Post-Season 2016

[Darren]

Don't think he'd mind me sharing, I've posted the link below before. He's also done the mottled duck shown in my avatar.

http://www.taxidermybykevinhynes.com/

Pearl River, Louisiana

On my recent visit Kevin was also in the process of patching up a prized double-banded sprig a friend of mine took in Venice, La this season. When I called said buddy to let him know I saw the bird, he filled me in on the whole story. Turned out the bird was chipped down but fell close to the blind........his dog was about headed out to it when someone else in the blind insisted it was going to get away and fired on it again at spitting range thus the bird needs a little patching up. Miraculously the head is in great shape but few other areas needed some attention

In progress version shown below:

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Another photo I took at his shop of a neat pintail pair:

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[Darren]

Very nice birds! Wish I also had a stud GW teal to pair with the BW for a dead mount but they were largely MIA for us this year. Hoping to do some kind of pose that shows the feathers on the back n such, still kicking around ideas.

[Rick]

Wish I also had a stud GW teal...

Something to look for that a taxidermist had to point out to me is black bar above the wing that mature ones sport:


That one's mussed but at least shows what I'm talking about's location. Most of the brightly colored late season drakes you're apt to kill will still be too young to carry that mark of distinction, much less a pronounced one.

[Darren]

neat, didn't know that.

Had a very nice GW teal mounted a few years back, a buddy's connection, friend of a friend kind of deal for reduced cost. Ya get what you pay for......think I could have done it just as well myself.

[Rick]

as far as bluewings,from what I have read,the indicator of full plumage is the lack of dark round spots in the white wing feathers between the blue wing patch and green speculum on the wings

Reads like you're talking about the greater coverts used to discern eclipse males from females. For instance, only the left bird in this September photo is a female and the others are males:


The guide used for "wing bees," http://www4.ncsu.edu/~csdepern/documents/WaterfowlWings.pdf, says the male's can be just "mostly white," but I can't say I've noticed any such since starting to pay attention. Maybe just indicative of how well I pay attention. Since it's the mature males that migrate first, it could be that the young of the year coming later show brown, and I've not noticed.

Anyway, if I were to take a fit to mount a bluewing, I'd want to hold out for one with a white mullet:

[Darren]

Harry's having a great time this spring/summer, his first "offseason" you might say.

He just wants to swim and run and run; hope that bodes well for his conditioning this fall.

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Spent mothers day wknd down at the shell beach camp with the inlaws, great time fishing. Only saw a few pairs of mottleds and a couple dozen squealers as far as waterfowl, along with the usual pelicans, terns, gulls etc.

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[Rick]

Second photo is definitely one for the family album. But you should have told Mike to hold that wee trout closer to the camera.

Easy to see life is good.

[DComeaux]

That looks awesome, Darren. I'd sure like to get into a wad of specks in the near future.

[Darren]

That looks awesome, Darren. I'd sure like to get into a wad of specks in the near future.

these specks?

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or these specks?

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[DComeaux]

The slimy swimming ones. I may be longing for those feathered ones by mid winter, though.

[Rick]

The slimy swimming ones...

Yuck.

[DComeaux]

The slimy swimming ones...

Yuck.

Fun to catch...Just got to eat dem fresh, as da coonass say.

[Darren]

The slimy swimming ones. I may be longing for those feathered ones by mid winter, though.

I'd imagine it's not a whole lot longer from now that you're longing for the feathered ones.

As it is I don't really have the fever yet but I've progressed from the initial offseason stage of wanting nothing to do with ducks or any kind of discussion thereof. Hell I may even try to make room for a marsh tour in the next few weeks to give the flat boat some exercise and see how the ponds are looking.

Sure to see piles and piles of mottled ducks hangin out by our blinds that we'll certainly not kill this fall. Nonetheless, been starting to hear from Johnny and others so I'm not alone in it for sure

[DComeaux]

I'd imagine it's not a whole lot longer from now that you're longing for the feathered ones.

We'll....my opportunity for those specklebelly birds will be severely limited, if not cut out all together this winter. That where the mid winter comment comes from. As of now, my pursuit of waterfowl in general my be but a trickle of what I'd like it to be.....We'll see how things unfold.

Had a 6 month dentist appointment this morning and when she made my new appoint it was at Thanksgiving. My mind went straight to duck season and running out of time....

[DComeaux]

My speck call has a permanent spot on my lanyard, for sure.

I'd sure like to play a tune on that RedBone,though. Just to see if It fits.

[Darren]

I'd imagine it's not a whole lot longer from now that you're longing for the feathered ones.

We'll....my opportunity for those specklebelly birds will be severely limited, if not cut out all together this winter. That where the mid winter comment comes from. As of now, my pursuit of waterfowl in general my be but a trickle of what I'd like it to be.....We'll see how things unfold.

Had a 6 month dentist appointment this morning and when she made my new appoint it was at Thanksgiving. My mind went straight to duck season and running out of time....

Bummed that, from what I've gathered, you won't be returning to the crawfish blind this fall. "Good things come to those who wait," right? So maybe you'll land in a new neat spot yet