Shooting hens

[Justin7mm]

I see a lot of people who have pictures of hens they have harvested. I'm curious what everyone thinks about shooting the egg layers.  I used to be a hen slayer myself until i did some research and found out how hard a hens life really is. I tried to stop targeting the hens of any species, although sometimes its tough... I mostly shoot mallards though and with them and pintails especially i try to target drakes only.  I no longer target hens even if it means making my limit. Hen nesting success is much lower then you would think, and the hens themselves are very vulnerable during the nesting period.

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1.The nesting success rate necessary to maintain duck populations depends on other factors such as hen survival rates, brood survival rates, and nesting rates. For example, lower nesting success rates can sustain populations in an area if brood survival or female survival rates are higher.


2.Most research suggests that 15% nesting success is necessary to maintain mallard populations. Other species such as pintails and blue-winged teal require 20% to maintain populations because they don’t normally re-nest as readily if their first nest fails.


3.Although 15% nesting success might seem low, ducks have experienced high predation rates for thousands of generations, even when breeding areas were completely natural. Re-nesting is a critical adaptation to allow the birds to overcome the effects of normally low nest success rates.

this information came from Delta waterfowl.

Hen mortality - On average, 25 percent (within a range of 15 to 46 percent) of radio-marked hens, mostly birds with active nests, die during the breeding season.This grim statistic surprised us and spurred increased attention to actions that might reduce summer hen mortality. Unlike in the Dakota grasslands, where foxes are the main killers of nesting ducks, red-tailed hawks and great horned owls also are important predators in Canada's parklands.

this was taken from Ducks Unlimited

[Special T]

This is why i think some kind of Arial predator season should be open. I kill every legal Crow or Magpie i can for that very reason. I try and refrain, however  i think hunter access is a huge issue on the west side so if I'm hammering them i let the Susie's  fly but if its slow... Moma's not happy if i come home empty handed. 

[carpsniperg2]

I really try to not shoot hens. It does happen from times to times and I don't mind if others do as well. I try to give back more then I take. I kill lots of predators and help the birds a lot upland and waterfowl.

[h2ofowlr]

I usually try to pick out drakes, but on slow days I will scratch a limit with what comes in.

[jordano]

yeah I try my best to get drakes but then there are those days where you take what you get..

[CP]

There have been many studies that show the optimum ratio of drakes to hens is slightly about 50% and there is no need to limit the number of hens in the daily bag.

The hen will seek out extra pair copulation (that’s right, she’s a slut) when breeding conditions are best.  This helps ensure a good mix of genetics in her broods.  Too many hens leads to small broods and inferior genetics, too many drakes results in forced extra pair copulation (rape) which stresses the hens and can lead to small broods or abandoned broods.

There used to be hen restrictions on most species, now it is primarily mallards and this is do more to tradition and hunter preference than it is to biology.

I shoot hens without shame or remorse, they don’t look as cool as the drakes but they taste just as good, if not better.

[seth30]

 

[Special T]

CP i don't doubt what you say, however i would like to know the source of your info.

[Wtrfowlr62]

i don't like shooting hens but i do, if i had better opportunities and more birds in my area i would only pick out drakes, (which i try to often) but it difficult to find good areas on the westside when you don't have access to as much area or a boat.

[WAcoyotehunter]

I never worry about getting a limit of ducks.  I'm not going to starve if I don't get a limit.   Generally we try to shoot drakes, we end up with a few hens.  This time of year when there are so many young drakes it's really tough to tell!

[jordano]

I never worry about getting a limit of ducks.  I'm not going to starve if I don't get a limit.   Generally we try to shoot drakes, we end up with a few hens.  This time of year when there are so many young drakes it's really tough to tell!

I'm with ya on the early season not colored up drakes.. its hard to tell right now.. I've shot some drake mallards that the only way you can tell is bill color right now..

[Whitenuckles]

There have been many studies that show the optimum ratio of drakes to hens is slightly about 50% and there is no need to limit the number of hens in the daily bag.

The hen will seek out extra pair copulation (that’s right, she’s a slut) when breeding conditions are best.  This helps ensure a good mix of genetics in her broods.  Too many hens leads to small broods and inferior genetics, too many drakes results in forced extra pair copulation (rape) which stresses the hens and can lead to small broods or abandoned broods.

There used to be hen restrictions on most species, now it is primarily mallards and this is do more to tradition and hunter preference than it is to biology.

I shoot hens without shame or remorse, they don’t look as cool as the drakes but they taste just as good, if not better.

 I agree!! We need to hunt together!! I think we'd get along just fine. 

[Justin7mm]

here is a picture of my opener. Yup, thats right i shot a hen. I didn't do it on purpose but i got one and it happens.

[Glockster]

I feel no remorse at all for shooting hens and take as many as the law allows.   

[D-Rock425]

I can't taste the difference