Hunting Washington Forum
Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: buman31 on November 14, 2010, 03:45:28 PM
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Looks like the northern's are starting to slowly come in. Jumped this guy outside of Moses Lake on a buddies property. We didn't have much luck from the blinds in the morning so we put on some orange and went looking for pheasants. Jumped this guy out of some willows.
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Always a good bonus on an upland hunt!!!!
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Looks very healthy, well he did! congrats
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ha thats funny. congrats on a nice bird :IBCOOL:
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just curious, how do you know he's a "northern"?
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His bright orange feet...and the larger size... a couple ways to tell if its a northern...
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The color of his feet and size have nothing to do with where he came from.
It's a nice, mature greenhead. Congrats.
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The color of his feet and size have nothing to do with where he came from.
It's a nice, mature greenhead. Congrats.
The Big Fat Red Legged Mallets are here!!! :chuckle: :chuckle:
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
bright orange feet are nothing more than a hormonal change.
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
bright orange feet are nothing more than a hormonal change.
I beg to differ, the northers are gonna be the bigger ducks, they have been sitting up north eating 24/7 getting nice and fat for the flight down and have alot of fat and more meat because of it. locals will leave by the time they get big like that and will get shot as "northers" farther south when their nice and fat.
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just curious, how do you know he's a "northern"?
I was just waiting for someone to ask that. :ass:
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well congrats on the nice big Greenhead! way to go!!
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
bright orange feet are nothing more than a hormonal change.
I beg to differ, the northers are gonna be the bigger ducks, they have been sitting up north eating 24/7 getting nice and fat for the flight down and have alot of fat and more meat because of it. locals will leave by the time they get big like that and will get shot as "northers" farther south when their nice and fat.
Share your wealth of knowledge with us...Qualify it with your facts... I am with GD........Bring on the skinny birds..
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I have a ? when you are hunting for pheasants and you see a duck, you cant shoot it unless you are shooting steel shot! so do you carry lead and steel at the same time or do you just shoot steel shot at pheasants. I am pretty sure you cannot have lead shot on you and waterfowl at the same time.
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yes that is true. no lead with you when u r waterfowl hunting. lead cannot be used on waterfowl. but a lot of guys just use steel or steel sub, when upland hunting anymore. i have just used steel loads for like the last 5-6 years for my upland hunting. just bought my first box of lead for a up coming pheasant hunt. since we will just be hunting pheasnts in that area. i figured i would use the lead stuff :chuckle:
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
bright orange feet are nothing more than a hormonal change.
I beg to differ, the northers are gonna be the bigger ducks, they have been sitting up north eating 24/7 getting nice and fat for the flight down and have alot of fat and more meat because of it. locals will leave by the time they get big like that and will get shot as "northers" farther south when their nice and fat.
Share your wealth of knowledge with us...Qualify it with your facts... I am with GD........Bring on the skinny birds..
\
skyhigh... I'm not trying to be a smartass or funny... are you a biologist? you have asked a couple of questions in some recent forums that make it seem like you are. I am studying to be a Fisheries Biologist with a minor in Wildlife Biology and then going to get my masters in Fisheries...
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ducksdoom,
That is a common misperception in regards to "big northern ducks with red legs". In fact it is just the opposite of what you have always heard. When the northerns first arrive, they are worn down and have used a lot of their stored fat reserves to make their journey along with fighting the winter conditions way up north. They're not sitting around, eating grain and enjoying an indian summer. Once they arrive they begin to hit the corn fields and will fatten up again fairly quick.
As for the red legs, it's not from swimming in the cold water or standing on ice. It's a change in their hormones as their bodies change in preparation of the upcoming breeding season.
The keys I use to figuring out if the "northerns" are in is to watch the local corn fields around dusk and look for duck swarms. Or shoot a duck that was banded somewhere north of you this summer!
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ducksdoom,
That is a common misperception in regards to "big northern ducks with red legs". In fact it is just the opposite of what you have always heard. When the northerns first arrive, they are worn down and have used a lot of their stored fat reserves to make their journey along with fighting the winter conditions way up north. They're not sitting around, eating grain and enjoying an indian summer. Once they arrive they begin to hit the corn fields and will fatten up again fairly quick.
As for the red legs, it's not from swimming in the cold water or standing on ice. It's a change in their hormones as their bodies change in preparation of the upcoming breeding season.
The keys I use to figuring out if the "northerns" are in is to watch the local corn fields around dusk and look for duck swarms. Or shoot a duck that was banded somewhere north of you this summer!
very interesting! thank you for the information! much appreciated! and makes sense! :tup:
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ducksdoom,
That is a common misperception in regards to "big northern ducks with red legs". In fact it is just the opposite of what you have always heard. When the northerns first arrive, they are worn down and have used a lot of their stored fat reserves to make their journey along with fighting the winter conditions way up north. They're not sitting around, eating grain and enjoying an indian summer. Once they arrive they begin to hit the corn fields and will fatten up again fairly quick.
