[juleo]

Can anybody help me out with the species of duck? Only thing I can come up with is a Red Breasted Merganser. Did not see the bird flying, just cupped up and hit the water. Short stubby tail and beak of a merganser(the beak looks really red because of blood, took a pellet right above it and bled like crazy). Same size as a Gadwall.

 

[Matthew.loftis]

Wow, that's a cool duck.

 

[bdgarne]

Wow, that's a cool duck.

x2

 

[mathews1012]

Common Merganser

 

[mathews1012]

female

 

[juleo]

after some research through the extensive AGFC waterfowl handbook, their pictures from the 1800's didn't have much description. But I found this pictured online. Says that it is a Red Breasted Merganser hen. I just got through making a comment the other day that I have never shot or even seen a Merganser that wasn't of the hooded variety. Does anyone know how common they are? Has anybody had any experiences shooting them before?

 

[mathews1012]

http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/common-merganser

 

[TMHC]

The hen common merganzer and the hen red breasted merganzer are very similar.

 

[sprtsmn001]

Yummy.....:lol:

 

[juleo]

 

[mathews1012]

The line between the brown neck and white breast is sharply defined, which distinguishes female common mergansers from similar female red-breasted mergansers.

 

[juleo]

Common looks a little closer to what I have. Their temperment is pretty hostile as well. My buddy went and retrieved it and threw it to me and it attacked, hissing and flogging.