# Another Waterfowl Identification Thread



## fishspook (Sep 21, 2007)

Hi All,

This is my first year hunting waterfowl; I've caught the bug. I hope to be great at species identification someday, but it is tougher than I first thought. For those of you that are already great at it, if you don't mind taking a break from bickering back and forth on that other thread, will you help me out on this one? I'm very confident that the first picture is an amazing yellow lab. I'm not as sure on the other pics: I think it is a ring necked duck.

Thanks in advance. And I apologize in advance to those of you that think I should have been able to identify it in the air prior to shooting.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Looks like a ringer. It takes a few years before you can identify them in the air and then not always, a lot depends on the lighting as well. Enjoy learning and if in doubt let them get closer or get away. Nothing wrong with that.


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## Longgun (Sep 7, 2007)

You would be correct! Ringneck Duck (juv drake)

edit: also decent tablefare if not to shot-up and cooked properly.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

It's a carp! At least it will be when it hits the dinner plate.


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

utahgolf said:


> It's a carp! At least it will be when it hits the dinner plate.


That's why they're best if you deep fry them with fish fry coating the outside...


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Oh and another thing....look at how a spoonbill looks and learn to identify them on the wing by their beak....YOU DON'T WANT TO SHOOT A SPOONBILL !!!! It's flying crap. I do believe some of the airboat people eat them though... -O,-


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

fishspook, It is freaking cool that you have that duck ID book with you. I wish more people were like you and would take the time to learn ducks better. That's really good you are learning the right way Oh and one other thing.....All yellow labs are amazing!:mrgreen:


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

i have to agree with fm on the yellow lab part.:mrgreen:


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## Jeff Bringhurst (May 20, 2009)

Fowlmouth said:


> fishspook, It is freaking cool that you have that duck ID book with you. I wish more people were like you and would take the time to learn ducks better. That's really good you are learning the right way Oh and one other thing.....All yellow labs are amazing!:mrgreen:


I could agree more. I used carry the lemaster method in my blind bag with me. It is a great tool. I wonder where that thing went. Anyone interested, you can get it from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Waterfowl-Identification-The-LeMaster-Method/dp/0811729826/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384475269&sr=8-1&keywords=lemasters


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## fishspook (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks for all the help fellas. There are a lot of great guys on this forum. I want to learn as much as I can about this sport, so I appreciate all the advise. If only someone could just teach me to shoot.


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## NateJ (Nov 13, 2013)

I don't mean to hijack this thread but can anyone tell me/educated guess what the mostly black, little bit of grey and yellowish beak, loon looking ducks are that are all over FB? Especially in the channels going south of the no hunting zone. I was out there tonight and passed up two of them cause I was unsure what species they are and if they are any good to eat. I eat what I kill so I try not to kill anything that isn't worth it. Any advice is appreciated!! Also thanks fishspook for the thread, I too am new to the duck sport and have walked the dikes every night this week, I caught the same bug!!


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## dixieboy (Jul 26, 2013)

coots


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

dkhntrdstn said:


> i have to agree with fm on the yellow lab part.:mrgreen:


By the way, Maggie (your old black lab) thinks you're an ass jack (thanks Chuck Harsin for the motivation). Sellout..... -O,-


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

NateJ said:


> I don't mean to hijack this thread but can anyone tell me/educated guess what the mostly black, little bit of grey and yellowish beak, loon looking ducks are that are all over FB? Especially in the channels going south of the no hunting zone. I was out there tonight and passed up two of them cause I was unsure what species they are and if they are any good to eat. I eat what I kill so I try not to kill anything that isn't worth it. Any advice is appreciated!! ...........................QUOTE]
> 
> Probably grebes, Western or Clark's.
> 
> ...


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

Black and grey with the yellow beak sounds like a coot. Grey with a grey bill sounds like a Pie Billed grebe. That one is protected. Western grebe is black and white with a strikingly red eye. I shoot those with the Nikon.


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