Curly tail feathers

[Ely Lake Expert]

I shot a drake mallard 3 years ago in SW MN. It was a real big pretty bird and it had 6 curly tail feathers. Everyone I have told about this has either said "why didn't you get it mounted" or plain didn't believe me. I have no reason to make this up, I just didn't know that the curly feathers were so rare. Has anyone else every shot a duck with multiple curly tail feathers? Or was this something that unusual that it should have been mounted?

Ryan

[BigWadeS]

I have shot many Mallards and most have multiple curls, however, 1-3 are a nice good size mature male. If you get a Mallard with 4 or more that is a big very mature, very old bird. Growing up in ND where Mallards where everywhere, the best I have ever shot was a 4 curl, I made the mistake of attempting to mount it a biology class when we were doing taxidermy, destroyed it. Oh, well, october isn't that far away.

[TRM]

If you did shoot a 6 curly tail you should have had it mounted (rare) (very rare) (never seen one) a mallard only has 4 follicle holes for the (curly) tail feathers to grow from so it would be very rare to find one with six (not saying it could not happen) being a taxidermist I have seen many strange things..

[Ely Lake Expert]

Now I wish I would of had it mounted. It honestly had 6. It was also the biggest mallard I have ever shot/seen in my life. Seriously comparable with a lesser canadian goose sizewise. Not quite as big, but comparable. I think I may have a picture of it somewhere at home. I will have to try to find it and post it on monday.

[BigWadeS]

I agree with you, some of those BIG and I mean Big Northern Mallards are the size of lesser canadaian geese, boy they are fun to hunt....

[frabillfisher]

That means there twice as smart too ...those curls are pretty cool lookin, best i've gotten was 3 almost got that one mounted

[Mark Christianson]

I shot a 4 curl several years ago, sent it off to a guy to mount, and never saw my bird again.

So much for the bargain connections.......... Dang.

Now 6 curls????????? Holy Shnikies!!!!!!

[Fish'n guy]

I hate to say it but you should've mounted that bad boy. Definately a keeper in my opinion!!!! My best is 4 curls and I only killed 4 in that class this year. The dash in my pickup is just full of curls, and people are always saying "what the heck are those, and why would any person in their right mind save them?"

I just say its a serious addiction that I aquired at a young age. When your a "quack addict" you do silly things !!!

[Ely Lake Expert]

Had I known then what you guys now informed me of now. I would have definately gotten it mounted. At that point in time it was just another bird to add to the many we shot that week. I was also 4 hours from home with a couple of days to go on our trip. Not sure how I would of preserved it anyway. Now I just have to hope something as cool as a 6 curl happens to me again someday. Maybe a 6 curl with a metal band (now i am dreaming )

I am not sure what was cooler that trip, the 6 curl or when 5 male canvasbacks made a side to side pass by the decoys and we dropped all 5.

I sure can't wait for duck hunting to start again, I am getting duck hunting fever.

Ryan

[stayman79]

Should'a, would'a, could'a...how many times do we say that? On my first trip diver hunting I shot my first drake canvasback. The guys I was with said it was a really big one, it had a really thick neck, but didn't make too big of a deal about it so we cleaned it with all of the rest. Well since then, everytime it comes up they tell me " You should have mounted that one, you'll never see one that big again, I haven't seen one that big in 15 years!"

NOW you tell me!

Oh, well. It happened once, it can happen again!

[guy100]

Not trying to one up you or anything but I shot a mallard last fall that had 7 curls. Fortunatly I did bring him to the taxidermist. Haven't got it back yet but when I do I will post some pics of it.

[Ely Lake Expert]

Cool, congrats. That is a good thing, that means there are more out there and hope for me to get another one like it in the future.

[RonZych]

Are these curls all curling up or are some of them flat to the body? Six or seven curl feathers curling up would look pretty wild. Most drakes have numerous curls but they are flat to the body with only one or two sticking up.

[guy100]

the seven that I counted are all curled up. Should getit back soon so I will post pics when it does get back to me