What's your favorite duck?

[mplane72]

Hard to pick a favorite.

I love a fully crested Woody Drake but they're not rare around here. I covet the pintails pictured here and would also love a widgeon. Just don't see many of either. I've let a lot of mallards get away trying to get the one or to drake pintails mixed into the flock. I love the jetfighter teal.

From an all around hunting perspective I'll have to go with the mallard. Specificcaly a late season, red legged Mallard drake. Preferably with some ice and snow.

 

[chequamegon]

For me it's the Green-winged Teal. We used to shoot a few on ND trips. Full plumage drakes look awesome, so when I finally got one it went up on the wall. I don't have a picture, it's up north at the cabin.

They were also the winners at the table. Grain fed fat teal, skin-on and spatchcock on a charcoal grill, medium rare. All my old duck hunting relatives from those trips have given up duck hunting. I have occasionally attempted to recreate this with some local ducks but never get close. There are more factors than the ducks at play there.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Woodies. Prettiest and tastiest and hunting Adirondack beaver ponds in October is about as beautiful as it gets.

Would have to agree.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Can’t decide between a cotton top, drake pintail, drake woodie or green heads.

I don't think the ol cotton top gets enough recognition myself.

 

[Nick87]

View attachment 171966

I don't think the ol cotton top gets enough recognition myself.

Not much for sitting mounts but that one looks real good!

 

[EYJONAS!]

I had to do a sitting mount on the widg. When he hit the bank he ripped off about half his belly feathers....

 

[Nick87]

I'm playing a losing game here.

 

[thusby]

Alright, whose got the full plume redhead?

 

[huronmtns]

Ok, here is a pair of Red Heads.

 

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

I am very partial to drake mallards in January. Especially on those days when it's below zero and mist is rising from the rivers. Or in a snow storm...

but I've never shot a canvasback, and a bull can is probably my #1 wish list duck.

 

[Nick87]

Alright, whose got the full plume redhead?

I wish

 

[EYJONAS!]

Alright, whose got the full plume redhead?

The real question is...... Where's the

 

[Nick87]

The real question is...... Where's the View attachment 172028

At the taxidermist

 

[Nick87]

I wish it looked somewhat close to the one in that pic.

 

[Treeshark]

If I had one duck hunt left, it would be for wood ducks.

Thinking back, most of my favorite duck hunt memories were for woodies with my dad on a northern lake. I had one ridiculous teal hunt in gale winds (looked like a swarm of bees for several hours, took two boxes of shells to get my limit) and a late season limit of block headed green heads that stand out. But nothing like waiting for wood ducks drop through the trees and picking out drakes from the fog.

Jump shooting river woodies in a canoe is also a gas, probably more fun to be in back paddling and watching the show unfold.

 

[JShane]

The real question is...... Where's the View attachment 172028

Those eat really well down here. Really well.

 

[JShane]

Someone ask for redheads?

 

[ThunderNocked]

What's your favorite duck? Accounting for taste and looks, I would say mine is the cinnamon teal.

Looks - Harlequin by FAR! I can't get over how beautiful these birds are up here in Alaska. I will have one, or a pair, mounted someday.
As far as taste, here in Alaska to me the best tasting ones I've had are definitely the Green Winged Teals. I also have to say the Green Wing and Wigeons are my favorite to see in flight and to hunt. They both taste good and are just so awesome to watch in the air. Love them.

 

[ThunderNocked]

View attachment 171947
All of our ducks up here are mottled so we don't get much beauty but I have to say that the canvasback is the king of the ducks.

Canvasback is on my must have list - I saw one in Juneau and blew it... haven't seen one since I've been in Fairbanks.

 

[jeff_gibbons]

I do love a lot of the ones mentioned these guys are pretty cool i think......View attachment 171861

A baikal teal or red breasted goose are very beautiful as well.

The coolest thing about waterfowl is the transformation of them through the seasons.

We called the drake spoonies "Wister mallards" in so ca. Pretty birds late season. I never really liked to eat them though and would let them fly in my last years out west.