Texas Hunting Forum

Duck hierarchy?

Posted By: BradyBuck

Duck hierarchy? - 01/12/15 11:47 PM

I get that ringers are at the bottom because they are hard to clean and not as good to eat.

I don't however get why spoonies are looked down upon and why some other ducks are seen as better than others.

I love to hunt gadwall and wigeon but we shoot a lot of them. My favorite to hunt and in general is the pintail.

Most of them I see as being just puddlers and divers.

If I had to make a list though it would go as follows:

Pintail
Cinnamon teal
Mallard
Can
Bufflehead
Wooduck
Gadwall
Wigeon
GWT
Redhead
BWT
Spoonie
Ringer

I know there are more ducks than what's on my list but I don't know much about them I guess to form an opinion.

What's your favorite duck to hunt or in general?
Posted By: beaversnipe

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 12:15 AM

Wigeon
Pinnies
Mallard
Posted By: REQ

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 12:22 AM

A lot of the old school guys will argue that green is all they want to shoot. I'm with you though, love to watch a big sprig circle. Cinnamon teal and pintails are my 2 fav Texas species (along w harlequins for non Texas).

Posted By: BradyBuck

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 12:51 AM

That's one heck of sprig!
Posted By: Erichugh22

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 02:37 AM

Hunting the coast only for a couple years, pintails moved down on my list. I still get more excited when a greenhead is circling than anything else. Mine would be in order

1. Mallards, because I still haven't shot a lot of them

2.wigeon

3.pintail

4.woodies
Posted By: Cody Malone

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 02:53 AM

Mallard
Pintail
Widgeon
Woodduck
Canvasback
Teal
Gadwall
Posted By: Shinski

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 02:53 AM

Pintail
Can
Widgeon
Mallard
Gadwall
Redhead
Posted By: Dave Speer

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:20 AM

I like shootin ducks. Doesn't matter what they are. A lot of it is local, too. In places they celebrate when they get a good looking ringneck, here they are looked down upon. Up north near the border they never see a good plumed gadwall.
Posted By: _Scooter_

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:30 AM

hierarchy? okay...

Mallard
Wigeon
Pintail
Green Wing/Blue Wing Teal
Bufflehead
Gadwall
Wood duck (haven't gotten one yet)
Cinnamon Teal (never saw one in TX)













Then somewhere way down here,
Redheads and Canvasbacks
Scaup
Spoonies














And then way down here in a tie for the lowest priority would be:
ringers, Mergansers, and coots.
Posted By: droebuck

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:53 AM

Pintail
Gadwall
Green Wing Teal (because they are a challenge to hit)
Blue Wing Teal
Widgeon
Spoonie
Posted By: TOMCAT21

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 04:43 AM

Mallard
Pintail
Canvasback
Posted By: CinchMan

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 04:45 AM

Pintail (never shot a drake)
Wood duck (never shot one)
Mallard
Wigeon
Cinnamon
Can
Redhead
Gadwall
GWT
BWT
Spoonie
Posted By: Ridn9high

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 05:24 AM

Greenheads
Sprig
Woodies
Widgeon
Cans
RedHeads
Gaddies
Teal
Goldeneyes
Scaup
Posted By: mohunter

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 01:07 PM

Greenhead.
OTM's
Posted By: NTX Waterfowl

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 01:08 PM

I love them all, each has a cool quality about them that makes them unique. Sure, I would love to have pintails, widgeon, and Canvasbacks buzzing the spread more often or have a strap full of green with a kicker but how many hunts have been saved by that good tasting, almost-mallard-sized, and subtlety beautiful Gadwall. I'd like variety but I'll take a strap of Grey any day of the week.

I usually pass Ringnecks like a lot of guys but who can deny how cool it is when the little jets buzz your spread 10 ft off the water doing 50mph. Sometimes they sucker me into the shot just for the challenge of it (aged the go in sausage fine).

I guess that doesn't really answer the question but to me I just can't really put them in order, they pretty much all tie.
Posted By: Roc

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 02:53 PM

Please clarify All ducks or only ducks in north texas. Some people say goldeneyes and scaup but leave out sea ducks which to me rank the highest. I would put old squaw and harli at the top.

Are we ranking on taste, mount desire or looks.
Posted By: zbot11

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 02:59 PM

On an ideal North Texas Day here's what I get most excited about:

Pintail
Mallard
Canvasback
Wood duck
Gadwall
Widgeon
Teal
Spoonie
Ringneck
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:10 PM

My huntin buddy would have to agree about the spoonie. His ultimate bird is a fully plumed spoonie to put on the wall. He's obsessed. He got one this year that's just short of full plume and he was devistated! I told him he could come to the big water treatment sh!t tank next to my softball fields and shoot as many as he wanted!

Where we hunt gadwalls are a dime a dozen. They are still one of my favorites to hunt because you can shoot 6, they circle like crazy, and they're big and pretty tasty as far as ducks go!

