pass'n on certain birds

[jeepguy]

i  been wondering why i have seen more divers being harvested such as buffle heads ,golden eye ,scaup i have always considered them to be less desireable and would and do  hold out for puddlers everybodys different just curious why maybe cause thats the target species ? thats all thats around to shoot ? how do they taste ? certainley all ducks taste vary from what thier  main diet is . in my youth i have harvested scaup but that became tobe not so challengeing are the scaup species depleted ? i remember where i used togo there would be hundreds just curious thats all

[Kola16]

I shoot divers all the time. I let them sit in beef bullion and then fry them up. If I don't do that then I just feed them to my dog. She likes them plain 

[Special T]

I think some people aren't too picky just want some shooting... I know male buffle head are so easy to identify that that makes them a big target...

[seth30]

I shoot all thats legal,and all that I shoot either becomes a feast that night, or jerky for me and the dogs.

[270Shooter]

I usually pass on the buffleheads and goldeneye, although I am known for shooting a nice drake GE once in a while. We don't pass on scaup though, a limit of drake greaters is really cool, especially when half the ducks you see on the river are scaup, you need those 3 to get your limit when the widgeon aren't working. Never pass on redheads or cans though.

[jordano]

I usually pass on the buffleheads and goldeneye, although I am known for shooting a nice drake GE once in a while. We don't pass on scaup though, a limit of drake greaters is really cool, especially when half the ducks you see on the river are scaup, you need those 3 to get your limit when the widgeon aren't working. Never pass on redheads or cans though.

  you and goldeneye...

[dannysdaddy]

i try to shoot puddlers only but will occasionally shoot whatever. 

[Stilly bay]

this year I started passing on buffleheads; they are about as smart as a clay pigeon, and they eat like one too.  about the only sport they offer is their speed or dog training - other than that they can fly on by as far as Im concerned.  I guess somewhere in my sporting career I decided that I don't have to shoot at something just because its legal or because I need to reach numero seven for a limit... not that a limit of buffleheads is anything to be writing home about.

[JJB11B]

Dad and I always say we are only going to shoot Greenheads when we meet up and go hunt. But inevitably we will get a good sized flock in and the shooting gets hot and heavy and my little girl Missy (my lab) will bring back the ducks and then Who The Heck Shot That??? We do it just to make it a little more challenging. Last year I gave up on it one afternoon becuase a flock of Wood Ducks came in and I got a double on Drake Wood Ducks (pure luck)

[Ellensburg]

I go for drake mallards when hunting mallards.

I generally pass on buffleheads and all *censored*ducks but if my trigger finger is itchy, I'll let the lead fly on them buffleheads.

[JJB11B]

I always sling steel at the divers that raft up outside my deeks on the columbia and suck the birds away from my spread. they are always at least. 50yds out of range but the hard "rain"makes them fly a little farther away

[Camp David]

I'll let the lead fly on them buffleheads.

No lead shot for waterfowl   

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

I usually pass on buffies unless the dog needs so work.  If I were to prioritize ducks that I consider reasonably common in order of most desirable to less it'd go like this for me (drakes if possible):
1. Canvasback
2. Redhead
3. Mallard
4. Pintail
5. Wood duck
6. Teal
7. Gadwall
8. Widgeon
9. Ringneck
10. Scaap
11. Goldeneye
12. Bufflehead
(Eurasian Widgeon would be #1 since I've never shot one)

[BigGoonTuna]

i don't like wasting meat, and don't like the taste of diving ducks, so i let them all go.  my diver ID skills aren't that great either.  generally i'll only shoot at mallards, pintails, widgeon and gadwalls.  i usually let the teal fly by, they're challenging to hit and taste good but they're just so small.

[johnsc6]

mallards, mallards, mallards......