# Favorite duck



## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

I am extremely new to duck hunting. Just got my first taste of it this year and now it's all I can think about. I was looking through all of the different species and got me thinking. If u could pick just one duck to mount and keep what would it be? My first mount is going to be a gadwall that I shot this year. Next year I may try and target a specific species and try and do a different bird every year


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## netboy (Dec 12, 2006)

I vote for pintails


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## Operationduckhunt (Aug 23, 2011)

Drake Widgeon is on my hitlist. But has to be perfect and completely full plumage to mount. Have not shot one yet that has cut it yet.


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## CaptDocHoliday (Feb 3, 2011)

X2 on the Widgeon. I have every species we hunt around here mounted with the exception of a golden eye. Widgeon's are my favorite.

Also don't be afriad of doing something like a dead mount or a suspended flying mount (which you hand from the ceiling). Both have turned out really really good for me.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

Mottled or Cinnamon Teal Drake


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## Hoggin' it (Oct 27, 2006)

For me I would have to say the drake Wood Duck, but it is also hard to beat the looks of the canvasback and pintails. I am going to try and shoot some woodies this weekend, our tank is loaded with them every evening.


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## Texasfishin (Jun 12, 2008)

Wood ducks and Biffleheads (drakes of course) are pretty birds.

The cinnamon teal would be cool too. 

The only bird mounts I have are a mature green wing teal and pheasant. Can't wait to add more to the collection!


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Our front pond at our lease has been covered by woodies and gadwalls. Hopefully something different may drop in this weekend. We are outside of nacogdoches


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Eurasian Wigeon Drake hands down!! I actually passed on one on the Texas Coast my first season duck hunting, didn't know what it was so I didn't shoot!


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

man thats a pretty duck


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

i was thinking of something like this for my gaddie


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## JRAMEY (Oct 8, 2008)

Out of the mounts I have I'd say I like my Wood Duck Mount the best thus far... I do have a Blue Wing Teal, Canvasback, Hooded Merganser and Shoveler going to the taxidermist soon, so we'll see how these come out...


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Dude, if your gaddie is that good, that would be a sweet mount!!!

And Todd aka Birdman is the VERY BEST!!


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Gadwalls look really good on a dead mount too.

Im expecting greenhead flying and dead mounts back in the next month or two... so that will knock them off my list.

Widgeon was on the chopping block this year.... so I drove 300 miles to the mecca last week and got all I could handle. Ended the trip with 34 widgeon drakes, 1 ptail drake and 1 gaddie drake.... sad thing is the biggest and baddest old baldpate in the bunch was busted up some kind of terrible. He was a stud. Ugh... makes me sick. But I brought back a few to sort through.

Cinnie is ALWAYS on the list. 

To me, its hard to beat a big sprig on the wall though.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

I would have to agree with JustinSFA, dead mounts are sweet looking if done correctly. I would like to put a sprig on mine to complete, that would make 6 drakes, Redhead, GH, GWT, Widgeon, Gaddie- headed out to the prairies next week.

I realize this isn't a duck, but I love the action on this bird. Sitting at the house.


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## tealnexttime1 (Aug 23, 2004)

bull pintails r hard to beat


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Mojo281 said:


> Dude, if your gaddie is that good, that would be a sweet mount!!!
> 
> And Todd aka Birdman is the VERY BEST!!


It's pretty close to it. The wings are every bit as pretty as the ones in that pic. The head is pretty close but the darker streak is a little less definitive. Maybe this weekend I'll get another one that I can maybe swap it out with


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## Johnboat (Jun 7, 2004)

*The absolute top duck to mount (I am still wanting one)*

Canvasback drake wearing a leg band. A few years ago at Murphree near Port Arthur my bud and I fired at large group flying over late in the morning. Do-able shot but we both missed, probably not enough lead. Bluebird day and we could really make out the detail of the beautiful drakes. I went home thinking that I had waited for years for a chance like that.

Next weekend he took someone else to the same spot. Same large flyover at the same late time of morning. His new hunt partner drops one...lucky shot because he was a beginner. A beautiful mature bird with a leg band. Guy wasnt sure he wanted to mount it.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Immature drake spoonie. The most wily duck in the marsh. Followed closely by a coot.





