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Archive for May, 2009

TPWD Releases Updates on Frameworks for Dove and Waterfowl

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

TPWD announced today that the wildlife commission approved the changes to the 2009-2010 Dove season. Of key interest is a 70 day season and a 15 bird daily bag limit statewide. If authorized under federal guidelines, Texas dove season in the North and Central Zones will run from Tuesday, Sept 1 through Sunday, Oct. 25 and reopen Saturday, Dec 26 through Sunday, Jan. 9, with a 15 bird bag and not more than two white-tipped doves. The South Zone dove season will run Sept. 18 – Nov. 3, reopening Dec. 26-Jan 17 with same limits as the other zones.

On another note, the department released information on its proposed waterfowl season for 2009-2010. Texas will likely revert this fall to the standard 74-day season and six bird daily bag limit for ducks during the general waterfowl seasons.

TPWD is recommending the High Plains Mallard Management Unit waterfowl season run Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 — 25 and Friday, Oct. 30 through Sunday, Jan. 24, with a youth-only season of Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 17-18.

The proposed season for the North and South Zones would run concurrently Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Jan. 24, with a youth-only season of Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 24-25 to avoid conflict with the youth deer season.

The daily bag limit statewide would be six ducks, with the following species and sex restrictions: five mallards (of which only two may be hens), three wood ducks, two scaup, two redheads, one pintail, one canvasback, and one “dusky duck” (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids).

“There still remains the outside chance that pintail, canvasback and mottled ducks could have a season within a season structure or a 39 day season within the 74 days allowed,” said Dave Morrison, TPWD waterfowl program leader.

The season dates TPWD is proposing for the Western Goose Zone are Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Feb. 7. The daily bag limit is 20 light geese in the aggregate and four Canada geese and one white-fronted goose. Possession limit is twice the daily bag limit for dark geese and no possession limit on light geese.

Proposed dates for the Eastern Goose Zone are Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 24 for light geese and Canada geese and Saturday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Jan. 10 for white-fronted geese. The daily bag limit is 20 light geese in the aggregate and three Canada geese and two white-fronted geese.

For more information, see the News Release as of May 28th, 2009.