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Duck Hunting Near Austin

19K views 31 replies 12 participants last post by  Blue Horn 
#1 ·
I'm moving to the Austin area soon, and just wanted some general pointers on duck hunting opportunities.

Specifically, are any parts of the Colorado River accessible for wading or pass shooting off the levees/bank, or are all of the bank areas on posted private property?

If most of the river is off limits, is there much in the way of duck leases or "pay per day" hunts in the Austin area or elsewhere in Central Texas?
 
#2 ·
Good luck to ya on that river gig! And as far as anything worth a crap in the area, they are far and few between! I guess it depends on where ya from when considering your opinion of good hunting! I have been in your spot and I came here from Longview 10 years ago and I just go back home to do my real hunting. When you come from some of the best timber huntin in the country to central Texas I can officially tell you it sucks in my eyes unless you like shooting what I consider trash ducks! The Mallard migration path pretty much skips the Austin area and thats all I really like shootin! A duck is a duck but greenheads are THE DUCK. All I can tell ya is head east and keep going and pray for rain bc if we don't get any more rain then this season you can pretty much count as over with ! Hope ya find some birds!
 
#3 ·
Well, I'm coming from El Paso, so I suspect that Central TX may actually be an improvement (that being said, I'm surprised every year by how many ducks still fly the Rio Grande valley - apparently they haven't yet figured out that there's no water left).

The real challenge seems to be access - from what I've heard, there's virtually no public access to the banks and sandbars along the Colorado River. Maybe I'll just have to take trips to the Gulf Coast where there's public land and more ducks, or start shopping around for an affordable lease.
 
#5 ·
dukmanx said:
Good luck to ya on that river gig! And as far as anything worth a crap in the area, they are far and few between! I guess it depends on where ya from when considering your opinion of good hunting! I have been in your spot and I came here from Longview 10 years ago and I just go back home to do my real hunting. When you come from some of the best timber huntin in the country to central Texas I can officially tell you it sucks in my eyes unless you like shooting what I consider trash ducks! The Mallard migration path pretty much skips the Austin area and thats all I really like shootin! A duck is a duck but greenheads are THE DUCK. All I can tell ya is head east and keep going and pray for rain bc if we don't get any more rain then this season you can pretty much count as over with ! Hope ya find some birds!
That's funny I've never shot a greenhead drake and don't feel like the multiple other species I shoot are trash.

I have a blast hunting central Texas and see more varieties than a lot of other parts of the state see.
 
#6 ·
whistlin_wings said:
dukmanx said:
Good luck to ya on that river gig! And as far as anything worth a crap in the area, they are far and few between! I guess it depends on where ya from when considering your opinion of good hunting! I have been in your spot and I came here from Longview 10 years ago and I just go back home to do my real hunting. When you come from some of the best timber huntin in the country to central Texas I can officially tell you it sucks in my eyes unless you like shooting what I consider trash ducks! The Mallard migration path pretty much skips the Austin area and thats all I really like shootin! A duck is a duck but greenheads are THE DUCK. All I can tell ya is head east and keep going and pray for rain bc if we don't get any more rain then this season you can pretty much count as over with ! Hope ya find some birds!
That's funny I've never shot a greenhead drake and don't feel like the multiple other species I shoot are trash.

I have a blast hunting central Texas and see more varieties than a lot of other parts of the state see.
Mallards didn't make it in large numbers to the part of southern NM where I usually hunted, mostly shot wigeon, gadwall, shovelers, and teal (bluewing early, cinnamon later in the season). Could be the same mix that you shoot. Maybe dukmanx had shovelers in mind when he said "trash" - I don't mind them, but everyone else seems to hate them.
 
#7 ·
It always makes me wonder why people consider ducks other than mallards trash. And this is nothing against the gentleman that wrote that. it's more that I'd like to encourage others to really explore more aspects of waterfowl hunting. There is so much more than field and flooded timber hunting French ducks. When I was moving to Texas from Louisiana I was heartbroken that my duck hunting was going to go downhill big time. Than I had an amazing year during one of the worst droughts here in Texas. It really opened my eyes to hunt the rivers and other spots besides bayou and marsh.The variety is amazing. We don't shoot cranes in Louisiana, no Canada geese(at least where i was), the snows don't come in like they do here, and honestly I didn't shoot a mallard til 'I came to Texas. That to me this is water fowling. I'll shoot a dos gris that worked the spread real nice and have a poop eating grin on my face cause to me he's a prize, not trash.

