Mallard Obsession Ruining Duck Hunting?

Seems like a harsh assessment

Our Obsession with Greenheads Is Ruining Duck Hunting as We Know It

https://www.outdoorlife.com/story/h...unting-mallards-is-ruining-duck-hunting/

Well that looks like to me his specifically talking about Arkansas. And he is saying there are plenty of ducks to hunt in flooded rice but the hunters want to hunt the public green timber. now let's put this together is he upset that people aren't spending $2,000 a gun to lease a single pit blind in a rice marsh instead of going to public for a small sweet 16 fee?

Without needing to read the rest of the article I can tell that the author is an idiot. if by some chance the state of Arkansas leased up a million acres of rice and opened it up for public hunting people would be wall-to-wall hunting rice but in Arkansas your ducks are on private rice or public timber those are your choices.

I never understood the mallard snob thing, they are by far the post populated species in north america by x3. Shooting mallards is like setting up on station one at the skeet field, never moving and bragging you busted 24 out of 25. People like them because they are easy to work, bring down a group after group of pintails if you want to impress someone

This is why I don't hunt pintails.

I'm happy if I get a few shots at woodies flying down the creek and don't have to get up at 230 am and got to experience some great duck hunting in the late 80'sand 90's on Sulpher but the ducks just aren't there like they used to be and there was no competition. Son will be here in the next week or so and he has already asked if we can go shoot a few wood ducks can't wait.

Just means there's more teal for me!

I grew up hunting mallards in harvested crop land and flooded timber. They are the easiest ducks to learn to call and work. There is a beauty to the predictable way they respond to call and decoys. I understand the affliction...

I have always preferred a mixed bag myself.

I duck hunted a lot in Arkansas and Oklahoma, before moving to Texas in 2016. This is my take:

Mallards are one of the few duck species where it is easy to distinguish the males from the females. They are also the most plentiful duck in some flyways. Shooting only greenheads means you took your time and picked them out of the flock and made good shots with no "accidental" kills. It is not an easy task. I would compare it to only shooting older deer, or deer that met a minimum rack size requirement. Takes patience and discipline.

I have only been on a few hunts where we were able to only shoot greenies. I am not opposed to mixed bags, and that was typically the case. I should also mention that all my hunts were on public access areas. May be different on private leases.

I enjoy greenheads as much as anyone else, but I prefer a mixed bag with a pintail and wigeon and maybe others.

The author seemed to have a high regard for spoonies, hard to take him seriously

If I lived in Arkansas I would hunt the flooded timber for mallards and wood duck when conditions were right. When they weren't I would hunt the pits for a mixed bag.

Mallards are awesome, but I still love a mixed bag. Teal, pintail, wigeon and mallard are my favorite species. But also live the opportunity for canvasback, red heads, wood ducks, gadwall and a big wad of ringnecks will get my blood pumping.

I grew up in Arkansas also.

Love that truck too

I don't agree with that assessment.

When I see a group of teal or woody's, me thinks of a group of airhead school girls. when I see gaddy's or wigdeon I envision nice girls that quiet didn't make the cheerleader squad. When I see cans or pintails I envision Miss America contestants.

But when I see a big group of greenheads, Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders is all I can see.....swimsuit edition.

And when I see a spooner, overweight girls they let on the squad to be pc.

How can that be ruining duck hunting?

This assessment made me laugh

I suppose those Dallas girls are about as dumb as they get.

https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2020/dec/10/mallards-galore/

This was my favorite way to hunt them when I lived in Arkansas. Back against a tree in one to three feet of water with dekes sitting in a small opening calling them in and only shooting when you can see their orange feet. Man I miss that.

I do too except it was on Sulpher improved cylinder and 7 1/2 skeet loads were deadly . No need to shoot any high fliers.

I do too except it was on Sulpher improved cylinder and 7 1/2 skeet loads were deadly . No need to shoot any high fliers.

Well the hunt on the creek this am resulted in one mallard drake and just flat missed a pair of woodies then the downpour started oh well try again in the morning.