As I have stated before, I am working the white wing opener this weekend in the RGV. LPWMA Taormina complex: We have lots of hunters but still have lots of room and open shooting lanes everywhere. If you're coming, bring a truck or SUV and 4x4 if possible some of the roads are pretty sloppy from recent rains. I already got sick once and had to call for help Rio get out. Birds are everywhere I have been seeing groups of 10 to 20 birds constantly and saw a flick of around 300 earlier today during shooting hours. We even had one person already limit out in less than 30 minutes. I am constantly hearing shots from the fields we have. Anaqua unit: But much flying yet but it is still an hour or so early for the birds to fly Carracitos unit: Rained out
Totals at Taormina complex for the day: 58 hunters, 22 of which reported what they shot. Total of 151 white wing dove and 29 morning dove taken. Everyone said that would have had more if they could shoot better. Yup, me too...
I thought you should have been at work, but you must have a much better internet connection lately. I asked for a couple days off, so I might be heading home on Monday.
Sunday's numbers were better than Saturday's... 25 hunters, 18 stopped for voluntary check out with 227 white wing and 6 mourning... At home in Starr county we had 4 hunters with around 50 birds. Only 8 were white wing and 4 were mourning. The rest were collared dove... freebies
Yes it should be good hunting in the valley. We have heard that Mexico has held a lot of birds that have been flying back and forth over the border. Should provide for lots of targets on opening weekend.
For those of you interested, I will be working the white wing opener down here again. I will post Hunter numbers and success here after sunset on Saturday and Sunday of the opener.
Ok guys, I just got a call from one of our guys that works LPWMA. He is out shredding lanes in the sorghum/sunflower mix they planted earlier in the year. According to him, he is seeing white wings flying over the area by the thousands. Says he hasn't seen so many birds since the mid 80s... If you like to hunt dove, I suggest you make your way to the valley and bring plenty of shells. You don't have to hunt public land but it will be hard to beat the price and quality this year!
Here are some photos that were taken today by the guy that is doing the shredding and discing... [/URL][/IMG]
Lots of rain + timing of the rain = lots of bugs and seed producing plants, lots of thermal, escape, and nesting cover, and standing water. All of this, plus substantial reductions in loosely regulated hunter harvest across the border for the better part of a decade are probably some of the larger factors. White wings Jane different habitat requirements than morning dove in that they require high numbers is large mature trees that can support hundreds of birds if not more. They today in large groups and have for the most part become city dwellers because of the irrigated lawns and large trees. They usually take short daily trips out of town for food and water. They have also become less migratory over the years and very few actually fly south for the winter now.
Ok guys, there were 86 people who checked in today. That includes hunters and non hunters. Total harvest for the day that was voluntarily reported was 611 white wing and 33 mourning dove. Most everyone reporting harvest numbers for their limit, those that didn't readily admitted that they saw plenty of bits but just couldn't connect with their shots. Birds were flying pretty much constantly from noon to sunset. There were few "flocks" but they were constantly coming. It's the best hunting I have seen since I started working that hunt several years ago. If you are in the Rio Grande Valley the price of the annual public hunting permit is well worth the hunting you will get out there.
