Well, it's getting close to the magic time. Scouted lake A today. Obviously, water is low...very low. Preferred ramp is closed. If we get rain this is going to be a banner area. Grasses are grown and seeded out. Someone is going to figure out how to walk in on this and find flooded grass. I need to get the boat in and look closer. I forgot the Binos so no duck reports but I thought I saw ducks on the water.

Will scout new lake B next week.

If you are hunting NTX I would suggest rethinking your strategy. There may be many more walk ins with the level low. You may have to drive your boat much further than before. If you were around in 14 and 15 you already know what it looks like.

Looking forward to the reports. Im going out Saturday to scout. Half my spots are dry. Like you said, if the lakes come up 2-3 feet it should be awesome. But if not, and it stays dry and warm like they are predicting per the la Nina its going to be another tough season. I'll report what I see on Saturday.

Within the 5 year historical lake levels for the places I scout, in only one year did levels rise during the fall. On that front I'm hopeful but not optimistic.

And that was probably from a big hurricane system coming up from the gulf into north texas.

Holy [censored], conditions look bad. Did some scouting today in north texas. Lots of my places are dry, which I kinda already new that based on lake levels. Things are deffiantly looking challenging for this season.

Fingers crossed we get significant rain tomorrow and friday.

There saying up to 2 inches. Hope so. Two fronts coming in so maybe one of them will produce.

Maybe just maybe this could bring some more.

https://zoom.earth/storms/roslyn-2022/

Perfect if it makes it here.

Todays NTX Annual Scouting Report:

Rain. Decent amount at that. Many lakes only need a couple feet. Some more than that. I don't think we will get that today but any raise floods grass. That can't be all bad.

Good news. So far the rains have reset the lake levels up to where they were...

Last Tuesday.

We got some really heavy rain in north Dallas this evening. Hopefully so did the rest of NTX and we see some good run off from it.

This rain won’t touch lake levels, might help on ponds which should pull birds off the lakes…

This!

You wont see any big pushes of birds til everything starts freezing up North. Normally mid December thru end of January is the best. November is always a crap shoot with the weather and duck numbers.

Won’t even fill in cracks

I disagree, Sinky. Already seeing build up of birds on Red and in moist soil in the general vicinity.

For the last 20yrs +, some of the most consistent hunting for us has been late October to Mid December. After mid December, or rather the winter solstice, I just don't believe birds migrate much. They will move around with a freeze, but they aren't moving far. Those early fronts don't seem to do much, but birds are moving on them consistently for us.

I wish TPWD would start North Zone on first weekend of November and give us the 2 week split after Thanksgiving again. That 2nd split opener was always good....now, not so much as 5 days of rest doesn't help any.

Not only do we need water we need cold weather. Talked to a coworker today in Omaha Nebraska andnits 70 degrees there today.

Looks like alittle rain for Friday. Lake levels didn't really come up much.

Going to go out scouting on Saturday.

Dry creek outfitters in wichita falls is reporting alot of ducks already showing up.

Lake Pflugerville, which is in city limits and can't be hunted, has tons of birds on it. However the over whelming majority are coots.

Scouted new lake E today (no, that's not the first letter of the lake name). No vegetation around the shore. No birds in the section I scouted. Lake did not appear to have much food. No shore birds viewed. Water does not appear to be running from river, but I was on land and it may have been hidden. No waterfowl flying but no other birds flying today either. This trip was mainly to judge access. Some ramps were closed. Channel appeared to be navigable. Saw some coots feeding in a concentrated area on another branch of the lake so there must be some plant life existing. I'm not going to judge this area by first look, specially since others have reported birds in the area. We had a decent south wind and warm weather. I'll come back to it in mid November and give an update.

The theme so far is boat access to areas that don't provide walk in access. Looks like were going to have to work for that. Good news may be some flooded willows that may be huntable with water down.

No spoonies? Maybe coot needs to become the central Tx mallard…times are tough…

I've committed to shoot a couple pouldeau this year just to see what they taste like. See if them Cajuns are as nuts as everybody says.

Scouting report. Saw quite a few people out scouting today. Saw some GWT and wood ducks, a few big ducks, and a couple big groups high that looked like migrators. The rains helped alittle, lakes are still very low. Looks like 80 degree weather next week and then a possible minor cold front on Friday.

I haven't seen many reports from the NTX outfitters I follow on social media. Overall pretty quite and no reports from any kids hu t this weekend.

South zone folks I follow seem to have shot alot of teal and spoonies. Seemed most faired well, but a few indicated the recent rains down there have scattered the birds.

I’m gonna guess you are in ETX.. did some scouting in NTX and didn’t see much. Water levels are low. Didn’t see much ducky food in my area either. Might try ETX tomorrow hopefully for some better luck. Won’t be able to get out during the week before season opener

Had to drive down to my old office today. Decided to check out some of the tanks along the way. No birds on b, c or d. Tank f which I almost never report on, had half dozen feeding greys. Mallards have not shown up to tank A yet. Still a few days early.

Honkers were in the field at the grass farm. Couple dozen. I expect they're Mrs Baird's geese but can't be sure.

Geese showed up above my house Saturday. Right on time with the last few years.