Of course, pintail drake is my actual favorite.


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

*Merganzeeeeeer ... !* With a 6" mullet hanging out of her mouth ...


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Spec-Rig.006 said:


> *Merganzeeeeeer ... !* With a 6" mullet hanging out of her mouth ...


I actually got pics of a common merganser hen last week.... never seen one in my life, and this year I have seen TWO! One in the potholes no less!

I held off on the steel and saved her for you....


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

Mojo281 said:


> Eurasian Wigeon Drake hands down!! I actually passed on one on the Texas Coast my first season duck hunting, didn't know what it was so I didn't shoot!


You saw one of these in texas ?
I didnt know we had exotic ducks.
That thing is fine.


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## OffshoreChris (Oct 13, 2010)

Shovler drake


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## rubberducky (Mar 19, 2010)

Wood duck all day long! I love me a woody


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk because Reeltime told me to


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## NOFNSUZIES (Mar 20, 2007)

rubberducky said:


> Wood duck all day long! I love me a woody
> Let the games begin.......
> 
> I've shot a lot of nice drakes over the years and have a lot of them on the wall but I have never gotten a cinnamon. That's my vote.


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## diamondback72 (Aug 10, 2011)

We got a nice Cinnamon drake on the south shore of east Matagorda last week. They arent the prettiest, but one of the rarest. Big bull Canvasback is top. Never seen the Eurasion Widgeon, but heard a few times of hunters takin em in Texas. Wood ducks are stiil the best looking by far. You cant go wrong with ANY duck on the wall. All the mature full plumage drakes look good.


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## marshhunter (Mar 20, 2008)

a storm widgeon is on my hit list... so is a stud widgeon..

oh and a malard.. have yet to shoot one and plan to mount one eventually...i will also be mounting my new pups first duck 



justinsfa said:


> Widgeon was on the chopping block this year.... so I drove 300 miles to the mecca last week and got all I could handle. Ended the trip with 34 widgeon drakes, 1 ptail drake and 1 gaddie drake.... sad thing is the biggest and baddest old baldpate in the bunch was busted up some kind of terrible. He was a stud. Ugh... makes me sick. But I brought back a few to sort through.


widgeon mecca huh?? you sir are my new best friend :rotfl::rotfl:

sure beats all the redheads we have down south :headknock


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

I have a lot of work cut out for me. I've got gadwalls and some woodies so far. Hopefully Saturday will bring in something different to east Texas. Next year I think I'm gonna try the coast and get some different flavors.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

big ol male mallard
widgeon
pintail w long sprig
woodie
bufflehead
goldeneye

i have those

hit list
cin. teal
hooded merganser
oldsquaw
drake spoonie


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Mojo... post that pic of the stormed out widgeon you sent me earlier.... its unbelievable.


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## diamondback72 (Aug 10, 2011)

X2 on birdmanstudios. Todd is the very best for waterfowl. Little more money, but well worth the cost for a discriminating hunter


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## Tealman (Sep 20, 2005)

Had a buddy of mine shoot a storm widgeon west of garwood a few weeks ago and it looks great, look them up very rare.


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## wampuscat (Jun 30, 2009)

Rubber Duckies!!!!!


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

2nd favorite is a tough call for me with 5-7 different species all looking awesome in a mount or the story that goes with them. But easily my favorite and always have been since I hunted them in Alaska is the Old Squaw.


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Upon request... Here is the Storm Wigeon my buddy shot in Oklahoma last season, it's at birdman right now!


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## dang_ol (Jul 14, 2008)

nice widgeon, 
i have a hooded maganser, wood duck, mallard, and pintail, on the wall, 
shot a beautiful cinnamon teal monday, that i am going to get mounted, next on the list is a widgeon, and canvas back.
shot a canvas back two yrs ago, but he just did not look good enought that i wanted to mount, could tell it was a young bird.


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

That widgeon is awesome.


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## chubri777 (Aug 11, 2005)

Any of these drakes would be my choice.


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

chubri777 said:


> Any of these drakes would be my choice.


I'd take the Mandarin in the middle!!


