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Texas waterfowl digest features migratory game bird seasons

April 13, 2016

The 2016-17 migratory game bird seasons in Texas again will feature liberal frameworks and bag limits, including six ducks per day.

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Ducks/Geese

Early Season

Statewide Teal — Sept. 10-25 with a daily bag limit of six birds.
East Zone Canada Geese – Sept. 10-25 with a bag limit of five.

General Duck

High Plains Mallard Management Unit: Youth: Oct. 22-23; Regular: Oct. 29-30 — Nov. 4— Jan. 29, 2017; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 7 — Jan. 29, 2017.
North Zone: Youth: Nov. 5-6; Regular: Nov. 12-27 and Dec. 3—Jan. 29, 2017; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 17-27 and Dec. 3—Jan. 29, 2017.
South Zone: Youth: Oct. 29-30; Regular: Nov. 5-27 and Dec. 10 — Jan. 29, 2017; “Dusky” Duck: Nov. 10-27 and Dec. 10 — Jan. 29, 2017.

Bag Limit: 6/day in the aggregate to include no more than 5 mallards, of which only 2 may be hens, 3 wood ducks, 3 scaup, 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. Possession limit is 3 times the daily bag limit for all migratory game birds except snow geese which have no possession limit.

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Geese

East Zone: Nov. 5 – Jan.29, 2017; white-front Nov. 5 — Jan. 29, 2017; light Nov. 5-Jan. 29, 2017; conservation order Jan. 30 — Mar. 19, 2017.

Bag Limit after the Early Canada Goose: 5 dark geese, to include no more than 2 white-fronted geese, 20 light geese (no possession limit).

West Zone: Nov. 5 – Feb. 5, 2017; conservation order Feb. 6 — Mar. 19, 2017.

Bag Limit: 5 dark geese, to include no more than 2 white-fronted geese, 20 light geese (no possession limit).

Sandhill Crane

Zone A: Oct. 29 – Jan. 29, 2017.Bag Limit: 3, possession limit 9.
Zone B: Nov. 18 — Jan. 29, 2017. Bag Limit: 3, possession limit 9.
Zone C: Dec. 17 — Jan. 22, 2017. Bag Limit: 2-possession limit 6.

Snipe

Oct. 29 — Feb. 12, 2017 with a daily bag of 8 and possession limit of 24

Woodcock

Dec. 18 – Jan. 31, 2017 with a daily bag limit of 3 and possession limit of 9.

Falconry

Statewide: dove Nov. 19-Dec. 5; ducks Jan. 30-Feb. 12, 2017.