# Toughest "prime" bird??



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Some of this talk about prime drakes got me thinking. What do you think is the toughest bird to get a prime specimen of around here? I guess I'm not talking about some of the random vagrants we get but more like the regulars. The species we see all the time but maybe they aren't "primo"? 
I have my own option but I'm curious to hear what everyone else thinks. 
Later, 
Kev


----------



## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

Woodie


----------



## SlickWeo (Nov 21, 2014)

I think a lot depends on where you hunt at in Utah. I have been hunting for 17 years and have yet to get that PRIME Pintail drake. I have gotten plenty of drake Pintails, just not the one that I want for a mounter.


----------



## silverkitten73 (Sep 20, 2007)

Cinnamon Teal and Wood Duck


----------



## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Springville Shooter said:


> Woodie


Huh, I thought that was a really common one for most guys... Every morning more or less.....:O•-::O•-:


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Definitely Shovelers. A lot of guys shoot some pretty spoonies, but rarely are those even completely colored. 

Ruddy ducks too!:mrgreen:


----------



## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I can't tell you how many pintails I have killed. Fully colored, big fat birds, but they never have had a pin. My vote is for a pintail with a nice sprig.

Or a banded duck. I've killed maybe 1 million ducks. Just one band.


----------



## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

a ruddy duck........ I've seen pics of fully plummed out drakes so I know they exist. Shovelors are tough but I've shot a couple prime ones.


----------



## Ogden Archer (Aug 27, 2014)

Widgeon, the drakes always seem to be a little scrappy.


----------



## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

I have shot a few drake pintails, but I have yet to get one with a nice sprig. My vote goes to the pintail.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Ruddies get "red" in the spring and summer, so out of season. I've seen some guys getting "red" ones in Florida and the Gulf. But still not really defined like in the summer. I got this one a few years ago, probably the best one I've taken.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

I would definetly agree with those that said Shoveler. Very, very tough to get a fully plumed drake. Most have that "salt and pepper" chest. A prime drake should be pure white. I've gotten a few over the years but only at the very end of the season. And only after shooting hundreds of immature drakes.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Pintails can be tough too. They come in late in the year and can be difficult to get that just right combo, of plumage and the sprig. Again I've always had the best luck late in the year and its always been after sorting through a few. The limited bag makes it tough too, add to that for years and years it was only one bird, makes it tough to pick the right one.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Cinnamon teal are just plain scarce, especially late in the year when plumage is good. But there are a few small pockets around you just have to find them. I got lucky when I got mine. Took a Hail Mary shot while I was on a mallard shoot and connected.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Forgot to add this one of the Cinnamon teal. Still have this very nice mount, thank goodness.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Wood ducks are like cinnamon teal, scarce, but I think once you find them they are usually very nice. But just like most everything to get a wall worthy bird it has to be late in the season, or they just have to many pin feathers and they aren't fully plumed. 
Unfortunately this bird didn't make it through the freezer thaw. It was a nice one taken in Jan. wish it would have made it.


----------



## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

I have to say a cinny or nice white canvasback... both are scarce late season and hard to get in front of. I agree ruddies just plume out to late after our season is closed.. bills don't even turn color till Feb. Might have to head down to Obregon Mexico to get a few fully plumed out birds..


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Never had a problem getting a good widgeon. To the point were I've been able to be picky somewhat. I've even had so e nice birds earlier in the year. But I've been blessed with some good widgeon shoots over the years. The best one I've taken, that I lost, I shot on a river in Idaho in Jan. though it was a nice one. Didn't even get a photo of it.


----------



## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

Interesting to hear the tough ones, just all depends on areas people hunt I guess and luck!

here's an old cinny, had some gray/white in him, he was a big bird with a huge dark head!


here's a good spoony it has great solid line around the neck and white on the chest and back. I have shot one with a redder chest though.


good storm widgeon I got, big blocky bird!


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

I don't count banded birds. In my opinion it's just a luck thing and the band doesn't necessarily make it a wall worthy bird. That and I'm not really a band guy. But I supposed if I got one late season I might be tempted to have it mounted. Got this little guy on the last day of the season one year.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Agree with Canvasback. Very tough to get that pure white bird belly and dark back. But I'll be honest I always want to have minted every canvasback I get. I think they are the king of ducks.


----------



## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

I think I'm the only guy who has passes on cans. They do nothing for me. I also had a barrows at 15 yards swimming around the dekes that I didn't even have an urge to shoot.. Just not a diver guy but I am a sucker for redheads, something about them that I don't pass on, maybe because they look like a puddle duck.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Yep your crazy! LOL!!! Too each their own. That's what makes this sport so great. Everyone has their own deal. And there is enough variety it's easy to find what suits you. 
I'm a sucker for red heads too. Again tough to get a nice one. I got a pair in Washington years ago. Had them mounted and lost them to a cat attack.


----------



## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

I lost a pair of nice ones I had to a faulty freezer.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

A tough one to get in Utah, but almost always prime is snow/Ross goose. Maybe hunting them in March helps. I was lucky and got one of each on my first hunt. Now I never have to do it again.


----------



## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

One thing about it... Utah has a huge variety.... most than any other western state.


----------



## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

I love killing me some Old Squaws here in Utah. 
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
(Posted to see is Kev had a picture)


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Agreed. I believe I've taken up to 14 species in one season. No sea ducks which there have been known to be some. Tons of variety. That's for sure.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Not a prime drake, but.....


