Mottled duck v. Hen mallard ID

I just noticed the season is different for dusky ducks than regular ducks. I don't know that I've ever seen one, but how do yall tell the difference between a mottled & hen mallard on the wing? I'm colorblind so bird id can be real tricky for me. I can't even tell a scaup from a redhead until it's about 40 yards out

If you're in south tx anything that looks like a mallard hen is probably not a mallard hen especially the first week of season. Mallards don't normally venture that far south. So I would say don't try to distinguish difference. Just pass on anything that looks like one the first week.

You just have to know flight patterns and how they are gonna come in. 90 % of the time there gonna come in a pair and first light. I've killed a ton of mottled ducks down here on the coast and only a handfull of mallards. Your not gonna have a problem with mottled duck an mallard id for the first week just because they aren't going to be in the same areas. Just pass on the big ducks that come in singles and pairs right at first light and your fine

Where are you located? I've never seen a mottled duck anywhere besides south Texas.

Cool, thanks guys