Not sure how much or how little travelling I'll do to chase waterfowl, but I am hoping to be lucky enough to poke a pintail this year (never shot one). While I'm at it, I'd love to get a nice redhead to mount as well. What about you folks?

KG

P.S. Just saw that I left the barn door wide open unintentionally. Oh, well. Fire away.

I am going to let the redhead statements slide this time because that is just to easy, but in term of actual birds it is as the saying goes "if it flies it dies". I would though like to get a nice pintail as well and maybe a nice drake wood duck also. A cinnamon teal is also pretty high up there but they are pretty rare around my area.

For mounts I'm on the lookout for either a pintail or a widgeon. Of course greenheads, honkers, grays and any kind of teal for the pot.

KG

I am curious why you, an experienced waterfowler (even if your judgment is questionable as being a Bosox fan) want to get a pintail. (I notice that Frankie also wants a pintail) When I was a boy (and I'm 78)the pintail already was growing scarce on the Atlantic flyway. I'm glad to see that it's still around (I never saw them in my neck of the woods -inland NY - or if I did, just didn't know them. I never was that good at waterfowl recognition beyond mallards, teal and wood ducks) Any comment would be welcome.

Lookin' for a nice wood duck and anything with jewelry!

Caleb, I'm in Northern Oklahoma also. Where do you hunt. I've been fortunate to take some Sprigs over the past few years, late season.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerald Peter:
KG

I am curious why you, an experienced waterfowler (even if your judgment is questionable as being a Bosox fan) want to get a pintail. (I notice that Frankie also wants a pintail) When I was a boy (and I'm 78)the pintail already was growing scarce on the Atlantic flyway. I'm glad to see that it's still around (I never saw them in my neck of the woods -inland NY - or if I did, just didn't know them. I never was that good at waterfowl recognition beyond mallards, teal and wood ducks) Any comment would be welcome.

We get them here pretty rarely, but I've never seen them outside the refuge, the clever little buggers. Actually, I am likley going down to LA to hunt them this year--where my buddies travel to chase them every year-- have said that they are pretty common. Of course, being that canvasbacks are closed this year, I'll see lots of them.

Good to 'hear' from you, Gerry.

KG

P.S. We get 3 woodies this year, which is a nice treat, as we get lots of them early.

I am wanting to get a pintail because I have never got one before and in my opinion they are one of the best looking birds out there. There isn’t anything flashy about them like the woodies but there is just a simple elegance to them. like a nice tuxedo nothing flashy just simple and dignified. In terms of their numbers in my area I have only seen them a few times before but if you know where to be and what time to be there it is nothing to see them by the hundreds.

quote:

Originally posted by Cliff Lyle:
Caleb, I'm in Northern Oklahoma also. Where do you hunt. I've been fortunate to take some Sprigs over the past few years, late season.

I'm in Ponca City. I haven't hunted all that much in the last part of the season, but last year I did see at least a couple of flocks on closing day. Sky high of course.

Pintails are feast or famine for us. If it gets real cold for a week or more, we usually have them around. One year we had them everywhere and I took 12 drakes that season. Other years I'm lucky to get 1 or 2. I like all our our ducks here at home but really like chasing those that reside in Africa. I have several coming with some trophies currently. With any luck I'll get some more next summer along with some in Australia and Argentina. South America's geese are good looking as well. Best of luck to you all this year!
David

Frankie:

As I already mentioned I'm not familiar with the pintail -but I have seen many pictures of them - and your description is perfect! (I confess that I was surprised to read that your described the woodie as "flashy". I used to do what I suppose would be called "pass shooting" in Ontario (the guide would drive down the length of a five mile lake (called a "pond" locally) sneak in and rustle the ducks off the "pond" after having stationed me at a point on the "pond". I had to shoot upwards from under the trees through a sky space of maybe 100 feet. The ducks usually were mallards, blacks and cross breeds between the two. - and going like the proverbial bat out of hell. Also bringing up the rear sometimes on these occasions would be some woodies, wings flapping frantically to keep up with the "big boys". My guide was surprised when I told him that I never would shoot at "woodies". As a boy, they were scarce in my area (one per season limit) My father used to build houses for them out of red cedar shingles mounted on a stake. I would wade out on the edge of a marsh area on our property and plant the house. (My father used to drive old razor blades at an angle into the stake to discourage water snakes from climbing up in the Spring) That's why I never could shoot a wood duck - but I agree they do have beautiful coloring. I'm glad they are plentiful for shooting because I always thought they would make a handsome mount in a den. I have no idea about their eating qualities. Anyway Good Shooting!

KG:

I was interested to read that canvasbacks in your area are closed. My father said that canvasbacks were the best tasting of wild ducks. (He stopped hunting when I was about 6 because of health but I always respected his insights about hunting -and I distinctly remember him making that remark about canvasbacks)

Gerald,

We have Woodies by the hundreds that raise here in the summer. They make excellent eating because they eat nothing but grain, acorns, wild berries, seeds and bugs.

