# How rare?



## Wastin Bullets (Nov 23, 2011)

Hey guys.. Just wondering how rare black ducks are? 


Thanks,

Chris


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## Larry Young Jr (Nov 23, 2011)

In some areas they are not.


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## JimDraper (Nov 23, 2011)

we used to shoot a bunch of them in NY but I have not shot one down here yet.


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## Wastin Bullets (Nov 24, 2011)

Oh ok... I am new to hunting and a buddy of mine took me for the first time this past Tuesday and Wednesday.. Well Tuesday I didn't shoot anything.. but Wednesday I shot what I thought was a Mallard Hen as my first duck ever.. but turns out it was actually a Black Duck... I decided I wanted to get it mounted and the taxidermist said he has been doing what he does for a LONG time and has only seen 5 black ducks... he said he has killed 2 of them.. but that was up in Massachusetts.... Anyways.. He made it sound like they were really rare down in these parts... and I wanted to find out exactly how rare...

oh btw I ended up shooting a woodie drake also... but the Black duck was my first duck ever...

Thanks for taking the time to read this guys.

Chris Napier


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## jwb72 (Nov 24, 2011)

Awesome for a first! My first was a drake mallard, which is somewhat rare down here.  And boy was he :yummy:. I was gonna have him mounted, but he was tore up pretty bad.


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## Wastin Bullets (Nov 24, 2011)

Thats awesome.... yeah the woodies were tore up bad.. but the black duck didn't have the first ruffled feather... So needless to say after these few days of hunting ducks I am addicted... can't wait til season starts back in a few weeks!


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## GABASSMAN (Nov 24, 2011)

nice job! did you go play the lotto lately?


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## emusmacker (Nov 24, 2011)

Man that's awesome, especially with a black being your first duck.  Dang now I'm mad!!


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## Wastin Bullets (Nov 24, 2011)

Thanks guys! Nope haven't played the lotto lately.. probably should have went and played yesterday morning though! ha...


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## stick_slinger (Nov 24, 2011)

^Haha, Cant wait til next year Chris, have the boat and dog ready to go.. We are gonna have a blast.. Ready to get on the Thunder Chickens too lol.

CJ


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## king killer delete (Nov 25, 2011)

killed one in 50 years


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## Larry Young Jr (Nov 26, 2011)

If you go to Clayton Co. water sheds you will see alot of them. I have harvested 3 here in Ga. That was back in the 80's. I think alot of people have shot black ducks and they think they have shot a mallard hen. Alot of people just dont know.


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## turkeys101 (Nov 27, 2011)

i have never seen or killed one but i hear of some people on here who kill a good bit but they dont like totally slaughter them though


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## Headsortails (Nov 27, 2011)

I've killed three in 52 years in Florida.


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## Jaker (Nov 27, 2011)

I've killed a handful of em, but none in georgia


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## nickf11 (Nov 27, 2011)

Wow WTG! I've never killed one. My dad has killed a bunch up in Canada. Don't think I've ever even seen one here in GA.


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## gooseslayer26 (Nov 27, 2011)

congrats on your first duck, especially since it was a black duck!!


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## Skyjacker (Nov 27, 2011)

Make sure it wasn't a Mottle Duck.  They look alike and Mottle Ducks are very common in this area.


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## Wastin Bullets (Nov 27, 2011)

nope definitely a black duck... after doing my research it is definitely a black duck... and I found out it is a drake


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## Boudreaux (Nov 27, 2011)

They are not as common as they used to be, and are becoming less common each year.  Do some Google research on the Black Duck and you'll find plenty of theories as to why - including the loss of habitat and the cross breeding with mallards.


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## fishndinty (Nov 28, 2011)

There are geographical pockets in the midwest that have a lot of them, too.  I have discovered one in Ohio, which is amazing.  Killed 3 last season, and one day I had to lay off of several pairs in the decoys after I had downed one.

Anytime I get one, even here, it is VERY special.


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## tony2001577 (Nov 28, 2011)

I have shot maybe 20 in the past 3 or 4 years {north ga }, dont know what it is about my beaver pond but they like it ? I have given two to local taxidemists to mount and put in there show room . If you look in my avatar you can see a few .


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## nowigeon (Nov 29, 2011)

i kill a lot on the northeast side of the state, but they seem to be getting rarer


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## fishndinty (Nov 29, 2011)

nowigeon said:


> i kill a lot on the northeast side of the state, but they seem to be getting rarer



Population surveys back you up on that, at least on the Atlantic flyway.  I bet there is a closed season on them in a couple years like there was for canvasbacks.  Hope it makes a difference.


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