To the person moving to Austin, do your homework and you'll kill birds and have fun doing it. I live in S. Austin and do just fine(not in S. Austin though ha!). Good luck to ya.
 
#9 ·
Ok guys. I may have made the wrong impression when I said"trash ducks." Every aspect and every species is fun to hunt and each is special species with their own habitat and way of life. I enjoy hunting all of them but I just prefer to shoot Mallards. I will pass on other species most of the time if the Mallars are flying I guess is what I was trying to say. I just feel that if you shoot it you should eat it and I am not going to eat a fish eatin diver and don't know a single other person that would either. Just wanted to clear things up for a few that replied. :no:
 
#10 ·
Only duck I'd ever pass on eating is a coot and merganser. Have no issue with the taste in a pot of gumbo and people would be hard pressed to pick out the mallard or ringneck. Hate to clean them but still all taste the same in the end unless you're eating them straight which most choose not to.
 
#11 ·
@duckmanx. i didn't mean to make it seem like I was offended or tell you what you should like to eat. no one should tell you that. everyone has different tastes. More to the guy that wants to hunt the Colorado, i'm saying explore the variety. I came from outside of Texas as well and i love it here. Like I mentioned it really takes work, but i enjoy it. i also enjoy paddling a pirogue in to a spot at five in the morning with a 74 pound brown dog, but thats just me. Also a Canvasback is a diver and all the ones I have ever eaten have been right up there with the best . Everyones different .
@whistlin', coot gumbo can be good. Now are they very sporting to shoot, i don't think so but others may disagree. havn't tried merganser yet but maybe this year.
Also to the gentleman that wants to pass shoot ducks on the Colorado, with more than likely two sides private land, I'd be careful.Best of luck to all of you. we are only really a few weeks from our time of year and I look forward to all your pics, stories and adventures. lets go get em'.
 
#13 ·
whistlin_wings said:
Tako ill let you make that for me because I'm sure you can. Just can't take the humiliation of shooting one.
I've accidentally shot mergansers because I mistook them for pintails. Imagine the disappointment when I realized (as it was dropping) what I had shot. A friend of mine insists that they're edible with enough pre-cooking marinade, but then, so is just about anything.

I'm sure that the only reason mergansers are part of the legal limit is the realization that a few will be shot accidentally due to mistaken identity. That being said, does anyone out there actually target coots? The season on them is harder to explain.
 
#14 ·
There are some people I know back in Louisiana that shoot coots and cook them up(purposely). I have before as well. They are by no means sporting to shoot in my opinion but they can be made into a fine gumbo. So i guess it's how you look at it. if you have the skills to cook it proper and it's legal to take, why not. i I stated that I hadn't eaten merganser but maybe , just maybe if it's slow enough this year I'll take one and see. i know those same people back east won't clean em'.
I do alot of these things because I cook professionally with a strong emphasis on older southern style stuff. Some things have been to my taste and some things were not. The history and tradition are very interesting to me. Some people eat tenderloin and others would rather eat a smothered shoulder steak cooked in bacon drippings (me). have fun with it.

We also have this idea now that meat shouldn't have a taste or it's "too gamy". In my opinion it has a lot to do with mass produced meat bred to be leaner and less flavorful.With the renewed interest in heritage breeds and cooking in general i think you will start seeing better stuff if you havn't already. The meat that we take by hunting, I believe is the finest meat available and i do what i can to cook it to the best of my ability. Good eating to all of you and your families .
 
#15 ·
tako1972 said:
We also have this idea now that meat shouldn't have a taste or it's "too gamy". In my opinion it has a lot to do with mass produced meat bred to be leaner and less flavorful.With the renewed interest in heritage breeds and cooking in general i think you will start seeing better stuff if you havn't already. The meat that we take by hunting, I believe is the finest meat available and i do what i can to cook it to the best of my ability. Good eating to all of you and your families .
Well put sir :clapping:

I prefer wild animals.. Deer, waterfowl, rabbits, squirrels, doves, frogs, etc.. Over store bought meat any day! I can honestly say my family has not bought beef in over 5 yrs...
 