Hawkeye47

Hawkeye:

Your post made me feel happy that wood ducks are plentiful in your area. As you probably can guess I always have had a sentimental feeling about them. (I should have guessed that a duck having nothing to do with fish should taste good but was glad to read what you said about eating qualities)

Just pheasant, quail, and grouse for me this year. Too late for doves. Canada Geese, ducks and mergansers in the pond near my house daily but my wife and kids would be very unhappy if I brought those home.

Namibiahunter

namibiahunter:

Cheer up! You don't want to eat a merganser anyway. I always thought that Mother Nature showed us what a mix of meat and fish -in the same body - would taste like by giving us the merganser. As to the the views of your family about taking Canadas or ducks off the pond - now you know what many farmers across the country with children experience -when one or more of the kids "adopt" a calf or even a chicken. The guy knows that that calf or chicken ain't never going to market or the dinner table! You're a member of a nationwide club!

Gerry, I'm disappointed in you. Let the man try eating mergansers and cormorants and decide for himself whether or not he likes them. Some folks swear they're delicious!

KG

KG:

Always glad to have the opinion of a waterfowler I respect. (That part of this post is meant sincerely) You're right. I have even known people who think Boston beans are tasty. I never argue with deluded people. BTW, you are entitled to disbelieve this Yankee fan but I swear that I and many others hope the Bosox win the AL pennant. Fact. Regards.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerald Peter

Cheer up! You don't want to eat a merganser anyway. I always thought that Mother Nature showed us what a mix of meat and fish -in the same body - would taste like by giving us the merganser. As to the the views of your family about taking Canadas or ducks off the pond - now you know what many farmers across the country with children experience -when one or more of the kids "adopt" a calf or even a chicken. The guy knows that that calf or chicken ain't never going to market or the dinner table! You're a member of a nationwide club!

Good that you all tell me that mergansers are not fit to eat. Wife and kids won't allow me to take anything from the pond anyway.

Here's some pics I took at the pond earlier this year.







Along with birds we also have beaver, muskrats, nutria, racoons, and coyotes that visit the pond.

Namibiahunter

Namibiahunter:

Thanks for the very nice pictures. The pond reminds me of several when I was a boy that I used to occasionally jump shoot mallards on and (very rarely) Canadas. I always believed that the sheer aggressiveness of mallards kept the Canadas away as a rule-despite the Canadas being larger and capable themselves of some mean attitudes. I am positive that I never saw teal sharing the same water with mallards, either -and I always assumed, for the same reason -although there, I guess it's could have been because our teal were real "puddle ducks" and we jump shot them by walking quietly in the local creeks (really nothing but brooks maybe 7-8' in width) (I even shot ducks in Canada that were a mix of blacks and mallards and the locals worried about the mallards driving out the blacks -and that was 15 years ago. I have no idea what has happened since to the blacks) Of course, I could be wrong about mallard aggressiveness and would defer to a contrary opinion from our resident waterfowling expert, Kamo Gari. ( KG, no sarcasm -sincerely meant)

I have a series of photos of eagle vs swan .If someone would like to post them send me a PM.

Just got back from a scouting trip here and saw ALOT of ducks. Mostly teal & wigeons. Had to do the scouting this weekend cause I'm off to Utah next week to hunt a few duck clubs on the southside of the GSL. We open here 11/1.

Teal season was pretty good for us. Especially the last 2 weekends. In 6 days of hunting those jet fighters I had 4 doubles but should of had a couple more (getting slower). I love teal..

KG. If you want redheads & pintails there is no better place than the lower Texas coast. A blind man can pretty get his redheads each day & they're are a lot of pintails altho there a bit more tricky. Still VERY doable!

The season is shaping up nicely here. Taken three limits (4) of teal in as many days in coastal NH. Tomorrow, inland season for MA opens, and I am as happy as a clam. Friday, coastal MA opens. The glory of fall and its myriad colors, the woodburning stove smell in the air, the birds ignorant and willing, locked up and parachuting into the spread...Man, for me, it doesn't get much better. Though the late winter nuclear freezes and the fierce nor'easters that come are an amazing time to be on the water, and often bring the winged beauties in en masse too.

Anyway, it's game on. Hope all have fun and stay safe out there.

Cheers,

KG

P.S. Gerry, agree wholeheartedly with the other gent who said that woodies are some of the best eating birds out there. As far as the BoSox, after tonight's shellacking, I am concerned about the team's fate, but am still hoping they pull it off. Hey, at least we've heard all we will about Satan's team (NYY) for the year.

P.P.S. Great pics, NH. Especially the one with the GBH!

KG