It’s hot, it’s dry, and it’s calm. That doesn’t seem to matter to Texas bluewings. Waterfowlers along the coastal corridor from Chambers to Colorado Counties enjoyed what many considered to be the best September teal opener they can remember in over a decade.
“It was as good as I have seen it in a long time,” says Ross Russell of El Campo. “I haven’t seen that many teal in the El Campo area in many seasons.”
It wasn’t just Wharton County holding piles of blue-winged teal. Colorado, Matagorda, Jackson, Calhoun, Chambers, and Jefferson Counties echoed the same results.
Russell believes Texas hit the peak of the migration during the opener, evident by the 60/40 split of drakes to hens in most bags. “I think the first wave of drakes came through about three weeks ago because we saw hens and young birds in the bag as well as a few greenwings,” Russell adds. “Hopefully, they will hang around another week.”
The coastal rice prairies enjoyed the quickest shoots, with most outfitters posting limits across the high ground. Dry conditions have made water a premium and second-cropped flooded rice fields are holding the brunt of the birds.
Moist-soil compartments and ponds adjacent to rice have been a boon. With the forthcoming full moon, expect movement on the major and minor solunar tables.
“If they are in the rice at daylight, just wait, they are coming out to loaf on our ponds,” says guide Brian Davenport of Fin and Fowl Outfitters near Anahuac.
Many hunters have reported slower movement at daybreak during the week. That, coupled with lighter hunting pressure, has seen fewer flights. Davenport explains that he is ecstatic with the results from opening weekend.
“Wow, what a season it has been so far,” Davenport says. “We had full limits across the board and have had awesome hunts during the middle of the week. There are lots of birds.”
Davenport adds that he expected the teal numbers to be good, but not this good. “The marsh around Anahuac, Smith Point, and High Island has been on fire—rice fields too. It’s been a minute or two since I have seen it this good. Customers are loving it.”
Teal season runs through sunset September 27. A weak cool front coupled with a bright moon might spell another mass migration of bluewings, or not.
Veteran hunters know the power of a full moon and a north wind to encourage birds to fly. Sometimes it brings more birds to the region; however, sometimes it moves the birds you have out of the region.
“We will just keep hunting and see how it shakes out,” Russell says. “It could be another great weekend, or we could lose all the birds we have. Regardless, my family will be in the blind Saturday morning.”
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