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Mojo281 said:


> Upon request... Here is the Storm Wigeon my buddy shot in Oklahoma last season, it's at birdman right now!


man for some reason the picture is a big x here on the computer at work. guess i am gonna have to use my phone

just looked. man thats a pretty bird


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

Barbarian said:


> 2nd favorite is a tough call for me with 5-7 different species all looking awesome in a mount or the story that goes with them. But easily my favorite and always have been since I hunted them in Alaska is the Old Squaw.


have you gotten your collection finished yet?


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## Spec-Rig.006 (Nov 2, 2007)

Redfishr said:


> You saw one of these in texas ?
> I didnt know we had exotic ducks.
> That thing is fine.


Eurasian Wigeon are not actually exotics, they're seen on the Pacific flyway infrequently. I've seen some nice straps of these birds come out of Washington - and, they're incidentals in a lot of the western states and have been found as far as the Appalachians.

Very highly migratory critter there ...


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## Barbarian (Feb 12, 2009)

Jasmillertime said:


> have you gotten your collection finished yet?


No, I haven't. It is a long story that I don't mind sharing, but not on this thread. I actually haven't even attempted to harvest any of the 4 ducks that I am missing since I had a life changing event 11 years ago. I have a current offer from another 2Cooler who has a bunch of 1 species hanging around his place now. I have some awesome stories and there are some beautiful ducks in the United States and some amazingly beautiful and vastly different type of wetlands - maybe 1 day.


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## Feathershredder (Nov 29, 2009)

Pintail was high on my list when I got this sprig he was banded to boot!


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## Feathershredder (Nov 29, 2009)

I dont think the Taxi I went to did the best job on these birds. After hearing you all endorse "Birdman" Todds work and looking at his beautiful work I will definantly take all my birds to him from now on!


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Feathershredder said:


> I dont think the Taxi I went to did the best job on these birds. After hearing you all endorse "Birdman" Todds work and looking at his beautiful work I will definantly take all my birds to him from now on!


Hope you like long road trips.... haha

Your taxi didnt do the BEST job in the world, but its not the worst either. With birds, its best to find one that focuses on birds.... Alot of the taxis that do deer/african game/predators/birds/etc all at one time seem to not get the detail down correctly. Im not a taxidermist by any means, but side by side, you can defintely tell the difference.


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## Feathershredder (Nov 29, 2009)

*LOL*



justinsfa said:


> Hope you like long road trips.... haha
> 
> Your taxi didnt do the BEST job in the world, but its not the worst either. With birds, its best to find one that focuses on birds.... Alot of the taxis that do deer/african game/predators/birds/etc all at one time seem to not get the detail down correctly. Im not a taxidermist by any means, but side by side, you can defintely tell the difference.


Hahaha I didn't even notice where he was located until you said this....I guess I will be shipping all my birds to him lol. I took these birds to a pretty well known taxi in downtown Katy, he does a lot of ducks. Do you have a taxi you would recommend?


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

I have recently been using Palmers over in LaPorte. He has 5 greenheads and a woodie of mine right now. Im getting a little nervous though just cuz its taking longer than expected and it was kind of a weird deal in the first place. He did my last pintail and pheasant and they turned out pretty good. Todd warned me that trying to ship the 6 birds would be really expensive and they could be damaged when they arrive.... its a big piece.



















I also have a Canvasback down with Connie at Creative Feathers. First work done by him, but its not back yet.

There is another guy out in Hurst, Birdworks I believe, that only does birds.... but he isnt taking any more work. One of the guys I hunt with finished up Taxi school and is starting to do work (thank GOD), but he has some more experience to grab. The cool thing about him is that he sees alot of birds in flight and how they move cuz he is a duck guide as well, so he will know what looks unrealistic based on his own experiences in the field. He has 2 pintail drakes of mine right now as well. He just finished a snow goose that turned out REALLLLLLY good.


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Wow Justin... That's one nice mounted cock if I've ever seen one!!

Sorry, couldn't resist...


