Early season under way for 16 days; conditions point to good season despite lagging numbers

Those stately greenheads may be the sexiest of all the ducks on the pond, but blue-winged teal always grab the most attention with Texas’ early bird waterfowl crowds. The bell is ringing especially loud these days.

The statewide early teal season in Texas got underway at 30 minutes before sunrise on Sept. 14. The season runs for 16 consecutive days through Sept. 29.

Teal are always the first migrant ducks to pass through Texas each fall and the last to trek north in spring. Bluewings are the second most abundant duck in North America behind mallards.