Texas waterfowlers could be in for some banner shoots later this fall and winter if the upcoming duck season turns out half as good as the early teal season did.
The 16-day teal season that rolled to a close on Sept. 27 was one for the record books, particularly for hunters along the middle Texas coast. That’s the word from Kevin Kraai, waterfowl program leader with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
“The middle coast saw probably the best teal season ever,” Kraai said. “Many of the clubs and leases in the rice prairies had record-breaking seasons. Our mid-coast wildlife management areas saw record participation along with record numbers of birds harvested. Other parts of the state were more hit and miss but had good shooting where there was suitable habitat.”
Kraai attributes the remarkable season to several factors. A banner nesting season witnessed this spring and summer across the birds’ northern breeding grounds is at the top of the list.
“Couple that with some great-timed cool fronts and even a bona fide cold front, and we had the perfect scenario for the excellent season we had,” he said.
Kraai said public lands hunters who visited the Justin Hurst WMA near Freeport and the Mad Island WMA near Collegeport enjoyed some outstanding shoots. Together, the two WMAs had 1,496 hunters that harvested 3,709 teal.
“Overcrowding is becoming a real issue for us on the few WMAs where we offer teal hunts,” he said. “We had to turn hunters away for the first time ever this year.”
Texas’ upcoming duck season runs Nov. 14-29 and Dec. 5, 2020-Jan. 31, 2021 in the North Zone; Youth Only Nov. 7-8. The South Zone season is set for Nov. 7-29 and Dec. 12-31; Youth Only, Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
Texan Talley grabs Elite Series win
Texas bass pro Frank Talley of Temple won the Bassmaster Elite Series event held Sept. 30-Oct. 3 on Alabama’s Lake Guntersville with a three-day total of 64 pounds, 3 ounces. It’s Talley’s first win on the big league tour. He earned a $100,000 pay day.
Talley, 46, has been competing on the pro tour for two seasons. He qualified for the league through the Bassmaster Opens, winning the Central division Angler of the Year title on the heels of banner rookie season in 2018.
He is currently in good position to qualify for his second consecutive Bassmaster Classic. Talley was 26th in the Elite Series AOY points race headed into last week’s event on Santee Cooper.
The 2021 Classic is set for March 19-21 on Lake Ray Roberts near Denton with daily weigh-ins at Dickies Arena in downtown Fort Worth.
“I’ll never forget that first morning of the 2019 Classic, and I want that feeling again,” Talley said. “Plus, with it being in Texas, I really want to be there in front of all of my family and friends; that would be really cool.”
Current Elite Series AOY points leader Clark Wendlandt of Leander finished 21st at Guntersville, while Fort Worth’s Chris Zaldain finished 22nd.
Iles, Shook rally for Outlaw championship win
Danny Iles of Lufkin and Brian Shook of Lumberton rallied from behind to win the 2020 Outlaw Outdoors Team Championship held Oct. 3-4 on Sam Rayburn.
The anglers weighed in a two-day total of 42.87 pounds, including a massive Day 2 limit, weighing 31.52 pounds. The catch was anchored by a 8.56 pounder. Iles/Shook won $20,000.
Rounding out the Top 5 were Clayton Boulware/Albert Collins, 35.68; Clay Phillip/David Shaw, 30.19; Dustin Gunstream/Daniel Bynum, 29.21; and Bryan Lohr/Harold Moore, 28.65.