# Hen mallard limit



## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

wavie said:


> Would love to know that technicality so I could play that card when/if I may need to. Please feel free to share.


i know because being innocent these days doesn't seem to be enough to satisfy anyone besides the judge who deemed it true.

greenbay is just a hater. takes shots from behind the computer hoping to inflict as much damage as possible without having to justify any of it. 

don't really care much but it is kinda pussified way of doing it.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

I was out of line with my previous post so I deleted it. I apologize to all of you...with one exception


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## LoBrass (Oct 16, 2007)

You guys _still_ on the hen mallard thing?

Are there not more pressing issues??

If a guy is upset (one way or the other) about one or 2 hen mallards in the bag limit they should fish instead of hunt. Better yet, pick up video gaming. Just saying.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

So back to the OP about two hens in the bag and what scientific data shows it's a good thing to do, since we're a little over a week out from the March meeting, I'm curious if any of the CWAC members that visit this site have gotten any info prior to the meeting? Seems as if you all typically get a pretty good sized packet of info to study. If so, is it definitive, or just wishy-washy? I'll be curious to hear the discussion at the meeting.


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## Quackaddicted (Mar 13, 2011)

JD, as of 7:39 PM on Feb 24 CWAC members have NOT received any info regarding hen mallards (or anything else, for that matter). Will update if that changes.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Quackaddicted said:


> JD, as of 7:39 PM on Feb 24 CWAC members have NOT received any info regarding hen mallards (or anything else, for that matter). Will update if that changes.


Just curious is all Bud. Is Don still coordinating? Seems as if I heard he was doing something else now.


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## Quackaddicted (Mar 13, 2011)

Don Avers is still coordinator as far as I know. He sent out info in Jan about new members and Dave Shaw requested time from him to discuss LED issues at the March meeting. Terry Laymon is the Chair, BTW.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Greenbay said:


> 5. Maybe because a Prez of one of the organizations got caught shooting an extra hen but got off on a technicality.


So Greg...it is Greg, right? How about you bring proof of this so-called "technicality" to the next SFCHA meeting, huh? That way we can talk about it openly, not hiding behind a keyboard. Because from what I understand, the judge dressed down the CO's pretty well for fabricating their story. Court documents show the testimony...hard to dispute THOSE facts!


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## BIRD BARREL (Aug 14, 2010)

Ok did some game law reading from mi to la on hen mallard daily bag limits. Their are only 2 states that carry a one hen limit in my readings MI and OH . To me this is enough to justifie mi to carry a two hen daily limit. 

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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

BIRD BARREL said:


> Ok did some game law reading from mi to la on hen mallard daily bag limits. Their are only 2 states that carry a one hen limit in my readings MI and OH . To me this is enough to justifie mi to carry a two hen daily limit.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


seems to me that MN also was 1 hen..but they may have gave into it last season.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> seems to me that MN also was 1 hen..but they may have gave into it last season.


Need to get them before the Mexican's do.


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## LoBrass (Oct 16, 2007)

TSS Caddis said:


> Need to get them before the Mexican's do.


And _HILLBILLYS!!_


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## PhilBernardi (Sep 6, 2010)

Minnesota allows 2 hen mallards in the daily bag.


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## BIRD BARREL (Aug 14, 2010)

I think your wright kid . But I read just the game laws of states south of MI. 

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## ducslayer (Sep 28, 2009)

I will continue to shoot only one hen. I'm not a meat hunter. but to each their own.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

ducslayer said:


> I will continue to shoot only one hen. I'm not a meat hunter. but to each their own.


And probably 99% of us will follow suit with you. But think of this scenario, which is not all that uncommon....you take a youth, or an adult who's just inexperienced, out hunting. The first bunch comes in and as luck would have it the kid has his hen within 5 minutes. And it's one of those days that it's just hard to pick out drakes (or early season). Now that youth is sweating bullets, and probably passing up some easy shots at drakes just because he's petrified of taking the second hen. 

