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Texas

Hunting

Hunting

Duck Seasons & Limits

Youth-Only

High Plains Mallard Management Unit

Oct. 22 - 23, 2022

North Zone

Nov. 5 - 6, 2022

South Zone

Oct. 29 - 30, 2022

Regular Season

High Plains Mallard Management Unit

Oct. 29 - 30, 2022
Nov. 4, 2022 - Jan. 29, 2023

North Zone

Nov. 12 - 27, 2022
Dec. 3, 2022 - Jan. 29, 2023

South Zone

Nov. 5 - 27, 2022
Dec. 10, 2022 - Jan. 29, 2023

"Dusky" Duck

High Plains Mallard Management Unit

Nov. 7, 2022 - Jan. 29, 2023

North Zone

Nov. 17 - 27, 2022
Dec. 3, 2022 - Jan. 29, 2023

South Zone

Nov. 10 - 27, 2022
Dec. 10, 2022 - Jan. 29, 2023

Falconry

North Zone

Jan. 30 - Feb. 13, 2023

South Zone

Jan. 30 - Feb. 13, 2023

Daily Bag & Possession Limit

Early Teal

  • 6 in the aggregate

Regular Duck

  • 6 - includes mergansers
  • Includes no more than:
    • 5 mallards (only two of which may be hens)
    • 3 wood ducks
    • 2 redheads
    • 2 canvasback
    • 1 scaup
    • 1 pintail
    • 1 "dusky" duck (mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids are closed the first five days of the season in each zone)
    • All other species not listed: 6

Coot

  • 15

Possession Limit

  • Three times the daily bag limit.

Falconry

  • Daily bag and possession limits shall not exceed 3 and 9 migratory game birds, respectively, singly or in the aggregate

Duck Hunting Zone Map


High Plains Mallard Management Unit

West of a line from the International Toll Bridge at Del Rio, north along U.S. Hwy. 277 to Abilene, State Hwy. 351 and State Hwy. 6 to Albany, and U.S. Hwy. 283 to Vernon, east along U.S. Hwy. 183 to the Texas-Oklahoma state line.

South Zone

South of a line from the International Bridge and U.S. 277 Spur at Del Rio, east along U.S. 90 to San Antonio, east along IH 10 to the Texas-Louisiana state line.

North Zone

Remainder of the state.

Duck Hunting Regulations

Legal Shooting Hours

From one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

See sunrise and sunset computations.

Dusky (Mottled) Duck Harvest Off-limits First Five Days

A dusky duck is defined as a mottled duck, Mexican-like duck, black duck and their hybrids. Due to similarities in appearance, all dusky ducks will be off limits during the first five days of the season in each zone. Recent concerns about the mottled duck populations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have forced a delay in harvest.

Youth Only Season

16 years of age or younger. Regular season bag limits apply for all legal species of geese, ducks, mergansers, coots, moorhens, and gallinules. Dusky ducks are legal during the Youth-only and Veteran Special season. Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. A Federal Ducks Stamp is required for all persons 16 years of age or older.

Veterans

Restricted to veterans and current members of the US Armed Forces on active duty, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty (other than for training).

Falconry Season

A person holding a valid Texas falconry permit may take migratory game birds by means of falconry from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset during open seasons listed herein and during the falconry seasons.

License Requirements

Hunting License

All migratory game bird hunters must have a valid hunting license.

Texas Migratory Game Bird Stamp Endorsement

A Migratory Game Bird Endorsement is required to hunt any migratory game bird (waterfowl, coot, rail, gallinule, snipe, dove, sandhill crane, and woodcock). A valid Federal Duck Stamp and HIP Certification are also required of waterfowl hunters 16 years of age or older.

Harvest Information Program

When you purchase a hunting license, indicate to the license clerk that you intend to hunt migratory game birds and need to be HIP certified by answering a few simple questions.