Hybrids, why the excitement?

Never understood the excitement of shooting a hybrid duck. It is a messed up duck, you have a duck that screwed the wrong duck, and had a messed up baby duck. God did not intended for these 2 ducks to screw, right? So why is this good? I'm sure I'm missing something.

If you had killed one Guy, would your thoughts be the same? It's pretty simple, they are more rare than a banded duck.

Nope. And I would not mount it either. But that is just me. I thought there might me more to it, other than 1 duck screwed the wrong duck.

The wood duck crosses look really neat.

When you shoot one-I'll take it. Just getting in the game early.....

Lol have you been stuck in the house to long?? I never got the band hype either.. But I sure grab those legs everytime I pick one up

I am pretty fond of my "Brewers" duck. Have shot other hybrids, but this was my first one to mount.

Well recovering a band is a good thing. What is good about a cross bred duck? Other than it being rare? Nothing wrong with posting a pic of your mess-up ducks, and having discussion about what duck screwed what, but to mount a deformed duck I do not get. They are mutt ducks.

What does a wood duck hybrid look like?

A mule deer/whitetail hybrid looks pretty wonky.

The hybrid ducks I've seen have been along those same lines

It depends on what wood duck screws.

They're called interlopers, just ask the good reverend.

One of the waterfowl magazines had a article on hybrids a few months ago; one biologist said most hybrids he had checked were mallard crosses. Simple explanation he had for that was mallards were big ducks and natural rapists.

What if its not voluntary.

What if the wood duck is a victim of surprise sex?

^ wth lol

I think Guy just likes to say "screw."

Correction above.

You got me there foosh.

Mallards are gang rapist, nothing rare there. Redhead screwing a Canvasback, I guess I can understand the excitement but not for me.

So does that make a redback or a canvas head?

Well I don't think God has anything to do with it. Cross breeding has taking place sense the dawn of time by many many species that inhabit this earth. But I'm with you in that a pure breed looks better to me.

Guy you wouldn't mount this?

Well, that is my favorite 2 ducks all in one, if I was ever going to be tempted, that would be it. But I already have a pintail and mallard mount in my office, as well as a GWT, wood duck, and hooded merg. Gadwall and wigeon next on the list, no plans for cross bred ducks. I like to look at ducks I see every day in the field, and also use as discussion items with non-duck hunters or newbie duck hunters that are guest at my house, a cross bred mount I'm not interested in, that's just me I guess.

Redhead, canvasback, and jack also on the list.

Can you kill 2 of those, 5 of em, or an average for 3.5??

3.5, lol. I would say you could shoot 6, the regs say nothing about limits on mutt ducks.

I had a gw tell me no limits on mutt ducks. Doubt his peers would agree though.

The USFWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) made a final ruling on hybrids in December 2013. The ruling makes it clear all hybrids of any protected species of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, no matter how many generations removed from the wild, are fully protected. That means waterfowl hunting regulations and bag limits apply to hybrids.

How this is enforced in the field is another story. In many states, mallard hybrids count toward your mallard limit. Suppose you shoot a Can x Redhead in Texas, you likely have your one Can. Shoot a Redhead and a Can X Redhead, you’re within limits but shoot another redhead and you’re at the mercy of your friendly GW since he could say you have three redheads; hopefully the hunter would be given the benefit of the doubt. If there was any doubt in my bag limit, I’d start bird watching until a different species came in for a visit.

Some might reason because the regulations state the aggregate limit is six for species not listed, perhaps a hybrid should count toward the unlisted species? Possible, but since the most common hybrids are a mix of one or two of the listed species, unless you really know the difference, I would suggest not taking any chances.

Blue Moon

Guy why you hating on the Mutt ducks. They need some loving too........


The way widgeon and gaddys congregate I'm surprised we don't see more.

This is probably the predicable outcome of hens eating wet,fermented corn in the fields every afternoon

Too many ducks been watching your Lama

Yet you have something that most who spend years duck hunting will never have. There was a rhyme about a $2.00 duck when I was younger

Gdogg you know I'm not a hater, just not going to mount a mutt duck. Now a spoonie/ringer hybrid, I might have to mount that just for the CTX crew.

Blue moon, thanks for the awesome post. That is the kind of research and info that makes this forum truly worthwhile!

(But it's the subtle sarcasm and jokes that keep me coming back)

All this talk about mounting and screwing, I think this forum has crossed over to the dark side with all these code words....