I'll give you a real-life example. Normally when I hunt, we like to call the shots, and we take what we personally shoot. I personally also count my cripples as kills, but that's just my personal preference. But I was hunting two years ago with a couple really green youths. A pm hunt, and early in the afternoon they each had their hen. I had been calling shots out for them as best I could. Well mid-afternoon a pair came right in, I said to both of them really clearly several times "the one on the right is the drake...shoot the drake". So the birds come in feet down, the one kid shoots, and yep, down goes the hen. He was devastated. he was yelling "I aimed at the drake" over and over, and absolutely crushed. I tried to console him saying mistakes happen to the best of us. I ended up taking that second hen and counting it as mine...a "party shoot" so to speak. I don't normally do that, but this was an exception. I tried for the rest of the day to get that kid to forget the mistake, but he just couldn't let it go. And I haven't seen him back either...not sure if this is why? My point is giving a bit of a "mulligan" if you will to some hunters may not be such a bad thing. JMO


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

Will make you hunt much better. Couple years back I took my little brother and little cousin out. First 2 birds of the afternoon where mallard hens. That hunt I think we counted 63 ducks that LANDED in the spread. 3 were teal of witch they each shot one. The rest were mallards. We had the sun in our eyes and couldn't pick out a single drake from all the ducks. So what should have been a limit hunt ended in 4 ducks and a lot of frustration. I had picked a few out that I thought were drakes but couldn't ever pick out one 100%.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

just ducky said:


> And probably 99% of us will follow suit with you. But think of this scenario, which is not all that uncommon....you take a youth, or an adult who's just inexperienced, out hunting. The first bunch comes in and as luck would have it the kid has his hen within 5 minutes. And it's one of those days that it's just hard to pick out drakes (or early season). Now that youth is sweating bullets, and probably passing up some easy shots at drakes just because he's petrified of taking the second hen.
> 
> I'll give you a real-life example. Normally when I hunt, we like to call the shots, and we take what we personally shoot. I personally also count my cripples as kills, but that's just my personal preference. But I was hunting two years ago with a couple really green youths. A pm hunt, and early in the afternoon they each had their hen. I had been calling shots out for them as best I could. Well mid-afternoon a pair came right in, I said to both of them really clearly several times "the one on the right is the drake...shoot the drake". So the birds come in feet down, the one kid shoots, and yep, down goes the hen. He was devastated. he was yelling "I aimed at the drake" over and over, and absolutely crushed. I tried to console him saying mistakes happen to the best of us. I ended up taking that second hen and counting it as mine...a "party shoot" so to speak. I don't normally do that, but this was an exception. I tried for the rest of the day to get that kid to forget the mistake, but he just couldn't let it go. And I haven't seen him back either...not sure if this is why? My point is giving a bit of a "mulligan" if you will to some hunters may not be such a bad thing. JMO


Well put. It will help out newbies and youth hunters tremendously. My group and I always try to target drakes, but the first light birds always get you. IMO a 2 hen limit wouldn't hurt. 


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## omega58 (Sep 3, 2003)

I hunt ducks a few times a year, just would rather hunt grouse and woodcock (FYI- I try to only shoot males). 

If they allow 2 hens, does my taking of 2 hens in the at most 5 days I target ducks make me a worse person than those that hunt ducks 20+ days and ONLY take one hen per day?


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

omega58 said:


> I hunt ducks a few times a year, just would rather hunt grouse and woodcock (FYI- I try to only shoot males).
> 
> If they allow 2 hens, does my taking of 2 hens in the at most 5 days I target ducks make me a worse person than those that hunt ducks 20+ days and ONLY take one hen per day?


