For the avid Texas wingshooter, September is life in the fast lane. It opens quickly with dove -- arguably one of the swiftest of game birds -- and picks up speed when teal roll through.

While dove hunting usually takes center stage in September, Texas Parks and Wildlife biologists say hunters shouldn't overlook the opportunity, not to mention the challenge, of teal hunting.

Last year, about 30,000 hunters took advantage of the early season, harvesting 95,000 birds according to Dave Morrison, TPW waterfowl program leader. As is the case with all duck hunting, water is the key to success, he says.

"Teal are already showing up on ponds, which is earlier than usual," Morrison noted. "It's still pretty dry across most of the state, but where there's water, you're probably going to see some birds this year."

There are three species of these small puddle ducks, and although green-winged and cinnamon teal show up in the bag, bluewings make up about 95 percent of the harvest during the early season. Like mourning dove, blue-winged teal migrate early, coming through Texas from late August through October. Early teal season was established to provide hunting opportunity on a species that was lightly harvested because its migration is earlier than other ducks.

Because teal numbers remain well above the long-term population goals in the North American Waterfowl Management Plan -- 5.8 million bluewings in this year's breeding duck population according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates -- Texas is allowed to conduct a 16-day early hunting season. This year, the early teal season runs Sept. 15-30 statewide. Legal shooting hours for teal are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset and the daily bag limit is four. The possession limit is eight.

"Hunting teal is usually hit or miss depending on weather conditions, and what impacts teal season the most is the timing of the cool fronts in September," said Morrison. "With a 16-day season we have the opportunity to bracket the fronts coming through later in the month."

Hunters along the coast can also take advantage of fall equinox tides that typically arrive in September, according to TPW biologist Todd Merendino in Bay City. "We're holding some fresh water on Peach Point (Wildlife Management Area), and prospects for big ducks at Mad Island WMA during the general season are looking pretty good. Overall, once the equinox tides start coming in we should have a pretty good season."

In addition to the above-mentioned sites, almost 50 other units of public hunting lands covering more than 500,000 acres are available during the September teal season. A $40 Annual Public Hunting Permit, available wherever hunting licenses are sold, is required. A map booklet and dove supplement detailing location and hunting restrictions on public lands will be issued upon purchase of the annual hunting permit from a TPW office or mailed within two weeks if the permit is bought at a retail license outlet.

Teal hunters are also reminded that in addition to a $7 special Texas Waterfowl Stamp and a $15 Federal Duck Stamp, certification in the Harvest Information Program (HIP) is mandatory in order to hunt any migratory game bird in Texas. HIP certification is free of charge and is completed at the time of hunting license purchase with a few simple questions about your migratory bird hunting activity last season and plans for hunting doves, ducks, geese and sandhill cranes this year.