Mine is:

Pintail (eluded me)
Woodie (also eluded me)
Mallard (going to pick up my mount this week)
Gadwall
Redhead
Canvasback
Wigeon
GWT
Bufflehead
Posted By: garrett

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:12 PM

pintail and canvasback, the rest are all about the same
Posted By: RedRaider3933

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:24 PM

First off, I will say that the Sandhill Crane is the king of all migratory birds. Ducks go as follows:

Mallard
Wigeon
Pintail
Gadwall
Redhead
Teal
Bufflehead
Woody
Canvasback
Coot
Ringer
Shovler

I make a concerted effort to not kill any shovlers.
Posted By: jseago

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:38 PM

Green Heads
Sprig


Woodies, teal, Wigeon
Gadwall, Redheads, cans, spoonies





blue bills, mergansers, ringnecks


that order and spacing...
Posted By: Navasot

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:42 PM

Which ever lands in the decoys first
Posted By: Corn

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 03:49 PM

I think it comes down to wanting more what you don't have. The more you are able to consistently bag a certain species, the less appealing they become. Not that they fall way down on the list, but you are numbed to them. Here's my list:

Pintail
Mallard
Gadwall/Widgeon
Teal
Cans/Reds
Spoonies








Tank terds
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 04:00 PM

Originally Posted By: mohunter
Greenhead.
OTM's


clap
Posted By: CinchMan

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 04:46 PM

Originally Posted By: LarryCopper
Originally Posted By: mohunter
Greenhead.
OTM's


clap


I'm assuming OTM stands for Other Than Mallards?
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 05:00 PM

Originally Posted By: CinchMan
I'm assuming OTM stands for Other Than Mallards?

Yes.

My list is short.
#1 Pinner, love the way they work and aren't easy to decoy up here.
#2 Can, don't get many of them and food .
#3 Greenheads, love the way they'll work a call.

Then everything else, but gaddies get an honorable mention for the way they'll dive bomb the spread.
Posted By: SpoonPlatoon

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 05:08 PM

Pins
Cans
Cinnamon Teal
Mallard
Wigeon
Redhead
Gads
BWT and GWT

That being said I want one of all of them.
Posted By: Randy H

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 07:52 PM

I would have to put the ole Greenhead on top, but I would have to put spoonie in for 2nd place. In my experience, no other duck decoys or responds to a call as well as ole Hollywood. They are just fun to call and shoot to me.

Then come gads, widgeons, and teal.

I have never had the opportunity at a Pintail, but would love to get a shot.

Wood Ducks are on the bottom for me. Not because I do not like them, but more because I like decoying ducks. Woodies are oblivious to calls. Also, I used to have a ton that were local and would stay on my place and raise. I would always pass on them unless I was having a really tough day.
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 08:14 PM

Buddy's dreams ALMOST came true... a little more green on the head and this guy would be on the wall. I'd say a drake spoonie in full plume for him is the equivelant of a monster 10 pt buck for most.
Posted By: DuckCoach1985

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 08:16 PM

..or is that a cinnamon teal?
Posted By: REQ

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/13/15 08:51 PM

Spoonies and ruddies are the hardest to get in full plumage IME. Have never seen a ruddy in full plume in season
Posted By: Jeff Elder

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 02:57 AM

Originally Posted By: mohunter
Greenhead.
OTM's


Im with Mark. Ive stopped counting after 300 Mallards this season. Whats your count up to Mark?
Posted By: LarryCopper

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 03:03 AM

Originally Posted By: Jeff Elder
Originally Posted By: mohunter
Greenhead.
OTM's


Im with Mark. Ive stopped counting after 300 Mallards this season. Whats your count up to Mark?

I'm gonna report you to Sprig Pato...
Posted By: Jeff Elder

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 03:16 AM

Hey I haven't posted any pics this year, so like Ogle who never post pics, I can say what I want grin
Posted By: fowlslayer11

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 03:23 AM

Mallard, widgeon, woodies, pintail.

Tons of pintail and woodies this year. Lone pair of mallards & a handful of widgeon.
Posted By: FamousAmos

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 09:23 PM

Pintail
Mallard
Widgeon
Gadwall
Teal
-
-
-
Ringneck and Scaup
Shoveler
Posted By: GreaterMallard

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 09:34 PM

Widgeon
Pintail
Mallard
Canvasback
WoodDuck
Gadwall
GWT
Buffle Head
BlueBill
Redhead
Spoonie
Ring Neck
Posted By: nacgoat08

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/14/15 11:22 PM

For the sake of the conversation, based solely on my opinion:
Pintail (Ol Graceful)
Mallard (the staple of pretty much anything duck hunting related)
Canvasback (conservation success story)
Wood duck (most aesthetically pleasing and delicious)
Gadwall (generally one of the easiest big ducks to work)
Widgeon (neck and neck with gaddies but often associated more with divers)
BWT (a little less common during big duck season)
GWT (delicious and nutritious)
Redhead (dumb as all get out but fun to decoy and witness the sheer numbers on the coast)
Bufflehead (good looking little birds, but I don't eat them and typically I feel too bad to shoot them with #2's haha)
Spoonies (they take better pictures)
Bluebill (what is there to say...)
Ringneck (just straight trash)
Coots (yeahhhhh....)
Posted By: Nathan Nelson

Re: Duck hierarchy? - 01/15/15 12:55 AM

Red Head
Can
Pintail
Wood Duck
BWT
GWT
Gadwall
Spoonie
Blue Bill
Ringer
Park Duck only if nothing else is around and you need to shoot trash...
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