Dont get many of them here. I have killed one stud but I was 17 yro and didnt think anything of it. Every once in awhile I will come across that pic and I kick myself for not doing something with that bird. My buddy killed a good one a couple years ago. I am still patiently waiting for another moon face to make the mistake. I still have never killed a cinnamon teal either. They're here, but I just never seem to be around them late season when they are perfect. I am sure I have shot many during early teal season. Same with bluewings, but getting those perfect late season studs has been tough for me.And I lost the only full color bluewing I ever shot too.
It was not a good day when I opened that freezer.
For many reasons.
This mount would be SAWWEEETT!!!! As much as you travel and find different species, you could make that happen in a season or two I am sure.Yep - the head is the tell all for me on Mexican vs. Mottled. A pretty drake mottled that is 100% mottled duck has a very bright head. Mexican ducks have a darker mustier head. We killed a few Mexican ducks in south texas a few years back, and I sort of regret not keeping one to do a Mexican, Mottled, Black Duck, Mallard Hen comparison mount. I think that would be pretty neat. To the untrained eye it would nearly look like you mounted the same duck 4 times.
STUDS!!!! And I mean STUDS!!!! That dark deep blue is my favorite. I know if I asked the better half which one, she would say the turquoise goes with the southwest theme more and like that color better for a mount. I would just do an eye roll and probably get both mounted at that point lol.Here's a couple pure mottled drakes from Florida. Note the speculum color difference.
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Also, if you are curious on the genetic makeup of a questionable duck that you shoot, like a hybrid or the no bar mallards, there is a DNA service for that: https://www.duckdna.com/
Don that of Noah's mount is of a mottled duck. If you go back a few posts, he is showing off the speculum difference between two mottled ducks and now they can vary. I personally like the deep dark blue and he did as well and that is the one he elected to have mounted. So that is 100% a stud mottled duck you can see and reference.I get requests for fulvous and black bellies frequently, apparently their range is expanding. It's very difficult to get good references of those types of ducks sitting on the water like a typical decoy. Is the top bird a mottled? I'm getting mixed up in the discussion of mottled and mexican. I'm making one right now and need a good view of a speculum. I'm pretty sure the last mottled I did my reference had the greener version of blue. It's hard to take many of the reference photos off the internet seriously because they are so often mis labeled.
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Dont threaten me with a good time!we are going to have to get william to mold up some full bodies.