Black-bellied Whistling Duck

[Lukikus2]

Did some googling. So it's basically a bird from Mexico and not indigenous to the states. It is also not "water foul" if it sits in a tree. And they are taking over in groves. My vote is no closed season for them.

 

[WOODIE13]

We can't shoot eiders or harlequins either, seen a few eiders here.

Woodies sit in trees too

 

[jNick]

Did some googling. So it's basically a bird from Mexico and not indigenous to the states. It is also not "water foul" if it sits in a tree. And they are taking over in groves. My vote is no closed season for them.

I’m glad you “did some googling” ?. I think by “sit” you mean roost? A wood duck roosts and “sits” in trees too, sometimes, as do blackbellys. Are you saying that wood ducks aren’t waterfowl too?

Blackbellys and wood ducks also share the same nesting holes in trees, but I’ve read that blackbellys have their clutch earlier and aren’t any competition to wood ducks hatching their eggs in the same holes.

 

[WOODIE13]

I’m glad you “did some googling” ?. I think by “sit” you mean roost? A wood duck roosts and “sits” in trees too, sometimes, as do blackbellys. Are you saying that wood ducks aren’t waterfowl too?

Blackbellys and wood ducks also share the same nesting holes in trees, but I’ve read that blackbellys have their clutch earlier and aren’t any competition to wood ducks hatching their eggs in the same holes.

Same with some mergs

 

[Lukikus2]

Woodies nest in crevices and holes in trees not to mention they are native to North America. Actually one of our prized possessions. To let a non native duck to populate and take space in our ecosystem that can hurt future populations of wood ducks that duck hunters have paid good money for the last 50 years to bring them from the brink of extinction is ludicrous.

 

[jNick]

Woodies nest in crevices and holes in trees not to mention they are native to North America. Actually one of our prized possessions. To let a non native duck to populate and take space in our ecosystem that can hurt future populations of wood ducks that duck hunters have paid good money for the last 50 years to bring them from the brink of extinction is ludicrous.

?

If you read up on it you’ll learn that they’ll sometimes share the same nesting spots, but blackbellies and wood ducks nest at different times of the year. I love my wood ducks, but I don’t see any effect on them by blackbellys. Saw 40 woodrows this morning.
Anyway, I shot these this morning to do my part to stop the illegal invasion! Hope you did the same. ?

 

[across the river]

Woodies nest in crevices and holes in trees not to mention they are native to North America. Actually one of our prized possessions. To let a non native duck to populate and take space in our ecosystem that can hurt future populations of wood ducks that duck hunters have paid good money for the last 50 years to bring them from the brink of extinction is ludicrous.

They are like alligators or bald eagles, you see them in places you didn't see them before because the population has expanded and the range is expanding, not because someone let them out of a cage. They will never impact wood ducks with any significance, because there range due to temperature is limited and they breed at different times, as already mentioned. Improved habitat helps both, its not mutually exclusive.

 

[jdgator]

It would be awesome if they made an early season Blackbelly Whistler hunt.

 

[jNick]

We killed 9 more for you this morning Lukik. We’re winning the undocumented duck battle! ?

 

[Lukikus2]

We killed 9 more for you this morning Lukik. We’re winning the undocumented duck battle! ? View attachment 1123249

Have gun. Can't travel. Good shooting I really want to taste one now. They are in the Dollar General store retention pond and trees around here.

 

[Lukikus2]

A buddy of mine and me signed up one summer to survey all the duck boxes placed out to figure out why the wood duck population was still declining with additional nesting "facilities". What we found was raccoons swimming 100 yards out in the water and climbing 6' poles to eat the eggs and take up residence for there selves. Our little survey resulted in the cone type barriers that were present on most boxes in the day.

 

[jdgator]

How do they taste? I bet they cook up pretty good.

 

[jNick]

How do they taste? I bet they cook up pretty good.

It’s by far my favorite eating duck. Even better than teal and wood duck. More of a white meat like chicken or pork. I’ll take some pictures of the legs next time I clean some. They look the same as chicken thighs.
It’s raining and cold right now. I’m hoping this cold snap doesn’t chase them south. If it does then it’s back to the ringer grind......
I found two mud flats that they are using and we’re shooting them flying in between them. They’re fun to hunt. Respond well to calls. They’re really soft like teal, so it doesn’t take much to kill them. We pass on high shots and let them work in close. Usually kill more than one with the first shot. I killed 4 with one shot the other day.
So far we’re at

78 blackbellys
26 ringers
2 drake widgeon
6 wood ducks

 

[buckpasser]

I doubt they will ever have an ounce of negative impact on any other waterfowl. Nothing to get upset about. They migrated here, and like ring neck doves they’ll find a place and become part of the landscape.

As for nesting, I’ve only personally seen them ground nest much like a guinea fowl or chicken would. Not necessarily in the stealthiest of places either! We’ve had healthy numbers of them here for more than a decade. I count them a blessing, but they definitely aren’t managed properly with normal duck season dates. Maybe at some point that will need to be addressed.

 

[jNick]

We definettly need them included in early Woodrow/Teal season.

I doubt they will ever have an ounce of negative impact on any other waterfowl. Nothing to get upset about. They migrated here, and like ring neck doves they’ll find a place and become part of the landscape.

As for nesting, I’ve only personally seen them ground nest much like a guinea fowl or chicken would. Not necessarily in the stealthiest of places either! We’ve had healthy numbers of them here for more than a decade. I count them a blessing, but they definitely aren’t managed properly with normal duck season dates. Maybe at some point that will need to be addressed.

I agree. They are a bonus far as I’m concerned. The ones I’m killing this year are the first consistent I’ve killed in north Florida in probably 8 yrs. Down south on certain lakes we have to make everybody in our group stop shooting them so that we can stretch the hunt out and shoot ringers or teal. Good problem to have when it works.

 

[killerv]

I saw two at a ballpark in Macon last year. Kept noticing a strange shaped bird up on a pine limb, walked over and it was a pair.

 

[MudDucker]

Guy down here is feeding them to watch them. Has over 300 hundred now.

 

[jNick]

How do they taste? I bet they cook up pretty good.

Shot these yesterday. Shot some more this morning. Seems that they’re going to stay through the year, I hope. The thighs on the grill are hard to beat.