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Oh.... her we go!! Now that's better. Prime drake...crappy picture!!


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Another tough one to get a "prime" drake.... Should be a couple of locals coming back from the great white north with a few primo examples her shortly!!


----------



## duckilla (Nov 20, 2014)

By far drake pintails here is the best 2 I have got.


----------



## duckilla (Nov 20, 2014)

The other one. Sorry don't know how to load more then one picture


----------



## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Did I say old squaw? I meant scoters...

Just saw the scoter.

I really meant to say pintail mallard cross.


----------



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

My opinion is that a prime drake Blue-Winged Teal is one of the hardest birds to get in Utah. The first year we took up duck hunting, my dad missed a shot at a pretty nice drake bluewing in late November. We didn't think too much of it then, but I think that had to be a pretty rare occurrence. The next year, he killed a drake opening day, but it was still mostly eclipsed. We haven't seen one in the many years since then.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Cinnamons in December-January are usually colored up good.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

JuniorPre 360 said:


> Did I say old squaw? I meant scoters...
> 
> Just saw the scoter.
> 
> I really meant to say pintail mallard cross.


No scoters posted yet, guess again??


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Agreed, BWT are incredibly tough to find around here. When you find them early their all brown. I've taken several over the years according to the wing survey, but never anything in prime plumage. I think a big factor in that is that they migrate out so early. Linger longers are very rare in these parts.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Here's a couple Scoters, surfs to be precise.



Never taken a good drake WW, but a few hens. A black scoter, or common is still one of the six I have left.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Never taken a wild type hybrid. I've shot a couple wild/domestic hybrids though. I got this mallard hybrid in a field spread. Kind of cool coloring. I think it might be an F2 type.


----------



## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

kev said:


> Never taken a wild type hybrid. I've shot a couple wild/domestic hybrids though. I got this mallard hybrid in a field spread. Kind of cool coloring. I think it might be an F2 type.


All them ducks and no hybrids? I knew you were a noob! Seriously though, looks like you've had a good waterfowl career.


----------



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

The hardest one for me would be the shoveler. Not because I don't see them, I just can't force myself to pull the trigger.;-)

I have never killed a cinnamon, This one stopped by for a visit after I'd limited, or I'd probably have shot him. He was really nice:



Canvasback would rank way up there, too:


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Very nice captures Doc!! Love the one of the Canvasback especially!!


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

JuniorPre 360 said:


> All them ducks and no hybrids? I knew you were a noob! Seriously though, looks like you've had a good waterfowl career.


Just been very lucky, that's all.


----------



## duck jerky (Sep 8, 2007)

I lucked out a few years ago and got this hybrid


----------



## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

duck jerky said:


> I lucked out a few years ago and got this hybrid


GoldeneyeXRingneck?


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

Looks like Scaup x Redhead too me??? 
Cool bird. No fences in the sky I guess.


----------



## justcantstop (Sep 11, 2007)

Kev, Are you still a retired waterfowler? 

You have not given us your opinion on the toughest fully plumed bird. I know you have or had an amazing collection of birds.


----------



## duck jerky (Sep 8, 2007)

kev said:


> Looks like Scaup x Redhead too me???
> Cool bird. No fences in the sky I guess.


 This.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

justcantstop said:


> Kev, Are you still a retired waterfowler?
> 
> You have not given us your opinion on the toughest fully plumed bird. I know you have or had an amazing collection of birds.


Eaaahhh..... Maybe semi-retired. I kind of got back into it this year. Did a layout hunt, and hit some old haunts with my boys.

Lost most of my collection to one thing or another. I still have 6 mounts and 3 at Darrins right now. For a total of 9. But I have 3more in the freezer that need to go down.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

I think probably the toughest local bird, to get a prime specimen, would have to be a shoveler. 
There are plenty of others that are tougher to "get", but of the ones mentioned above they are generally fairly well plumed if you hunt late enough in the season. 
Shovelers just don't get well plumed until they are 3-4 years old and even then it's really late in the season. My vote goes there simply because of the numbers I had to take in order to get a good one.


----------



## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

All there is to shoot right now are these stinky things lol.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

I haven't really gotten in to them for years, mostly by choice. But if you want a trophy shoveler this is the time of year to get out after 'em.


----------



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Prime birds are tougher to photograph well than just shoot. I've killed lots of pintails, but have very few photos like this one:


----------



## utarchery (Jun 18, 2013)

ive got my woodie, pintail, cinnamon, wigeon you name it, but the hardest one without question is a ruddy duck. the reason being is that they dont reach full plumage during our hunt dates. blue wing teal is a hard one for our state too


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

That is an awesome photo!!! The nice thing about shooting them with a camera is that the season never ends. I've got a little spot that is just covered with pintail around the first of March end of Febuary, prime camera folder.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

BWT can be tough to get in front of here late in the season. But generally those who are lucky enough to get one usually have a promo bird. Teal plume up pretty good late, you just have to find one. 
Ruddys plume up well, they just don't get the summer plumage here. Oldsquaw do the same thing. For that reason we decided earlier, we would judge them on winter plumage.


----------



## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

I shot a couple of shovelers today. Not prime, but they were close so I captured some good images. No shovelers were harmed in the process.


----------



## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

That's what I'm talking about it's mid Jan. there are thousands of spoonies around and very rarely a "prime" specimen.


----------