As for the red legs, it's not from swimming in the cold water or standing on ice. It's a change in their hormones as their bodies change in preparation of the upcoming breeding season.
The keys I use to figuring out if the "northerns" are in is to watch the local corn fields around dusk and look for duck swarms. Or shoot a duck that was banded somewhere north of you this summer!
Pretty much spot on. Initially they are also less wary when decoying, for awhile that is.
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Every banded bird that I have shot..(over 25) has been fat and sassy and has had not red feet, but bright orange....and this has been the case with early season as well as very late season birds...........of course...opinions and experiences vary.. :chuckle: :chuckle:
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I dont care where they come from i just love shootin them :twocents:
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I don't know for a fact if this is a northern bird or not. Just making an observation based on what I have been told. Sorry to cause such a great debate here :P.
As to the steel shot question, I only shoot steel shot on this property, pheasant or duck hunting. Too many good wetlands here to pump lead into.
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Every banded bird that I have shot..(over 25) has been fat and sassy and has had not red feet, but bright orange....and this has been the case with early season as well as very late season birds...........of course...opinions and experiences vary.. :chuckle: :chuckle:
I try to base my opinions on proven science. Something about being right all the time! ;)
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ducksdoom,
That is a common misperception in regards to "big northern ducks with red legs". In fact it is just the opposite of what you have always heard. When the northerns first arrive, they are worn down and have used a lot of their stored fat reserves to make their journey along with fighting the winter conditions way up north. They're not sitting around, eating grain and enjoying an indian summer. Once they arrive they begin to hit the corn fields and will fatten up again fairly quick.
As for the red legs, it's not from swimming in the cold water or standing on ice. It's a change in their hormones as their bodies change in preparation of the upcoming breeding season.
The keys I use to figuring out if the "northerns" are in is to watch the local corn fields around dusk and look for duck swarms. Or shoot a duck that was banded somewhere north of you this summer!
:tup:
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Nice bird, and a great picture.
Gadwall.
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So... I have noticed that most of the mallards I shoot in Moses hole are larger birds than the majority of the mallards I shoot on the westside. Anyone notice this and/or can shed some biological insight?
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More corn, grain, etc. to feed on I would imagine. Plus its colder over here so they feed more.
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you can always tell a Northern bird by its accent....."Quack, Quack, Quack--- 'ay ? "
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More corn, grain, etc. to feed on I would imagine. Plus its colder over here so they feed more.
Exactly......but for the most part more the type and quantity of feed that puts weight on quickly. Westside generally lacking if compared to eastern agricultural lands.
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looks like a big healthy basin local to me........btw I dont think you need face paint when you are walkin around with blaze orange lol ;)
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I was thinking the same thing KwackWacker, left over face paint from the morning duck hunt. I don't even know why I do that, more for fun I gues than anything!!!! Where ever that bird is from, it sure made a killer stir fry. It was some of the best duck I have had!!!
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yes that is true. no lead with you when u r waterfowl hunting. lead cannot be used on waterfowl. but a lot of guys just use steel or steel sub, when upland hunting anymore. i have just used steel loads for like the last 5-6 years for my upland hunting. just bought my first box of lead for a up coming pheasant hunt. since we will just be hunting pheasnts in that area. i figured i would use the lead stuff :chuckle:
:yeah: When I know that there is even the remotest possibility that I'll jump ducks I hunt with steel shot. Not the best stuff but it works - especially if you're using 3 inch mags. Kind of sucks for quail, though. Gets expensive in a hurry if you're not careful.
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Alot of state land come Jan 1st will require steel or non-toxic shot all the time.........
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I hunt phez with Kent #4's exclusivly....I like the way they shoot...In my experience with em it kills em just as dead as lead 6's....havent shot a phez with lead for 5 years or so
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wow what a lot of negative nancy's commenting here, the guy was just trying show you his prize!!!!
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Thanks Ceddy50. Although with some folks have said I certainly could be wrong in my evaluation of where some random duck is from :).
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ducksdoom,
That is a common misperception in regards to "big northern ducks with red legs". In fact it is just the opposite of what you have always heard. When the northerns first arrive, they are worn down and have used a lot of their stored fat reserves to make their journey along with fighting the winter conditions way up north. They're not sitting around, eating grain and enjoying an indian summer. Once they arrive they begin to hit the corn fields and will fatten up again fairly quick.
As for the red legs, it's not from swimming in the cold water or standing on ice. It's a change in their hormones as their bodies change in preparation of the upcoming breeding season.
The keys I use to figuring out if the "northerns" are in is to watch the local corn fields around dusk and look for duck swarms. Or shoot a duck that was banded somewhere north of you this summer!
