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Duck Hunting: Know your birds and be safe

Photo by Addy Preston

December 2024 Issue

Wei-Wei Lin

Wei-Wei Lin serves as a game warden in the Hill Country after holding posts in Dallas/Fort Worth, the Gulf Coast and South Texas. She was often featured on the TV show “Lone Star Law.” She is happy to answer your questions about the Texas outdoors.

Q: I am interested in waterfowl hunting, specifically duck hunting. What are your top three tips for waterfowl hunting?

A: Waterfowl hunting is by far my favorite type of hunting! I am by no means a seasoned duck guide, but I have done my fair share of duck hunting on both freshwater and saltwater. I also spent a few seasons checking duck hunters while on patrol with coastal wardens on an airboat. Those patrols were some of my favorites in my career. Duck hunting varies throughout Texas depending on terrain and vegetation. I am most familiar with duck hunting on the marshlands of the Texas coast. Here are my top three tips for a successful hunt!

No. 1: Safety and legal requirements. To hunt waterfowl in Texas, you will need a general hunting license plus a Texas migratory bird endorsement and a federal duck stamp, as well as certification in the Harvest Information Program. New federal regulations allow an individual to carry an electronic stamp for the entire waterfowl hunting season. You can still buy a physical stamp, but if you elect to go with the digital version, you will not receive your paper stamp until after the season. If you are required to take hunter education, please bring proof with you on the hunt. Check for the plug in your shotgun and pack only nontoxic shotgun shot.

Always create a hunting or “float” plan and share it with someone who won't be attending the trip. Your plan should include the location of your hunt, estimated time of return and the names and phone numbers of everyone on the hunt.

Invest in appropriate gear for cold weather hunting on the water. I tried to hunt once with my weathered deer hunting jacket, and it was just not enough for the strong northern winds blowing through the marsh. It is also important to have proper safety items (especially your life jacket) on your boat or paddle craft.

If you are wearing waders, please know the dangers of them topping with water in deep water situations. Try your best to keep a life jacket on when navigating through the water. Please do not risk your life or other people's lives if the water or weather conditions are too rough. It is better to stay home than risk injury or worse during inclement weather. To find Texas Parks and Wildlife regulations regarding waterfowl hunting and general hunting, please check the Outdoor Annual: tpwd.texas.gov/oa.

Remember, legal waterfowl shooting hours begin 30 minutes before official sunrise and cease at official sunset each day. When in doubt, please contact your local game warden.

No. 2: Know your bird identification! It is imperative that hunters be able to identify waterfowl while the birds are flying and on the water. You do not want to mistakenly harvest a species you were not intending to hunt. Before the hunt, you may want to practice bird identification. Make sure you have appropriate binoculars and a proper bird ID guide. You may even consider using an app to help identify waterfowl by their calls. Practice makes perfect. Every chance you get, try to scan for birds flying by. You will notice that ducks typically fly faster and with their wings beating quicker than other birds around the waterways. Another bird ID tip is that ducks are typically football-shaped in the air. Any chance I get during the fall and winter months, I am scanning different bodies of water to try to identify duck species. To help with duck ID, it may be ideal to go with duck hunting guides on your first hunt. They can offer assistance with duck identification. When in doubt, do not shoot at a bird that you can't positively identify!

No. 3: Hunter etiquette and sportsmanship. Every year, Texas game wardens receive calls about duck hunters making bad decisions. Duck hunting can occur on most public waterways throughout Texas, but it is best to use discretion when choosing a location to hunt. For example, it is not ideal to set up your hunting blind right next to a semi- public area like the river next to a golf course. The shotgun shots will usually alarm people nearby, and they will alert local law enforcement.

Waterfowl hunting excursions usually begin very early in the morning to allow adequate time to travel to the hunting location and set up decoys. On the coast, duck hunters will be out in the marsh before the earliest anglers arrive to their favorite fishing spots. I had many occasions where I was sitting in my duck blind and an angler in a boat or kayak would appear nearby without even noticing me. I always recommend being courteous and making your presence in the area known so anglers are not surprised by any hunting activities. Please document any behaviors that may be related to hunter or angler harassment and contact your local Texas game warden to report the incident.

If you have any additional questions regarding this topic, or any other natural resource topics, please email magazine@tpwd.texas.gov.

Stay safe!

Have a question for the game warden? Email us at magazine@tpwd.texas.gov and we will pass it along to Wei-Wei.


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