Hunting Fishing Discussions

Featured Outdoor Businesses

Dakota Sportsmen
Sheyenne, ND


Share on Facebook subscribe feed
10 Replies | Page 1 of 11 | Top of Page | Bottom of Page

Just one of each

by , Posted to on 08/22/2010 10:40 AM | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 08/31/2006
Location: ND
Year after year we chase the tail feathers of ducks from September on, and every year the challenge continues. Over the course of 30 years I have yet to shoot one of each type of duck. Most seasons I claim 7 or 8 different kinds, occasionally finding that odd one that drifted in from the wrong flyway or blown in on a big storm.  So it goes again this year, the search continues.  I have yet to bring home a Pintail, a cinnimon teal, a Ruddy duck, or a golden eye.  Speckle bellies and Ross geese have not come to hand either. I have managed a hen canvasback and red head but no drakes.  Just luck of the draw I guess.  A 7 lb Mallard drake fell one year and a banded 3 yr old hen.  I could have filled a garage with all the woodies we shot in Texas. Yet the Pintails fly by with cloaking devices or Groucho Marks mustaches painted on their bills.  One day the prize will be mine and I will have shot one of each of the ducks where I have been. Then I will hang a gallery of pictures on the wall, one of each, and reminisce. 
4Yaks
Re: Just one of each
by on 08/22/2010 12:08 PM | Reply #1 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 08/22/2010
Location: ND
Should be another good year for pintails..I just never shoot good looking ones to put on the wall...
Re: Just one of each
by on 08/22/2010 7:47 PM | Reply #2 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 01/04/2002
Location: ND

I have seen a lot of pintails around this year also. I have only seen one cinnamon teal in ND and that was in the spring. I also have never shot a Goldeneye. But the best advice on shooting a Ruddy Duck is don't wait for them to fly!

Good luck on your quest.

You can't aim a duck to death.

Re: Just one of each
by on 08/31/2010 7:56 PM | Reply #3 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 08/09/2010
Location: ND
I was stationed in Arkansas for 8 years and had the opportunity to shoot a lot of ducks. This will be my first year living in North Dakota for the hunting season, and I have to say....Due to the amount of ducks I have seen....Arkansas aint got $%!& on North Dakota. I am originally from Western Kentucky, and we shoot a lot of ducks there too. I shot a Golden Eye one year and we mounted it. I wanted to eat it but Daddy said, "You ever eat a Golden Eye? Make you wished you would have missed!" haha. On the wall he went! Good luck on your conquest! Let us know how you score!

Cock Yer Hammer!

Re: Just one of each
by on 08/31/2010 8:38 PM | Reply #4 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 01/09/2002
Location: ND

Shoot a bufflehead, probably tastes about the same.

Problem with pintails and so many other ducks is that their plummage is largely out of season by the time a person gets to open fire on them.  Avid waterfowling buddy from NC lamented that he never shot a really nice drake pintail while he lived here.  Shot plenty of them, just none nice enough to mount.  

“Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it.” ~ Mark Twain
Re: Just one of each
by on 08/31/2010 11:23 PM | Reply #5 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 12/25/2008
Location: ND
I havent shot (i have shot at a few) a pintail in 20 years i see alot in the spring but not in the fall.
Re: Just one of each
by on 09/01/2010 08:13 AM | Reply #6 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 07/13/2003
Location: ND
Tons of pintails in my area every year. Have yet to get one with a nice sprig though.

Cinnimon teal are ussually long gone by opening day.
Re: Just one of each
by on 09/01/2010 08:45 AM | Reply #7 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 03/07/2010
Location: ND
Coots taste even more yummy.
Re: Just one of each
by on 09/01/2010 10:56 AM | Reply #8 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 12/04/2007
Location: ND
Most of these birds you speak of don't wear their breeding  plumage in our area during hunting season. The Blue Wing Teal for example, only in the spring will you find the drakes wearing the white slash.

My advice for anyone looking to shoot specifc birds in full breeding plumage is to find their winter range and book a trip to that paticular state or country. In some areas you might have several birds that are common, while others are rare.  Late season in the north country is also a good time to find mountable birds. Storms, fronts and ice up will push these late birds down and nobody is out there to hunt them. Goldeneyes are one of the last birds to move through.

I have had buddies that went to mexico and shot, Redheads, Pintails, Bluebills (scaup) and Blue & Green wing teal that were picture perfect.

Cinnamon Teal are a very warm weather bird, this distribution map is very leanient on it's range. Tis why we don't see them here in ND.

LIFE...It's nature's way of keeping meat fresh!

If you want to sound wise, go to school. If you want to be wise....go to Nature!

Re: Just one of each
by on 09/01/2010 12:08 PM | Reply #9 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 02/15/2005
Location: SD
That cinnamon teal is going to be nearly impossible in ND.  Kinda sucks that a guy can't get birds in good plummage here, but it sure is nice to have the opportunities we have in October.  You wait (perhaps forever) for a mountable bird, but at least we aren't sitting looking north until late October for a shootable bird to arrive LOL!

Goldies can usually be found late, late in the year.  Streams have been good to me, right be fore they ice up.  Chances of finding a good pinnie are tough, but you can perhaps find one late late.  Not going to be many around, but you may find one.  Specks will be tough too, head north I say! 

I want to do a Mexico trip.  Reds, teal, and pinnies late late in the year. 
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” - Albert Einstein
Re: Just one of each
by on 09/01/2010 12:29 PM | Reply #10 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |

Joined: 08/22/2010
Location: ND

Nothing wrong with 5 big green mallards in november for me

10 Replies | Page 1 of 11 | Top of Page | Bottom of Page
Posted By:
Posted On: 08/22/2010 10:40 AM
1669 Views, 10 Comments

Tags: one, year, duck, continues, ducks, over, september, chase, feathers, challenge
More Tags: Groucho Marks, canvasback and red head, Texas, Human Interest
Region: North Dakota

Categories: Hunting > Duck Hunting
Rate This ForumTopic
  • Currently 3/5
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

3/5 (2 votes cast)

You must be signed in to comment on this topic