Spot on. Numbers is the general key to knowing when the northerns are down. When the swarms start to hit the refuges and corn they are coming in.
I also shoot steel 100% in the Basin now, only way to go.
Great bird 8)
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wow what a lot of negative nancy's commenting here, the guy was just trying show you his prize!!!!
More like some of us just trying to help others learn a little more than they thought they knew. There's enough misinformation on the forum to begin with, might as step up and say something before a moderator chimes in with his opinion, which right or wrong, is as good as the Word around here.
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:chuckle: thats funny General Disarray :ACRY:
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
I love the "experts" that make this claim. So why are they skinny...because they've been migrating? Migrating birds usually only fly a few hundred miles with each hop and do that in a day. How is this different than flying around an area all day long to get out of the weather? Not to mention that they've been stuffing themselves on all that grain up North on the way down.
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
I love the "experts" that make this claim. So why are they skinny...because they've been migrating? Migrating birds usually only fly a few hundred miles with each hop and do that in a day. How is this different than flying around an area all day long to get out of the weather? Not to mention that they've been stuffing themselves on all that grain up North on the way down.
:yeah: :yeah: :yeah:
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
I love the "experts" that make this claim. So why are they skinny...because they've been migrating? Migrating birds usually only fly a few hundred miles with each hop and do that in a day. How is this different than flying around an area all day long to get out of the weather? Not to mention that they've been stuffing themselves on all that grain up North on the way down.
Birds gorge themselves up north before leaving to create fat stores to supplement them during migration. Birds don't always end up migrating to another prime grain patch to keep the fat reserves up. They lose weight on the way down as a result. Migrating birds usually fly at night at high altitudes at an average pace of 50-60mph. They use a lot of energy doing this.
Fat birds are generally locals or migrators that have been here awhile.
I've observed this trend for years. The birds I'm taking now and have been taking all season have a nice thick layer of fat. When we start to see the large pods of divers hit the area they;re skinny as hell with little to no fat. Give them a few weeks and you'll notice the fat amount increases. Same with mallards in the corn.
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
I love the "experts" that make this claim. So why are they skinny...because they've been migrating? Migrating birds usually only fly a few hundred miles with each hop and do that in a day. How is this different than flying around an area all day long to get out of the weather? Not to mention that they've been stuffing themselves on all that grain up North on the way down.
Birds gorge themselves up north before leaving to create fat stores to supplement them during migration. Birds don't always end up migrating to another prime grain patch to keep the fat reserves up. They lose weight on the way down as a result. Migrating birds usually fly at night at high altitudes at an average pace of 50-60mph. They use a lot of energy doing this.
Fat birds are generally locals or migrators that have been here awhile.
I've observed this trend for years. The birds I'm taking now and have been taking all season have a nice thick layer of fat. When we start to see the large pods of divers hit the area they;re skinny as hell with little to no fat. Give them a few weeks and you'll notice the fat amount increases. Same with mallards in the corn.
I will solve the riddle saturday! My go-to spot has not yet had large amounts of ducks show up. Therefore, if I shoot lots of ducks and they are fat, northerns are fat. If I shoot lots of ducks and they are skinny, northers are skinny. Stay tuned for late morning saturday for the answer we all seek....
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
I love the "experts" that make this claim. So why are they skinny...because they've been migrating? Migrating birds usually only fly a few hundred miles with each hop and do that in a day. How is this different than flying around an area all day long to get out of the weather? Not to mention that they've been stuffing themselves on all that grain up North on the way down.
Birds gorge themselves up north before leaving to create fat stores to supplement them during migration. Birds don't always end up migrating to another prime grain patch to keep the fat reserves up. They lose weight on the way down as a result. Migrating birds usually fly at night at high altitudes at an average pace of 50-60mph. They use a lot of energy doing this.
Fat birds are generally locals or migrators that have been here awhile.
I've observed this trend for years. The birds I'm taking now and have been taking all season have a nice thick layer of fat. When we start to see the large pods of divers hit the area they;re skinny as hell with little to no fat. Give them a few weeks and you'll notice the fat amount increases. Same with mallards in the corn.
Pretty much agree....might add metabolism is higher and fat reserves are used up much quicker in colder areas north of us like BC/Alberta in Oct/ Nov., than in moderate ones like the basin in Oct/Nov. That's the reason you obviously see huge feeding flights in the basin going out at night, rather than during daylight hours in the Basin.
Later when temperatures remain low and ice and snow is present, they feed continually all day, sometimes not returning to the reservoir, lakes or rivers , but rather using loafing areas away from the pressure in corn fields. They have no choice, they have to feed, and saving energy is paramount. So many times they don't return to water after being harassed. It's called survival.In summary local birds again do tend to be larger weight wise, northerns tend to be lighter or skinner if you prefer, until they have been in the area and feeding for awhile.
