All Redheads

Carl

Carl

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Went down to MS Sound this morning. In years past, it was usually a place to get an easy limit of greater scaup and redheads. Last year and this, the scaup just haven't been there. But the redheads are, not in great numbers, but just enough.
About 6:45am, three drake redheads came into the spread like they were on a string, right to my boy's end of the boat. As they landed, he shot the biggest stud redheads I have ever seen! A real monster. The other two went out his end of the spread and I couldn't safely get on them without shooting over his head, so I let them go.
Until about 11:00, we had one shot at a buffy drake that he missed, watched a few other small groups of redheads move around, he totally blew a shot another stud drake right over the decoys, all while listening to the guys east of us about a 1/2 miles doing a hell of a lot more shooting than us. Don't know if they were really bad shots or were seeing something we weren't.
About 11:15, three redheads came in my end, the peeled off into a climb at the last second and I made quite a shot, doubling on two hens. Called it a day at noon.
Still mystified by the lack of scaup down here the last two years. Just doesn't make much sense. Hopefully, some will show up soon. No hunting tomorrow but I'll be back at it on Mobile Bay on Saturday if the rain holds off.
Here's some pics.
View attachment DrakeRedhead1.jpg


View attachment DrakeRedhead2.jpg


View attachment Redhead12-26-13.jpg
 
Beautiful birds, Carl. Looks like you son is doing just fine. Congrats on a fine hunt. Way to go on that double. Those are always sweet to get. Good luck on Saturday.
Al
 
Clint, that is what I was thinking too, but he didn't have notched tail feathers. But did have yellow eyes and some reddish brown on the head.
Do redheads get their color their first year or second?
 
Thanks, Al. He is getting there, a little quicker on the shot each time. Now we need to work on getting the follow up shots off. Still wants to bring the gun down to pump it. But we are definitely making progress.
 
Carl, definately a juvenile drake or drake in late eclipse plumage... Interesting how that big drake displays the classic redhead profile, even in death. Congratulations, one of my favorite birds to see in flight and on the table. Interesting that you state the lack of bluebills in your area. We never saw much of a flight along the southern edge of the UP this year either. Usually, several bays on the Lake Michigan side, as well as several large inland lakes near that shoreline hold good numbers of flight birds. In five trips, including three multi-day trips timed to hit the peak of waterfowl movement, we shot redheads, but very few scaup, greater or lesser. The bright note was hitting better numbers of black ducks than we have seen in several years.

Good luck with your remaining season!
 
RLLigman I hunt south of you near Manistique, same thing, saw very little bluebills this year. Saw a lot of buffies this year and more black ducks this year. I think patterns are changing as the climate is starting to change. but them again who knows.
 
carl, not sure what it is this year, but everyone I know is covered in red heads. I have not seen many scaup, maybe thirty. I just got a picture text of something like an 8 man limit of redhead drakes. and I know some guys killed a 3 man limit last night.
 
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