# Good day at bear river and help to id a bird



## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

Great day at bear river today me my brother and our friend shot our limits and our buddy had three great try's to kill his swan just could not knock one down. Then two of these came screaming through don't know how but I got one now can someone help me with what it is? Thanks for any help and good hunting


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

Hen goldeneye


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

Thanks we thought it was a golden eye but only could find a pick of a drake


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

Looks like good times....
what kind of boat are you running and do you like it??


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

18 foot war eagle and yes we love it needs some tlc this summer new blind and prob for the mud buddy we got it new back in 2000 really has held up good


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

Here is a little better pic of the boat


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## hotspot (Jan 12, 2009)

Sweet! Looks like I know where to go hunting tomorrow!! Love me some Internet scouting when you make it so easy!!!


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## huntnbum (Nov 8, 2007)

hotspot said:


> Sweet! Looks like I know where to go hunting tomorrow!! Love me some Internet scouting when you make it so easy!!!


Be sure to post your report when you get home.


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

Good luck never no what will happen last time out there was slow for ducks just found the x today makes my hour 45 min drive worth it wish more people were willing to share a little more for those who can't just go scout all the time oh well I understand why people don't like to


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## Kwalk3 (Jun 21, 2012)

Mud said:


> Good luck never no what will happen last time out there was slow for ducks just found the x today makes my hour 45 min drive worth it wish more people were willing to share a little more for those who can't just go scout all the time oh well I understand why people don't like to


+1. Nothing wrong with sharing a good successful hunt. Love seeing a nice mixed bag of birds too. Congrats.


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## LETTER-RIP (Sep 14, 2007)

You can't really hot spot the refuge when it's all still open. That place is huge. You either get lucky and pick the unit they are hitting or you scout it and know what unit to hunt. 
By the looks of your post I don't know what unit your on. 
Glad to see you got into them. I have to work all weekend.


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

Always too much work not enough hunting


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## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Despite my better judgement ( I always seem to get beat around and called names when I do this), but in my opinion what you have there is a young of the year drake common goldeneye. Subtle differences in the shape of the head and the bill along with some begining coloration in the "saddle". I'd have to see it in hand to tell better, but if I were betting I'd give 2 to 1, the "finger test" would yield male results.

Just saying, it doesn't matter in the least. You can shoot seven a day, drake or hen, so have it. 

Later,
Kev


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

kev said:


> Despite my better judgement ( I always seem to get beat around and called names when I do this), but in my opinion what you have there is a young of the year drake common goldeneye. Subtle differences in the shape of the head and the bill along with some begining coloration in the "saddle". I'd have to see it in hand to tell better, but if I were betting I'd give 2 to 1, the "finger test" would yield male results.
> 
> Just saying, it doesn't matter in the least. You can shoot seven a day, drake or hen, so have it.
> 
> ...


Funny you should write this....I hesitated in deeming it a hen for that exact reason..too hard to tell for sure sometimes with goldeneyes.. 



Mud said:


> 18 foot war eagle and yes we love it needs some tlc this summer new blind and prob for the mud buddy we got it new back in 2000 really has held up good


Thanks for the info, I really like the look of that hull.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

Just my .02 but most of the juvie drake goldeneyes I've seen have at least the beginnings of the white cheek patch, so I would say hen. I'm no expert though.


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

I agree with kev..... I seem to remember that hens tend to have a yellowish tip on their bill.... I say first year drake.. some diver ducks take up to 4 years to reach full maturity..


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## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

> Just my .02 but most of the juvie drake goldeneyes I've seen have at least the beginnings of the white cheek patch, so I would say hen. I'm no expert though.


Year 2. Second year drakes exhibit the white spot your talking about. It takes 3-4 years for drakes to get the full on color that most are used to seeing. Seaducks and some divers do that. King Eiders take a full 4 years and aren't really "hogs" until year 5. The difference is way more pronounced than with GE's but the theroy is all the same. Maybe that's one of the reason there are so many mature GE's around, everybody thinks they're hens.

Later,
Kev


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

kev said:


> > Just my .02 but most of the juvie drake goldeneyes I've seen have at least the beginnings of the white cheek patch, so I would say hen. I'm no expert though.
> 
> 
> Year 2. Second year drakes exhibit the white spot your talking about. It takes 3-4 years for drakes to get the full on color that most are used to seeing. Seaducks and some divers do that. King Eiders take a full 4 years and aren't really "hogs" until year 5. The difference is way more pronounced than with GE's but the theroy is all the same. Maybe that's one of the reason there are so many mature GE's around, everybody thinks they're hens.
> ...


Gotcha, good to know kev.


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I always hunt the BRBR. There are way too many hunters that are extremely inconsiderate. Each week there are guys chasing ducks in their mud boats. I got my drake buffie for the wall so now I am leaving it because of all the crap pulled each week.

Oh, that's a nice coot by the way.


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

You like my coot decoy I think that's the one that brought all the birds in I agree on the boat thing the only time we do is to chase a cripple down witch in my opinion is better then letting it swim off injured. Always do all you can to retrieve anything you hit it always irritates me when I loose one


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I was referring to the ID of the duck... It's a coot.


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

Looks like a couple of stud pinnies in there... JEALOUS!!!


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

After we shot are Limit of piners we could not keep them out of the decoys but that's how it always goes. My brother shot a real nice one if I would have shot it it would be going on my wall. I want a nice green head or piner but can't seem to shoot any nice ones and if I do I destroy them. Latter in the season some nicer birds show up hopfuly my luck will change


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Wait till the deep freeze happens. Then find open water and you'll shoot nothing but green.


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## Mud (Oct 28, 2011)

Sounds great


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