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Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
#5307744
09/15/14 05:40 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292
Duckhawker
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292 |
I'm not asking anyone to legally out themselves on the internet and fire up the internet armchair game wardens, but a situation on Sunday made me wonder how many birds get mud stomped or tossed in the weeds.
Sunday morning in the first minute of legal shooting time, it was very cloudy and the light was low, a flock of about eight smallish birds circled once and landed at the edge of the decoys at a range of about twenty yards. In the low light, my hunting partner and I said we would let the first birds land so as to shoot more when they jumped. As we pull up to shoot, safety off, I see bills that are way too long to be teal. As you can guess, they were shovelers. In those low light conditions, if we had decided to shoot as they crossed in front of the blind well within range, I have no doubt we would have killed a couple of illegal birds.
Anyone ever have a similar situation? Anyone ever shoot the wrong species and then receive a citation from the game warden?
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307753
09/15/14 05:47 PM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788
wal1809
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 11,788 |
I have shot the wrong species but not received a citation as I was not discovered with the wrong bird. It was over 10 years ago so I would assume the statute of limitations has run out
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307770
09/15/14 05:56 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
I saw plenty of spoonys flying right in the middle of the groups of teal this weekend... usually try and pop the lead birds first then when they flare up you can pick them out pretty easy...
I have no idea why spoonys arnt included in the early season....
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307781
09/15/14 06:03 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 413
bluewingwidowmaker
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 413 |
My dad saw some guys during the early season several years back with their 4 bird limits on their tailgates.
Too bad they were wood ducks.
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307842
09/15/14 06:36 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 532
Esh and Hattie
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 532 |
Family is in Minnesota, the state opted out of early teal season this year, but in the preliminary article it was cited that, "The limit would include an aggregate of teal species, limit of 6, with an additional 1 'mistake duck'" First time I read it I'm sure there will be a lot of wood duck "mistakes". I'd still love to see the warden at the ramp with a fat greenhead and say, what?! I thought it was a teal!
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307890
09/15/14 07:08 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,839
kdub
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,839 |
I can understand accidentally shooting a spoonie, the blue on the wings and the fact that teal fly with them quite a bit can cause an oopsie.
What I don't understand is people mistaking mallards for teal. Aparrantly the dudes who set up 100 yards down from me yesterday could not tell the difference between the two species. EVERY single mallard that flew in was called at.. and there were a bunch of mallards. These guys did not stop calling for 2 hours. They were teal calling and whistling at the groups of resident mallards too and they seemed pretty confused when I would not shoot at them when they flew over me. And it' wasn't like they were just calling to call... they were calling at birds..
Finally as they started up calling at a few hens lighting behind me I said "Mallards!" The suzies went down and got back up quacking quack quack quack
They got real, real, quiet for the rest of the morning, not even talking to each other. hahaaaa
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307961
09/15/14 07:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 532
Esh and Hattie
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 532 |
It's kind of like watching a kid with a booger, you see the mallards headed for another group and inside you're split between,
Are they going to do it?! Are they?!
And
Noooooooooooo!
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5307994
09/15/14 08:14 PM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Navasot
Hollywood
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Hollywood
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032 |
I did see a crazy amount of mallards for this early
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308005
09/15/14 08:18 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,839
kdub
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,839 |
I was kinda hoping they would shoot, the entertainment factor made up for the teal not making much of a show..
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308031
09/15/14 08:30 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292
Duckhawker
OP
Bird Dog
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OP
Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 292 |
I had a member of a party shoot a wood duck about seven years ago during early teal season. Two woodies surprised us and right as I said "Wood duck!" he shot. We ate it.
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308085
09/15/14 08:58 PM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,866
LarryCopper
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,866 |
If you've never lined up a spoonie during early teal you just haven't been at it long enough. The key is... did you notice the big smile or the orange legs in time or did ya pull the trigger?
I have shot spoonies that I thought were BWT during big duck season, but luckily I haven't during early teal. I wouldn't doubt if some day I do. If a group is flying directly towards you low on the water they look identical until the landing gear comes down - and I can usually identify species a long way away.
Woodies and mallards fly completely differently than teal, hard to mistake those.
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308110
09/15/14 09:07 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,281
BradyBuck
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 8,281 |
We had two pintails circle us for a while and came within shooting range. We had no doubt they weren't teal but they sure did make you want blast em.
HRCH Washita's Kimber Locked N Loaded GRHRCH Firefly's Rally The Troops MH
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308274
09/15/14 10:32 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,367
kindall
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,367 |
I've seen it happen, but so far I haven't done it. My eyesight gets worse every year, so I don't know how long I will be able to say "I have never shot the wrong bird". Now I have shouldered my gun, and had a oh crap moment, right before I would have pulled the trigger.
So who has forgot to put the plug back in their gun. I could start a thread on that.
Shopping with your husband is like hunting with the game warden. Experience is what you get, when you didn't get what you wanted.
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308454
09/16/14 12:17 AM
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629
Astater
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 629 |
I watched a group of guys (teenagers) CALL at woodies Saturday morning. They dropped a few out of the first group. The second group landed in our deeks and then get up and fly right over them. They didn't shoot at the second group. Gotta think they realized what they did wrong.
Years ago I witnessed someone going over a limit. Needed one bird and shot 2 with one shot. That kinda sucked. Also saw a guy take one too many mallard hens. Sometimes it's difficult but I'd rather be safe than sorry and not shoot unless I knew for sure.
The things we do for ducks... NRA Life Member Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lifetime License/Member
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308472
09/16/14 12:26 AM
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 352
NTX Waterfowl
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 352 |
I had a member of a party shoot a wood duck about seven years ago during early teal season. Two woodies surprised us and right as I said "Wood duck!" he shot. We ate it. Similar thing for me, a couple years back a woody dropped out of nowhere after being constantly buzzed by teal, I shouted "wood duck" about the same time their shots broke. Last year I dropped 4 teal during regular season in one shot, thankfully they were the first of the day but that would of sucked if I needed just one more.
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: Duckhawker]
#5308542
09/16/14 01:08 AM
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Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 354
trash2
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 354 |
If I had $5 for every mottle duck I see get killed during teal season id be able to afford a nice lease, wish the GW's would listen to my complaints and quit being lazy about the situation. It's awful where I am
Last edited by trash2; 09/16/14 01:08 AM.
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Re: Ever shoot the wrong species during teal season?
[Re: NTX Waterfowl]
#5308572
09/16/14 01:18 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,839
kdub
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,839 |
I had a member of a party shoot a wood duck about seven years ago during early teal season. Two woodies surprised us and right as I said "Wood duck!" he shot. We ate it. Similar thing for me, a couple years back a woody dropped out of nowhere after being constantly buzzed by teal, I shouted "wood duck" about the same time their shots broke. Last year I dropped 4 teal during regular season in one shot, thankfully they were the first of the day but that would of sucked if I needed just one more. Happened to me a while ago too. They fly so tight that it is not impossible to do.
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