Texas duck hunters will be allowed to harvest two canvasbacks as part of their daily limit under migratory game bird seasons approved for 2013-14.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission also adopted a staggered split between the North and South Zones to allow for the opportunity of an additional week for waterfowlers who travel between zones.
In another change to the season framework that should be welcomed by hunters, the possession limits for all migratory game birds is three times the daily limit.
The only decrease in bag limit configuration involves scaup, with a reduction to three daily.
Following are the adopted season dates and limits:
Ducks
- High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Youth: Oct. 19 — Oct. 20; Regular: Oct. 26 — Oct. 27 and Nov. 1 — Jan. 26; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 4 — Jan. 26.
- South Zone: Youth: Oct. 26 — Oct. 27; Regular: Nov. 2 — Dec. 1 and Dec. 14 — Jan. 26; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 7 — Dec. 1 and Dec. 14 — Jan. 26.
- North Zone: Youth: Oct. 26 — Oct. 27 ; Regular: Nov. 2 — Dec. 8 and Dec. 21 — Jan. 26; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 7 — Dec. 8 and Dec. 21 — Jan. 26.
Bag Limit: 6/day in the aggregate to include no more than 3 wood ducks, 3 scaup, 2 hen mallards, 2 redheads, 2 pintail , 2 canvasback, 1 “dusky duck” (mottled, black or Mexican-like) after the first 5 days. Mergansers: 5/day with no more than 2 hooded merganser. Coots: 15/day.
Geese
- East Zone: Light Geese Nov. 2 — Jan. 26, Canada Geese Nov. 2 — Jan. 26; White-fronted Geese: Nov. 2 — Jan. 12; Light Geese Conservation Order Jan. 27 — Mar. 23.
- Bag Limit: 3 Canada geese, 2 White-fronted geese, 20 light geese (no possession limit).
- West Zone: Light Geese Nov. 2 — Feb. 2; Dark Geese Nov. 2 — Feb. 2; Light Geese Conservation Order Feb. 3 — Mar. 23.
Bag Limit: 5 dark geese with no more than one white-fronted goose, 20 light geese (no possession limit).
Sandhill Crane
- Zone A: Nov. 2– Feb. 2.Bag Limit: 3.
- Zone B: Nov. 22-Feb. 2. Bag Limit: 3.
- Zone C: Dec. 21 -Jan. 26. Bag Limit: 2.
Falconry
North and South Duck Zones: Jan. 27 — Feb. 10.
