Weekly migratory bird hunting reports are posted from early September through early February.

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: The cold front pushed lots of new ducks and geese to the Panhandle. Decoying action has been steady for geese, with some 40-bird hunts reported. Both Canada geese and snow geese have been making up the bag around Dumas and Etter. Duck hunting has been excellent as well, except for shallow ponds that iced over during the weekend. Lots of mallards and gadwalls have worked feed lot ponds and playas. Sandhill cranes are still around and have been steady over decoys. Pheasant hunting has been outstanding as well. Prospects are very good.

North Zone Duck: There is no shortage of water in the North Zone; and, since the recent front, no shortage of ducks. More mallards have shown on lakes, sloughs, rivers and reservoirs. A freeze-up in the northern states sent greenheads south in search of open water. Wood duck numbers are good in backwater timber. Big water areas are holding lots of diver ducks like ringed-necks, scaup and canvasbacks. The prairies around IH-10 have plenty of water and lots of green-winged teal, shovelers, pintails, gadwalls and wigeons. Prospects for the entire North Zone look solid for the second opener Dec. 12.

South Zone Duck: Snow blanketed the coastal prairie over the weekend, but goose hunting did not improve much. Blowing snow filled decoys with ice and made them droopy and stationary in the wind. A small crop of young snow geese have made decoying action very tough; and, specklebellies have wised up as well. Success has been hit-or-miss and mud and water-filled fields have made the effort unjustifiable for many seasoned goose hunters. The good news is duck numbers are incredible across the coastal prairies, and the second opener on Dec. 12 should be a banger. More mallards have shown this week along the coast. Green-winged teal concentrations have improved as well. Many goose hunters have reported tons of decoying pintails over white spreads. Bay hunters saw another influx of divers on saline shorelines. Prospects are excellent for ducks, fair at best for geese.

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On the Net:

• Hunting Regulations: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/annual/hunt/
• Migration Observations: http://www.mdc.mo.gov/hunt/wtrfowl/migration.php
• Submit Your Observations: http://www.ducks.org/migrationmap/