Comments made by Disarray and Teal101 may indeed be what I consider "expert" in nature as some have alluded to in a negative way. They are not wishful thinking or speculation. This board has a lot of expertise and years of experience on it. I might suggest that we don't always rush to foo foo someone for trying to educate others, and share their knowledge, even if just trying to clarify something like in this thread. :twocents:
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if they're big mallards, they've probably been here all summer. Northerns show up skinny and won't fill out for a couple of weeks after they arrive.
I love the "experts" that make this claim. So why are they skinny...because they've been migrating? Migrating birds usually only fly a few hundred miles with each hop and do that in a day. How is this different than flying around an area all day long to get out of the weather? Not to mention that they've been stuffing themselves on all that grain up North on the way down.
Birds gorge themselves up north before leaving to create fat stores to supplement them during migration. Birds don't always end up migrating to another prime grain patch to keep the fat reserves up. They lose weight on the way down as a result. Migrating birds usually fly at night at high altitudes at an average pace of 50-60mph. They use a lot of energy doing this.
Fat birds are generally locals or migrators that have been here awhile.
I've observed this trend for years. The birds I'm taking now and have been taking all season have a nice thick layer of fat. When we start to see the large pods of divers hit the area they;re skinny as hell with little to no fat. Give them a few weeks and you'll notice the fat amount increases. Same with mallards in the corn.
Pretty much agree....might add metabolism is higher and fat reserves are used up much quicker in colder areas north of us like BC/Alberta in Oct/ Nov., than in moderate ones like the basin in Oct/Nov. That's the reason you obviously see huge feeding flights in the basin going out at night, rather than during daylight hours in the Basin.
Later when temperatures remain low and ice and snow is present, they feed continually all day, sometimes not returning to the reservoir, lakes or rivers , but rather using loafing areas away from the pressure in corn fields. They have no choice, they have to feed, and saving energy is paramount. So many times they don't return to water after being harassed. It's called survival.In summary local birds again do tend to be larger weight wise, northerns tend to be lighter or skinner if you prefer, until they have been in the area and feeding for awhile.
Comments made by Disarray and Teal101 may indeed be what I consider "expert" in nature as some have alluded to in a negative way. They are not wishful thinking or speculation. This board has a lot of expertise and years of experience on it. I might suggest that we don't always rush to foo foo someone for trying to educate others, and share their knowledge, even if just trying to clarify something like in this thread. :twocents:
Well said. I like how you brought up the feeding times dependent on temperature and such. That is 100% spot on. Last year with the mild weather we had in January we had birds slamming our corn fields, at 4:45pm every night. No point in them leaving the water during the day when they can feed and be warm at night. The year before when it stayed cold (in the teens) most of January the birds hit the corn like clockwork every day at 11:00am and we slaughtered them. They would hop from field to field if disturbed and stay in the fields till dark then rise and leave.
I'm no expert, hell I'm only 21 years old, but waterfowling is my passion and I've got 10 years under my belt of learning. And like you said we're not trying to be "right or wrong" here, we're just trying to clear up speculation. This seems to be brought up every year and it's always good to educate people instead of spreading false information.
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you can always tell a Northern bird by its accent....."Quack, Quack, Quack--- 'ay ? "
:yeah:
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you can always tell a Northern bird by its accent....."Quack, Quack, Quack--- 'ay ? "
:yeah:
Forgot to mention......like that...very funny. You have a good sense of humor....don't ever lose it. :chuckle:
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Teal...that's what it's all about with anything.....experiencing, observing and learning from those experiences. Pretty soon it becomes second nature as to what will or will not happen. ;)
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Bright orange coloring suggests that a drake, is getting all his vitamins, particularly carotenoids, such as beta-carotene and vitamin A, antioxidants that can be beneficial to the immune system. “This indicates that his behaviors and genes are good enough for him to recognize and eat the right food, or that his immune system is strong enough to produce bright orange legs,” Omland says. “The female sees this as a very attractive trait to pass on to her offspring.”
Study done by Kevin Omland from University of Maryland at Baltimore County
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So if I paint my legs orange...
I'll get all the hens?
:drool:
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I'm no expert, hell I'm only 21 years old, but waterfowling is my passion and I've got 10 years under my belt of learning. And like you said we're not trying to be "right or wrong" here, we're just trying to clear up speculation. This seems to be brought up every year and it's always good to educate people instead of spreading false information.
It has been fun watching (or reading your maturity and experience) grow over the years...I remember you posting questions on the internet many years ago asking for advise on some kind of scout project that you were doing for your Eagle project..
You can tell that you read and study alot and apply that to the field..I hope that you choose a career path that involves you with some kind of wildlife work..