to hit or exceed 100 points was a limit. The wardens dropped us off, and picked us up in a school bus. I'll never forget one warden saying I was illegal, and the other game warden correcting him, by reminding him I shot the canvasback last. It was 1979 Matagorda Island 1st year open to public duck hunting, I was there. Read about it in the Houston Chronicle or Post not sure which one, off we were jon boat in back of truck, motor guns decoys and black lab in the boat. :texasflag


That is well said and what is was like.

In the 1960's and early 1970's the snows and specks got here in large numbers in late October. The guides would run them out of the second cut rice so that the birds wouldn't eat out the field by the time the season started.

The Houston Chronicle Outdoors section would run photos of that.

A lot has changed and not for the better. In the 1970's we could still shoot 4 or 5 Mottled Ducks in a day. And then the species started a huge downturn and with it the limit on them.

Anyone believe the Canada's are coming back? For much of my life the limit was only one per day and that was a given. You could see concentrations of Canada,s that rivaled snow geese sometimes in size. Now you can't hardly find a single Canada goose anywhere on the coast.

Bottom line is the goose hunting is gone for the most part. A few areas might hang on but the overall future is grim.

The duck hunting will continue to be viable but nothing like the good ole days. Some our formerly mainstay species such as Pintails and Mottled Ducks are greatly reduced in numbers and limits and that isn't going to change either.


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## joe78 (Nov 6, 2019)

I haven't read this entire thread but I will also say that geese are pretty much gone from southeast Texas. So does anyone know what the estimated snow goose population is nowadays? Are the geese stopping further north or has the population diminished?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327A using Tapatalk


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## Hunter.S.Tomson (Aug 15, 2018)

joe78 said:


> I haven't read this entire thread but I will also say that geese are pretty much gone from southeast Texas. So does anyone know what the estimated snow goose population is nowadays? Are the geese stopping further north or has the population diminished?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327A using Tapatalk


Snow goose population has increased alot


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## grand poobah (Nov 6, 2007)

*Goose hunting*

I'm have been around longer than I want to admit and hunting since I was 8 years old. The best days of hunting may be gone but we REMEMBER we still get to hunt. 15-20 years ago we shot 20-40 geese just about any day. Now we kill 5-15 with exception of course. I just turned down a group because their expectations were to kill 15-25 birds. I wasn't going to make an empty promise. 
My point to this is we have to adjust our thinking about hunting and enjoy a sunrise. Then enjoy birds flying be happy watching 5-15 geese decoying into a spread. While the goose hunting has been looking gloomy, we don't know what the future brings. I hear of places where you can kill 2 geese per day and you sit outside from dawn to dusk hoping for an opportunity to shoot a bird.
The goose hunting definitely has shifted to Arkansas and that area, but like most of us working class guys we are forced to hunt this area for the most part. Please get out whenever you get an opportunity to go.

I'll leave y 'all with 2 old hunting clichÃ©s.

A bad day of hunting is better than a good day at work. and my favorite-

All good goose hunts end the same 
"That was great, that was awesome, Who wants them?

Good Luck


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## copano_son (Dec 17, 2007)

Mallards use to migrate to the Durant, OK area by the 10s of thousands when peanuts were still being farmed in the area. Now, the peanuts are all but gone and so are the mallards in Durant/Lake Texoma. They still show up, but not like they use to, and it gets cold enough most years. Take away a major food source that 10s - 100s of thousands of birds rely on, and most will find somewhere else to go. Their offspring learn the new migration route(s), and before we know it, old wintering grounds are just that...old.


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## phishtales (Feb 18, 2005)

*Cranes*

I finally got tired of fishing out the money to lay in a field all morning, take a few shots, if any, and see a few Geese. I love being outdoors but the costs stay the same as the number of geese keep going down.

Sandhill cranes...the other dark meat.( : > )


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## Hunter.S.Tomson (Aug 15, 2018)

copano_son said:


> Mallards use to migrate to the Durant, OK area by the 10s of thousands when peanuts were still being farmed in the area. Now, the peanuts are all but gone and so are the mallards in Durant/Lake Texoma. They still show up, but not like they use to, and it gets cold enough most years. Take away a major food source that 10s - 100s of thousands of birds rely on, and most will find somewhere else to go. Their offspring learn the new migration route(s), and before we know it, old wintering grounds are just that...old.


Peanut fields are the ticket if you can find em


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

joe78 said:


> I haven't read this entire thread but I will also say that geese are pretty much gone from southeast Texas. So does anyone know what the estimated snow goose population is nowadays? Are the geese stopping further north or has the population diminished?
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J327A using Tapatalk


I think the estimate for the mid continent population of snow geese is 12 million.

The Fish and Wildlife Service believes the snow goose population may have topped out and is below the levels of several years ago.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Brady said:


> I think the estimate for the mid continent population of snow geese is 12 million.
> 
> The Fish and Wildlife Service believes the snow goose population may have topped out and is below the levels of several years ago.


That was the goal right? With ecaller and extended seasons. Either it worked or they don't like Texas anymore.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


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## DUKFVR2 (Sep 12, 2018)

hurricane matt said:


> That was the goal right? With ecaller and extended seasons. Either it worked or they don't like Texas anymore.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


They don't like Tx!


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## Mottled Duck (Dec 3, 2016)

hurricane matt said:


> That was the goal right? With ecaller and extended seasons. Either it worked or they don't like Texas anymore.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


It is my understanding that the biologists and flyway managers believe the drop is likely more to environmental factors.

In other words a threshold has been crossed on how many geese the tundra can support. Because of the depredation the nesting success and reproduction is dropping.

White geese have been pushing farther north to nest and likely those areas have more unpredictable weather and the habitat isn't as good or widespread.


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## Whitecrow (May 26, 2004)

hurricane matt said:


> That was the goal right? With ecaller and extended seasons. Either it worked or they don't like Texas anymore.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


It's only been 20 years, gee whiz. I think it's about to start working.


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## 348473 (Apr 12, 2017)

Is it? Are other states shooting as much as we used to down here. Have pictures of piles of geese during early 90s. Piles of carp. Wonder I always considered Texas coast premier goose shooting and a pretty big business. Look at the steelshot shelves at academy before season opener. Wonder if those states above us hit them as hard as we used to!

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## copano_son (Dec 17, 2007)

hurricane matt said:


> Is it? Are other states shooting as much as we used to down here. Have pictures of piles of geese during early 90s. Piles of carp. Wonder I always considered Texas coast premier goose shooting and a pretty big business. Look at the steelshot shelves at academy before season opener. Wonder if those states above us hit them as hard as we used to!
> 
> Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk


There are some outfitters in AR and MO that mollywhop them pretty good during the conservation season. I'll see several post of 300+ bird shoots.

Snows aren't targeted as much up north during the regular season because they are a pain in the ***** to hunt compared to dark geese and ducks, but once conservation season starts they hit them pretty hard.


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