The regular duck season opens in the South Zone on Sat., Nov. 4 and in the North Zone on Sat., Nov. 11. High Plains Mallard Management Unit opens for hunting Oct. 28-29, then it closes until Fri., Nov 3.

The season for light and dark geese opens in both zones on Sat. Nov. 4.

The start of the season could prove challenging if drought conditions linger throughout Texas. But timely cold fronts and significant rain could boost hunting prospects.

“Unfortunately, our duck hunters are looking at a very dry state of Texas currently,” said Waterfowl Program Leader Kevin Kraai. “The exceptions are parts of deep South Texas and portions of the Texas Panhandle that received good rainfall this summer.”

“Typically, when there is less water spread out across the landscape it concentrates birds in areas where hunters tend to be waiting and hunting success increases,” said Kraai. “However, ducks will be very intolerant of excessive disturbance and move on quickly after hunting begins if habitat conditions don’t improve.”

We estimate that 1.06 million ducks were harvested last season. Texas hunters harvest more ducks than the entire Atlantic Flyway and account for 54 percent of all the ducks harvested in the Central Flyway.

Refer to Waterfowl in Texas for recent waterfowl surveys and the latest waterfowl information. For more on this season’s forecast, see our press release Dry Conditions Could Pose Challenges for Waterfowl Hunters This Season.

Brown County is in the North Zone.   Below are the opening dates and bag limits for the North Zone.

North Zone

Zone Map

Duck Daily Bag Limit with Gun:  6 in the aggregate. Includes mergansers.

No more than:

• 5 mallards (only two 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 Daily Bag Limit: 15 birds.

Possession Limit with Gun:  Three times the daily bag limit

Youth-Only

Nov. 4 – 5, 2023

Veterans and Active Duty Military

Nov. 4 – 5, 2023

Regular Season

Nov. 11 – 26, 2023
Dec. 2, 2023 – Jan. 28, 2024

“Dusky” Duck

Nov. 16 – 26, 2023
Dec. 2, 2023 – Jan. 28, 2024

Falconry

Jan. 29 – Feb. 12, 2024

What You Need to Know

Bag limits vary by species, so check the 2023-24 Outdoor Annual for bag limits and all other waterfowl regulation information. To hunt waterfowl, you’ll need: 1. Valid Texas hunting license 2. Proof of Hunter Education 3. HIP certification 4. Federal Duck Stamp 5. Migratory Game Bird Endorsement Your license can now be accessed digitally with the Outdoor Annual app or the My Texas Hunt Harvest app. A legible, digital photo of your license or your emailed license receipt can also be used for waterfowl hunting.

Before You Head Out – Prep Tips

As November approaches, Texans are never very far from a waterfowl hunt. Each fall, millions of ducks and geese stream to our state from up north to feed, rest and overwinter here. Prep for your hunts with these tips: 1. Brush up on your duck identification (PDF) skills – bag limits are tied to species, plus non-game and protected species (PDF) may also be in the field, including endangered whooping cranes. Be sure before you shoot! 2. Practice your calling – getting the sound just right requires good technique. Check YouTube for tutorials on calling. 3. Find a place to hunt. Public lands have many opportunities for waterfowl hunting. Get more tips for a successful waterfowl hunt in the Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine story Texas’ ‘Other Game.’