Jay K
Active member
This is exactly the exact podcast I was referring to. Couldn't remember the name. I remember him discussing that. I suppose I had it wrong. The retroactively hybridize but mostly with mallards.
Interesting Gadwall
- Thread starter Craig F
- Start date
This is exactly the exact podcast I was referring to. Couldn't remember the name. I remember him discussing that. I suppose I had it wrong. The retroactively hybridize but mostly with mallards.
The article I referenced actually took a look at white on the leading edge of the speculum pointing towards hybridization. If I am remembering correctly, mottled ducks that had white on their speculum less than 3mm wide, genetically they are mottled ducks. Greater than 3mm wide, genetically they were proven to be hybrids. So, at least for mottled ducks a light edging of white does not necessarily point to being a hybrid. It's the thickness of the white that indicates it.
I'll have to look up the Duck Season Somewhere podcast...
Eurasian teal!
Cool hybrid, killed a few like that over the years.
STUD black too! Those big redleg drakes are dang pretty ducks.
I'm a few states south of you and I know we don't have as many as y'all do but there's usually a fair amount. I've killed a bunch of them over the years, enough I use to laugh at the DU shows where the whole show was about trying to kill one or two.
Same around here. We can count on seeing a few blacks regardless of the weather. Black ducks were "THE" duck in the old days. Any large puddle duck spotted was assumed to be a black until proven otherwise. There might be a little disappointment if the birds turned out to be "grey ducks", the presumably less worthy mallards/wigeon/gadwall/pintail.
Jay K
Active member
It takes a little getting used to the idea that people come from all over the country to NJ to bag them and Atlantic Brant. I have a buddy who guides and has a gentleman coming to cross the last 2 birds he needs off his 41: black duck and brant. He told me he's nervous because "stranger things have happened" (where he couldn't manage to get them). It's almost a given, though. If I felt ambitious, I could go to a spot and almost guarantee both this time of year. Maybe 90%. It's a PITA to get to though.
Then again, I look at the guys in TX bagging trophy wigeon and teal, and it seems like a pipe-dream here. Or the guys in California and the west coast getting gorgeous pintail.
I guess when you think about it, the idea that you can bag 2 trophy ducks that 60-70% of the country will never see is in fact, pretty cool.
To put into a frame of reference, I saw a/o heard of one (1) black duck harvested in the entire 22 years I hunted coastal Alabama. And that includes every one I knew and or bumped into at the ramp.
But then I could also count the number of mallards I shot in 22 years on 1 hand. Same for wigeon. Little better for pintails, probably need to two hands for pins.
But then I could also count the number of mallards I shot in 22 years on 1 hand. Same for wigeon. Little better for pintails, probably need to two hands for pins.
Jay K
Active member
Carl,
It always is a mixed-feeling shooting mallards here in NJ. On one hand they are beautiful and seem to decoy really well (compared to black ducks). On the other it feels odd knowing I basically shot a wild-farm-duck. It gets good for them here in the backwater swamps and sloughs. Coastal it gets good when it freezes in the residential lagoons and retention ponds. They are forced to go to open water.
What were you primarily seeing down that way?
Jay, in coastal Alabama, over all those years gadwalls made up 75%+/- of my puddler bag. Teal were second, then a smattering of mottled ducks, spooners, pintails, mallards and wigeon, in decreasing order.
For divers, over all the years, a pretty close split between redheads and bluegills, then buffies and cans, once again in decreasing order. The first few years (1997-2000) we had tons of ringnecks, after that i shot maybe 5. Also, took about 5-10 goldeneyes, all between 1997 and 2007. None after that. Bluebills were dominant in the bag until around 2007 when the numbers coming to the area during the season suddenly decreased and redheads and cans increased.
I saw a surf scoter and whitewinged scoters (group of 3) on two occasions, didn’t get a shot at either.
For divers, over all the years, a pretty close split between redheads and bluegills, then buffies and cans, once again in decreasing order. The first few years (1997-2000) we had tons of ringnecks, after that i shot maybe 5. Also, took about 5-10 goldeneyes, all between 1997 and 2007. None after that. Bluebills were dominant in the bag until around 2007 when the numbers coming to the area during the season suddenly decreased and redheads and cans increased.
I saw a surf scoter and whitewinged scoters (group of 3) on two occasions, didn’t get a shot at either.
Derrell Jeffcoat
New member
My son shot this one last year in our camp in coastal Louisiana. Very similar with dark ring. Not the best picture of it! I’ve also seen one or two with white rings around their neck. Always interesting with the drakes, some look drab; then the next one can be absolutely stunning.
Attachments
That's one of the prettiest gadwall I've ever seen! I hope he's getting it mounted.
Derrell Jeffcoat
New member
Unfortunately no. Very early in a long trip. It was seriously discussed though.