#17 ·
whistlin_wings said:
Only duck I'd ever pass on eating is a coot and merganser. Have no issue with the taste in a pot of gumbo and people would be hard pressed to pick out the mallard or ringneck. Hate to clean them but still all taste the same in the end unless you're eating them straight which most choose not to.
I agree man i have eatin divers and dont think too much of it but of course i soak that bad boy in salt water for about 4-5 days. I'll have to agree that eating a coot or merganser is no bueno but i do have a crazy friend who makes jerkey out of coot lol so there something for everyone.
 
#18 ·
Most Texas hunters don't realize how lucky we are to have the opportunities of mixed bag hunts like we do. After a while, we begin to take it for granted!! I have some guys traveling down from Indiana closing weekend for a chance to harvest pintails and redheads. I haven't targeted the coast at all this year bc quite frankly I'm sick of shooting pintails and redheads. Up there all they shoot are mallards and honkers, and have never seen pintails in flight.

Texas is truly blessed to be so vast, have so many different ecosystems, and have one of the largest most diverse populations of waterfowl found anywhere!!
 
#19 ·
mad_max said:
... Maybe dukmanx had shovelers in mind when he said "trash" - I don't mind them, but everyone else seems to hate them.
One of the most beautiful drake ducks around when fully plum'ed and mature. Hands down, if I could find a lake full of drake bootlips, I'd be in there swatting shoehorns and stacking'em like chord wood ... !

whistlin_wings said:
That's funny I've never shot a greenhead drake and don't feel like the multiple other species I shoot are trash.

I have a blast hunting central Texas and see more varieties than a lot of other parts of the state see.
They're not trash, they just don't do it like mallards. Mallards work differently, sound different coming in ... they just add an entirely different game to the hunt. Wigeon are right up there. Sneaky little bastards.
 
#21 ·
Crazy Matt said:
Wigeons are my favorite bird to shoot.

I agree with Coot, bootlips when fully plumed, look pretty cool.
I just drove by a creek in downtown just south of the trinity and saw a couple drakes feeding. I turned around to watch em for a min. They are def very pretty birds and are on the list for the wall! Too bad the creek is in the city lol.
 
#22 ·
Indiancreekducks87 said:
Crazy Matt said:
Wigeons are my favorite bird to shoot.

I agree with Coot, bootlips when fully plumed, look pretty cool.
I just drove by a creek in downtown just south of the trinity and saw a couple drakes feeding. I turned around to watch em for a min. They are def very pretty birds and are on the list for the wall! Too bad the creek is in the city lol.
No pellet gun!? What kind of sportsman are you!?
 
#23 ·
Crazy Matt said:
Indiancreekducks87 said:
Crazy Matt said:
Wigeons are my favorite bird to shoot.

I agree with Coot, bootlips when fully plumed, look pretty cool.
I just drove by a creek in downtown just south of the trinity and saw a couple drakes feeding. I turned around to watch em for a min. They are def very pretty birds and are on the list for the wall! Too bad the creek is in the city lol.
No pellet gun!? What kind of sportsman are you!?
Lol I have the shotgun and .22 in the truck at the shop. Unfortunately they frown on us carrying them in the work trucks
 
#24 ·
Mojo281 said:
Most Texas hunters don't realize how lucky we are to have the opportunities of mixed bag hunts like we do. After a while, we begin to take it for granted!! I have some guys traveling down from Indiana closing weekend for a chance to harvest pintails and redheads. I haven't targeted the coast at all this year bc quite frankly I'm sick of shooting pintails and redheads. Up there all they shoot are mallards and honkers, and have never seen pintails in flight.

Texas is truly blessed to be so vast, have so many different ecosystems, and have one of the largest most diverse populations of waterfowl found anywhere!!
I feel ya Mojo281 im from central texas and miss Texas waterfowl. I have been in Ohio for four years now stationed here at the Air Force base but hunting Indiana and Ohio primarly. Texas is a freaky state with all the different kind of ducks. I hunt open water in Indiana we get a lot of Divers and such but the main ducks up here are Mallards for Days and Honkers. Miss Texas only get to hunt when i come home.
 
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