Nope. Unless I know it's going to be a great day the first 2 birds that come in are getting shot...Hens or not. Now I'm not going to go out targeting hens. If a pair comes in I'll go for the drake. But I'm out there to have fun and killing ducks is fun.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

Nuff Daddy said:


> Will make you hunt much better. Couple years back I took my little brother and little cousin out. First 2 birds of the afternoon where mallard hens. That hunt I think we counted 63 ducks that LANDED in the spread. 3 were teal of witch they each shot one. The rest were mallards. We had the sun in our eyes and couldn't pick out a single drake from all the ducks. So what should have been a limit hunt ended in 4 ducks and a lot of frustration. I had picked a few out that I thought were drakes but couldn't ever pick out one 100%.


That's another great example. IF, and I said IF because I haven't seen the data yet, the science says that taking 2 hens will not hurt the population, then what's wrong with you allowing them to shoot their two hens on that tough day, and potentially turning a very frustrating day for them into a potentially very enjoyable day for them? In my mind, these are all good scenarios for supporting a two hen limit...again, if the science supports it


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## LoBrass (Oct 16, 2007)

Just Ducky, your kids example is the main reason the youths should not have any restriction on bag limit-other than 6 ducks.

Can't afford to lose any prospects. 

IMO.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

LoBrass said:


> Just Ducky, your kids example is the main reason the youths should not have any restriction on bag limit-other than 6 ducks.
> 
> Can't afford to lose any prospects.
> 
> IMO.


would love to see that happen.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

LoBrass said:


> Just Ducky, your kids example is the main reason the youths should not have any restriction on bag limit-other than 6 ducks.
> 
> Can't afford to lose any prospects.
> 
> IMO.


I posted this a few years back in a youth season thread specifically for the youth season and got tarred and feathered..


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

LoBrass said:


> Just Ducky, your kids example is the main reason the youths should not have any restriction on bag limit-other than 6 ducks.
> 
> Can't afford to lose any prospects.
> 
> IMO.


110% in support!


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

DEDGOOSE said:


> I posted this a few years back in a youth season thread specifically for the youth season and got tarred and feathered..


times change, and people's attitudes change. So be persistent. Example is what I said in an earlier post where several years ago I openly tarred and feathered my CWAC rep because he supported allowing 2 hens in the bag. I've changed my thoughts, provided the data that I believe is out there comes forward


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

2 hens down here in IL and still shoot all drakes, just all depends on the person I guess. There's no shortage of them that's for sure.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

LoBrass said:


> Just Ducky, your kids example is the main reason the youths should not have any restriction on bag limit-other than 6 ducks.
> 
> Can't afford to lose any prospects.
> 
> IMO.


That would be awesome to see! 


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

DEDGOOSE said:


> I posted this a few years back in a youth season thread specifically for the youth season and got tarred and feathered..


The same people that would have done so also don't want bucks being shot during the youth season or don't want the youth to have any advantages over them period. Some people just don't get it.


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## SBE II (Jan 13, 2009)

TSS Caddis said:


> The same people that would have done so also don't want bucks being shot during the youth season or don't want the youth to have any advantages over them period. Some people just don't get it.


So if I understand this correctly, we need to up the limit (2) hens because if not we might lose youth participation? So it's "killing" aspect that keeps our youth engaged in "hunting?"

Just thinking outside the box, because if it were the case I would be so uninterested in hunting. Paddling my tail off with my dad in a canoe to watch him scratch out a couple ducks, or when geese weren't around staring at blank skies, and carving sticks with my old mans knife to kill time.


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## LoBrass (Oct 16, 2007)

TSS Caddis said:


> The same people that would have done so also don't want bucks being shot during the youth season or don't want the youth to have any advantages over them period. Some people just don't get it.


WHAT!!?? Kids get to kill _BUCKS_ before ME!!?? PREPOSTEROUS!!


