Shooting hens

[270Shooter]

If I have the choice I'd shoot drakes and nothing else, but they allow two brownies for a reason, so if its slow and its brown, knock it down.

[big game hunter]

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.

 I live in castle rock and hunt on the Columbia and every time I go out I see more and more no hunting signs!
On the westside you take what is given or you take nothing. 

[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.

 I live in castle rock and hunt on the Columbia and every time I go out I see more and more no hunting signs!
On the westside you take what is given or you take nothing. 

Especially down here were we are. Land owners around here are nothing like that on the eastside, they have all the salmon they want 

[GregFowler23]

If I have the choice I'd shoot drakes and nothing else, but they allow two brownies for a reason, so if its slow and its brown, knock it down.

 

[singleshot12]

I try to shoot drakes only..Shooting at mallards on dark mornings and dark days it's hard to tell the difference sometimes so on average most hunters that target drakes only still usually end up dropping 2 hens out of the 7.  So with that being said if a guy shoots his 2 aloud hens first chances are he could very well shoot another by accident trying to get his full limit.
So if it's brown let her fly

[Skagit_Hunter]

only green

[Widgeondeke]

If it wasn't for shooting a hen today we would've been skunked and I wouldn't have gotten my first band 

[jordano]

sometimes it does pay off.. got my first band this mornin'! Hen Mallard!
Band number: 1797-69327
Species: MALLARD
Date banded: 08/23/2011
Banding Location: NEAR EDISON, SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON, USA
Age: HATCHED IN 2011
Sex: FEMALE

[Whitenuckles]

sometimes it does pay off.. got my first band this mornin'! Hen Mallard!
Band number: 1797-69327
Species: MALLARD
Date banded: 08/23/2011
Banding Location: NEAR EDISON, SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON, USA
Age: HATCHED IN 2011
Sex: FEMALE

   

 Thats what Im talkin about!!!! Congrats!!

[bearpaw]

Just a quick reminder for everyione to keep it civil, THANKS   

[Widgeondeke]

sometimes it does pay off.. got my first band this mornin'! Hen Mallard!
Band number: 1797-69327
Species: MALLARD
Date banded: 08/23/2011
Banding Location: NEAR EDISON, SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON, USA
Age: HATCHED IN 2011
Sex: FEMALE

my band # is 1797-69068    only 259 birds earlier. Mine was banded by Mr Don Kraege on 8/12/11 

[jordano]

thanks whiteknuckles!

and widgeondeke- that is the same guy that banded mine! ha ha crazy crazy..

[LOVEMYLABXS]

Birds in my area are still not moving very much even with a bit of a cold snap hitting today so I took a walk down thru the scabrock channels more then anything to give my pup a chance at fetching something. We jumped a few birds here and there and I managaed 3 1st a GWT hen then a spoonine hen then a mallard hen that I had to wade out and help him with. We're talkin some thick tullie reeds but I'm still happy with him even thought I had to help but we finally found her All 3 were legal and I don't really care as long as I stay legal and get him some work............. By the way you ever notice how cold that water is when you first step off and don't have waders then even though it don't take long for the water to seep thru it'll still take for ever to drain and dry out 

[Whitenuckles]

 Looks good!! Keep up the good fight! Only a few more weeks and we should have some fresh birds

[BurleyDog]

I really don't want to eat tons and tons of ducks every year so I stick to drakes only. Just personal preferance because I don't need a limit every time.

I took a newbie out for his first hunt and first bird in was a hen mallard...BANDED in Yakama about 6 months ago.
She ate just fine.