drake greenwing teal

[Roop-Dogg]

just sitting here reading some of the posts and reflecting on past days in pursuit of ducks.

there was a post here a while ago about what we thought was the prettiest duck. it was interesting to read everybody's opinions and i would have to agree with ALL of them. lots of pretty ducks out there. however, i thought it was interesting that nobody mentioned a drake greenwing teal. when they are in their prime they are also very pretty. since they do not reach their prime colors until late in fall, i wonder if most have'nt migrated by the time they reach their full colors.

i certainly have shot my share of green wing teal over the years, but i have never bagged a prime drake. i always had seen pictures of them in duck books but had never actually seen one. in fact, i always wondered how i could NOT have bagged one when greenwing teal are so common around here. after reading in a book this winter that they don't get their full coloring until late in the fall i thought maybe they migrated before they before they primed. worked for me.

anyway, i did see one this past fall. it was very late in the season, probably the last week in november. the time of year when in most years everything has been froze for 1-2 weeks already.(and they would have migrated! get it?) had it and 3 hens sitting about 20 yards from me. i was able to watch it for quite some time and was really impressed with its color. it was a sunny day so every time it turned a bit, the different colors just shined.

it probably wasn't as colorful as a drake wood duck but it scored a lot of points for color AND uniqeness.(is that a word? ) sometimes the woody gets taken for granted just because they are so common.

i know i don't get out as often as some of you but i do get out 10-12 times a year. enough time to see one if there are a lot around.(i would think) -- unless i'm not looking..

anyway, after all this rambling my questions to you is this: how many of you have seen this duck in its full color. are they fairly common, or do they migrate before obtaining their full plummage? have you ever bagged one? are they pretty or am i nuts? (call me nuts, i'm not easily offended)

any thoughts or comment are welcome. just something for me to ponder on a cold winter night.

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Roop

[This message has been edited by Roop-Dogg (edited 03-01-2002).]

[Guest]

Roop - I agree they do rank right up there at the top. I finally got a really nice Drake in SD this year and it's at the Taxidermist now. Seen a few that have great plummage on them just hard to get one that has all the color and doesn't catch the full pattern. There are usually a few left in late October there. The duck that is hard to get in full plummage, at least for me, is a Drake Blue Wing. Seen them in magazines and on TV with full plummage but not one in the blind - yet!

[smallies24]

I have to say there is something special about a drake greenwing in full plumage. I've shot many close to full plumage and one or two that were in full plumage. They are truly magnificant birds. Greenwings can come into full plumage before the end of the minnesota season, but most of them have migrated before they reach their full colors.

As for the bluewing, they often don't get their full plumage until January or even February. If you get one in Minnesota during the season, you're exceptionally lucky. I like the colors of the widgeon myself, and have one on my wall. I think the thing that I like about the greenwings is that their some small and delicate looking. When you find one in full plumage it only magnifies this.

Man, I need to stop before I gat too carried away. The season may be far away, but I'm pumped already!

[Sartell Angler]

I hear ya smallies. I've shot many green-wingers over the last 2 years, and i've never got one in completely full plumage, although 2 of them were close. As for blue-wings, the first time I saw those in full plumage was last spring. I love walking in the spring, just to watch the ducks/geese. Also, last spring was the first time I've ever seen a pintail around here. Teal are tough to beat for the wall, and impossible to beat for the table.

S.A. -- ps.* is anyone hunting snows this spring? I wish they'd come through Minnesota like they do Nebraska and the Dakotas.

[Guest]

Last season I was able to take a full strap of fully plumed Greenwingers in North Dakota. In fact that day we took 2 limits of fully plumed drakes. I had never shot a fully plumed Greenwinger before that. I have shot LOTS of BWT but none even close to having winter plumage. Those Greenwingers made for remarkable pictures and a memorable hunt. I shoot em cause thier good on a kabob wrapped in bacon with BBQ sauce...hehehe!

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If I'm not in the duck blind or the ice house I'm thinking about it!!......maybe thats why I can't pay attention in class!