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## Tron322 (Oct 29, 2011)

SBE II said:


> So if I understand this correctly, we need to up the limit (2) hens because if not we might lose youth participation? So it's "killing" aspect that keeps our youth engaged in "hunting?"
> 
> Just thinking outside the box, because if it were the case I would be so uninterested in hunting. Paddling my tail off with my dad in a canoe to watch him scratch out a couple ducks, or when geese weren't around staring at blank skies, and carving sticks with my old mans knife to kill time.



the other people I have brought out since I was in high school the last 15 -20 years would never come out again if the day is what you described.


I think the youth especially live in a fast paced world where they get things easy. I think they need action right away going out.


One guy I met a couple years ago asked me how I duck hunt, said it was too boring. here is the story he told me.


"_back in high school my buddy asked me to go, said it was a blast. so we got up early which sucked and I met him at the river and we got in his boat and motored upstream._

_we got to this little creek and had to get out of the boat and drag the damn thing up the creek, don't know why we couldn't just keep motoring it up._

_Sat there all morning and only got 2 ducks, think they were wood ducks, I don't know. never been back too boring."_


I told him that sounds like a good day, he said I was crazy. he had one bad trip 10 years before I talked to him and he didn't want to come out and hunt with me because I was only getting a bird or two a day.


I think rules like this will help get a few more addicted. personally you and me are a lot alike SBE, I just loved being out there and still do.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

SBE II said:


> So if I understand this correctly, we need to up the limit (2) hens because if not we might lose youth participation? So it's "killing" aspect that keeps our youth engaged in "hunting?"


No, the any 6 ducks during the youth season.

There are lessons to be learned with duck ID, picking shots, etc... But IMO, a bigger lesson at that age is getting some trigger time on live birds and just the pure enjoyment of it all.


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

TSS Caddis said:


> No, the any 6 ducks during the youth season.
> 
> There are lessons to be learned with duck ID, picking shots, etc... But IMO, a bigger lesson at that age is getting some trigger time on live birds and just the pure enjoyment of it all.


no different with fishing. Anyone who's ever introduced a kid to fishing knows that you take them for bluegills or something you can catch a load of and have lots of action. They care about quantity and action, not necessarily quality. That comes to them later.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

TSS Caddis said:


> No, the any 6 ducks during the youth season.
> 
> There are lessons to be learned with duck ID, picking shots, etc... But IMO, a bigger lesson at that age is getting some trigger time on live birds and just the pure enjoyment of it all.


Exactly the kids I took during youth season came from deer hunting families and had never even handled a dead duck in their life.. 

As Caddis mentioned there is so many things going through their head on their first duck hunt, gun safety, picking good shots and making them, getting out of the layout blind etc.. 

With the timing of the youth season it can be difficult for seasoned hunters to identify hens from drakes.. All you can basically do is bring out the book and show them, tell them to shoot one duck and one duck only than ground check it.. If its a hen what do you tell them, there done because you can surely trust them to pull the trigger with all that is going on.. That is no fun for them its almost as if they are punished..


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Exactly the kids I took during youth season came from deer hunting families and had never even handled a dead duck in their life..
> 
> As Caddis mentioned there is so many things going through their head on their first duck hunt, gun safety, picking good shots and making them, getting out of the layout blind etc..
> 
> With the timing of the youth season it can be difficult for seasoned hunters to identify hens from drakes.. All you can basically do is bring out the book and show them, tell them to shoot one duck and one duck only than ground check it.. If its a hen what do you tell them, there done because you can surely trust them to pull the trigger with all that is going on.. That is no fun for them its almost as if they are punished..


Excellent points


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## John Singer (Aug 20, 2004)

I have been taking children hunting on the waterfowl youth hunt for over 15 years. Over bagging on hen mallards has never been an issue. 

On many occasions, after a hen has been bagged, I have told a child to hold their fire. 

I do not share many of your concerns in this matter.


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## Nuff Daddy (Dec 5, 2012)

John Singer said:


> On many occasions, after a hen has been bagged, I have told a child to hold their fire.


