ok guys... i am heading down to Brownsville today to hunt some dove and if i see them, Teal. that being said it looks like my group is in for a pretty wet hunt. my question is... is it worth it to even sit out in a lit rain to hunt doves or will they just not be flying, for the most part, b/c of the rain? also what do you think my chanes are of seeing some Teal around central Texas? i have not hunted them much and thus i have not really looked at their fly patterns. thanks in advance

At this point in the season I'm not going to hunt dove in the rain. However when it comes to ducks I'll hunt them in anything except lighting. The chances of seeing teal are really good...there are good numbers from the reports I'm getting. However if you just go out and hit the water without scouting or knowing what to look for you'll have a hard time.

You are in better shape in central tx than north tx for early teal, jmo. Can you ask property owner if the water holes are holding ducks? If they are hold ducks, then you are in good shape. If they are not, your chances of setting up and shooting ducks are real low. Water holes are either holding ducks or they aren’t. Scout the day before to see if the water holes are holding ducks is best. If they are holding ducks, then the next day when you set up, the same ducks will most likely visit that same hole in the morning…

In regard to dove, the rain is not good, but I would go for it anyways. Me and my son sat in the rain last weekend and shot a few dove, when it rained hard we got in the truck.

From what I have heard Kansasa, Nebraska and Oklahoma are holding the biggest groups. Texas has a fair numebr of birds where hunting will be good enough to go. Brownsville probably not a lot of birds right now. Give it a week and they will be buzzing through there.

I have a theory which I have half arsed proved to myself. Well 60% of time it works everytime. Anyhow. The birds are headed for Mexico. They leave the potholes and hit the hot weather here on the coast. They have water, food and nobody jacking with them until one day they get busted up, opening day. Then it is time for them to roll again.

So with this theory I hunt the upper or middle coaast on the opener and then move down to the lower coast to catch the migration. It has worked on many occasions for me.

its hard to kill doves in the rain they will roost up in rainy/muggy weather. but ducks love nasty weather. the sun is blocked out by clouds. and they can see your decoys better without the glare from the sun blinding them. also sound carries farther in the dense humid air. so your calls will carry farther...if you use one. but it can all work against you if the cloud ceiling is low. birds will sneak up on you and just pop out of the clouds and crash land in the decoys or "buzz the tower" while you are getting that dr.pepper out of the blind bag! all hunting is a game of chance.... i.e. right place at the right time! but one thing is for sure is that it is nearly impossible to shoot birds off the couch!!!! good luck and dont have lead shot on you when you are teal hunting.....just a reminder!

dove hunting went well last weekend though i did not see any teal