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## cpthook (Jan 16, 2008)

*Green Head*

Seems like unless you have a secret mallard hole this is the most sought after duck and makes an excellent mount. It's number 2 behind a Weigon if not number 1 for me. I no longer duck hunt but have killed many green heads on the Lake Livington Jungle and up White Rock Creek on pot holes off the creek and off the creek itself when the pot holes were frozen solid. I also like the Phasant mounts as well. Now that I no longer bird hunt I have a 9000 acre deer lease in Kansas loaded up with Green Heads and Phasants but do not wnat to chase my trophys out of there seclusion. While in one of my tree stands i would often look back at a lagoon a 1/2 mile behind me, I finally drove up to it after one hunt only to watch 1000's of green heads bust.


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## capthunterdude (Nov 15, 2006)

This years seems to be the year of shooting awesome drake specimens for my group and I. 

We shoot a ton of awesome drake pins and reds but have never gotten them mounted. 

Awesome drake #1: Traveled to Lake Catahoula in Louisiana to hunt with my brothers. My brother, who isn't much for mounting things, shoots an unbelieveable drake canvasback. The guide said it was one of the best he had ever seen. My brother decided to eat him. 

Awesome Drake#2: We have had to change our hunting tactics to include farm canals as there is no water this year. Jumped a canal. A rather large group of cinnamon teal jumped. We knocked one down that was in great shape. Would have sent him off, I already have a perfect drake at the taxi right now.

Awesome Drake #3: Same day, different canal. Spotted a group of shovelers swimming around. Right away we saw that one of them was flashing bright white. Jump the group and take the drake down. Best drake shoveler I have ever seen. Not a feather out of place, green head, and sparkling white chest. Beak was shot to heck. The guy that shot it decided to eat him also. I would have mounted it in a heart beat.

Don't know if it has the same value if shot jumping and not over decoys, just not the same.


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## El Capitan de No Fish (Sep 20, 2007)

A banded, mature, full plumage drake of any of the following:
Pintail with 6" sprig
Cinnamon teal
Wigeon
Monster northern greenhead
Canvasback


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## BigGarwood (Oct 13, 2008)

This bad boy is on his way to birdman!


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

what kind is that? i have a guess but dont want to sound retarded, is it a muskovy?


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## shauntexex (Dec 12, 2007)

What a beautiful specimen!! I've found that instead of decoys those muscovys prefer a spread of wheat rye and whole wheat bread. If you toss it they will come


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## BigGarwood (Oct 13, 2008)

They Decoy great with Mrs. Bairds white tho, it floats longer, the whole wheat falls apart too fast...


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

Wrap that face meat in bacon..... mmmmmmmm


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## shauntexex (Dec 12, 2007)

I like the 150 lb ducks that run through the spread


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## shauntexex (Dec 12, 2007)

Tough to beat


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

i think i am putting a pintail at the top of my list for next year


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## justinsfa (Mar 28, 2009)

shauntexex said:


> I like the 150 lb ducks that run through the spread


HAHAHA.... I had a freakishly large brown "hen" get a little too close to my layout blind last week myself....


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## Mojo281 (Sep 7, 2006)

Nice!! That "brown hen" might eat a little better than those mallards...


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## willyp007 (May 27, 2009)

Woodie on the wall or in the pot


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## bogan (Mar 23, 2006)

Look at my profile pic. that should tell you my favorite.


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## DuckMendenhall (Nov 5, 2007)

Why wait...this is the time to get a nice Bull Sprig. They will be full plum this time of year.



Jasmillertime said:


> i think i am putting a pintail at the top of my list for next year


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## Jasmillertime (Mar 23, 2010)

not really setup for doing any hunting on the coast or bays. I wouldn't know where to start. unless someone wants to let a school teacher tag along with them


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## RonE (Apr 10, 2006)

Mojo281 said:


> Eurasian Wigeon Drake hands down!! I actually passed on one on the Texas Coast my first season duck hunting, didn't know what it was so I didn't shoot!


Without a doubt one of the most exotic to be had around here and one of the prettiest of all ducks.


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## Totally Tuna (Apr 13, 2006)

50 Pintail Drakes decoying all at the same time. Early 80's Port O'conner used to happen all the time.


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## chubri777 (Aug 11, 2005)

Mojo281 said:


> Eurasian Wigeon Drake hands down!! I actually passed on one on the Texas Coast my first season duck hunting, didn't know what it was so I didn't shoot!


That's an awsome drake Eurasian Wigeon shot! Where did you shoot this pic?


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