This is what we are all talking about. That shouldn't be a part of getting a youth interested in duck hunting.


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

John Singer said:


> I have been taking children hunting on the waterfowl youth hunt for over 15 years. Over bagging on hen mallards has never been an issue.
> 
> On many occasions, after a hen has been bagged, I have told a child to hold their fire.
> 
> I do not share many of your concerns in this matter.


lol this is exactly the point they are making.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

John Singer said:


> On many occasions, after a hen has been bagged, I have told a child to hold their fire.


Its like sending a kid to the penalty box.. You need to sit in there until the geese fly.. As his friends are shooting away at the next flock and rewarded because they did not connect on the random bird they shot at.. 

These are kids 8-10-12 years old and maybe younger by todays laws.. I know I know as I was informed in that thread years ago, "its part of the game" .. But similar to APRs where kids can whack the first buck that walks by its about the experience..


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## Bellyup (Nov 13, 2007)

How about this, break it down in steps. 

What is your first step in adding to the ranks ? 
1. Interest
How do you generate interest ? You show them a great time, and you harvest waterfowl. We are talking specifically about kids on this thread, so I am referring to them. At 5 years old on up to legal age they are no longer considered a "youth" season hunter, they need to have oppurtunity to shoot a lot. Like some have said, they have a lot of distractions. We didn't have Playstation when I was that age, video games were played at the local arcade. It cost a quarter to play one game. So when my dad took me duck hunting, it was easy for me to find the fun in this, as I didn't have a cell phone, facebook, twitter, home video games, and 700 channels on TV. Like it or not, these are hard to beat for the youth of today. Think about it..... we are trying to LURE them away from that to try hunting. You are competing whether you know it or not. 

If the youth could shoot 6 ducks no matter what species or gender, it would certainly make it easier for those of us that take kids out to generate sustainable interest. And come on guys, honestly, the amount of actual youths that are taken out during youth weekend... is that really going to hurt ANY duck population in the U.S. ? I doubt it, but I might be wrong, the biologists can weigh in on that. 

2. Treat this as an evolution into a good hunter. We all start out not having a clue on bird ID. Nobody can convince me otherwise. You can teach bird ID a lot better if they see it fly in, they shoot it, it is retrieved and identified. That kind of experience will make them a better Duck ID person. Looking at a book is not going to teach them much about ID. Experience is the best teacher on any subject matter. Why not try to teach them when they are still in devleopment stages of their life ? With ID'ing after the retrieve, they have noticed the way it flies, the way it looked to them when it set it wings, they noticed the differences in the way they fly, the way they act, etc. it is easier to put two and two together this way. This is just my opinion, and I know many will not agree. 

But if the SW MI CWAC Rep wants to take this to a meeting, I am all for it. I support it as a SW MI Resident.


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## Wingmaster22 (Oct 29, 2003)

Shiawassee_Kid said:


> i actually rarely see color when pulling the trigger. i'm seeing breaks in shades....like breast line on a drake mallard or black butts...etc..
> 
> not saying concern for colorblind is not legit, as i don't know what they see. I do know wingmaster22 on this board is color blind..he always shows up to field hunt wearing red jackets and stuff...haha.


just trying to offset that elvis suit you often wear out there.... :lol::lol:


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## John Singer (Aug 20, 2004)

BIRD BARREL said:


> Well I have cousin and my best friend that love ducking but choose not to hunt .because they are color blind and to be able to shot 2 hens would put these guys back in the game they love .but because of their handicap they choose to not hunt at all because it not worth making the mistake and get a ticket.
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Ohub Campfire mobile app


I will call male bovine defecation on this one. If one truly loves duck hunting, then color blindness would not prevent them from duck hunting. Blindness might cause them not to hunt but not color blindness. Somebody with such an issue could always choose to hunt diver ducks. 

Two hen mallards or one the difference is not great. BTW: In low light conditions, all of us are color blind.


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