Favorite duck you've shot??

The next one is always my favorite, even if it is a duck!

That's a really good question... At the time I shot the duck I didn't even realize it's significance. Its was a plain old mallard drake, not a unique species by any means, not wearing any jewelry, not even a very spectacular specimen for that matter. But it would prove to be a very memorable duck in days to follow. It was the tail end of late season two winters ago. One of my hunting buddy's had set up a couple of hunts on the back side of a golf course (location to remain undisclosed...) in honor of my aging Lab. A geriatric hunt if you will... (It wasn't as bad as it sounds... We weren't dropping birds in the fairway..., it truly was the back side of the course..., and it was for the sake of the dog...) Anyway, my favorite duck is the last bird shot on that day. Unbeknownst to me at the time, that would also be the last retrieve my 12 year old hunting companion would make... He broke out of the blind when we stood to shoot (obedience wasn't his strong suit in his latter years...), and he looked like a wide receiver running a deep pattern looking over his shoulder at that duck falling from the sky. The duck hit the ground and took one bounce right into my labs mouth. We lost old Caleb this past fall one month shy of his 13th Birthday... But I'll remember that duck and that retrieve for the rest of my days.

Actually I have two: A drake Pintail shot outside of Marion and a bull Can shot while hunting w/my brother (who is now deceased).

There's been so many memorable "impossible" shots that have been made, and alot of different species shot, so it's hard for me to pick out my favorite! I think the point of your question is what is the favorite species of duck shot? Or most memorable or favorite shot on a duck made? So I'll answer both... Favorite species that I have shot... I'm a huge fan of the black duck!! Anymore getting a true black and not some sort of hybrid is really tough, so my vote will go for the black duck (followed up closely by a beautiful drake pintail, and drake widgeon), As for most memorable shot on a duck... Now this is a tough one!!! Of course the first duck ever shot (I started out shooting ducks before geese), it actually was a beautiful drake mallard (almost perfect) and is mounted on the wall. There is also the first banded goose that I shot, it was a neck collared resident goose that I had seen for a few days and then tracked down permission to hunt the field and went out the next day and shot it (actually went out 2 days in a row and shot 2 of them neck collared!). But then one of the most memorable shots was a duck that snuck up on us from the rear, no one saw it coming, I actually was messing around with my camera, and the guys yelled at me to take it! I had to throw down my camera and grab my gun, no time to aim, just instinctively shot, and dropped it cold dead, and it was out there by the time I got the gun up and shot, probably around 60 yds. out and I got it on video from a remote camera we had set up and running! ;D It was pretty amazing even to me!! ;D One other very rememorable shot to me was actually on a snipe, I was out hunting with friend at Willow Slough FWA, we got a poor draw and all we saw was thousands of ducks working the blind way out front and nothing to us all day, finally towards the end we had a snipe that was bouncing along on a lazy flight along the levee that was a good 60-70 yds. out front, I was bored and told my friend, watch this I'm going to shoot that snipe (not really thinking that I could!), and BANG! dropped it dead, I was amazed that I hit it, I had to time it right on one of it's bounces! ;D Those are some of my most memorable!

Wow some great ones comin in!! and yes matt... i guess i shoulda worded it wrong.. but both categories are included!! .... and WOW are you green john

Kevin....You may take the poor guy.... but i've heard his shootin isn't the best unless its 12lbs and HONKS!!! .... see you fellers in the a.m.

yup.... leavin bout 10:30 this mornin...

The most recent 'most memorable' bird(s) was probably the drake Oldsquaws I killed this November in New Jersey. I borrowed a kayak from a friend out there to hunt some of the salt water bays south of Toms River. I had seen several squaws out there in year's past and always wanted to hunt them. The locals said that it was almost impossible to kill Oldsquaws from the shore. I gave it shot anyway. Paddled a long way out early in the dark and set a string of bluebills and some buffies out on the tip of a long point. Shot 2 drake longtails the first day and 2 drakes the second day, with a couple of drake buffies each day. I was happier than a pig wallerin' in @#*&! The nicest bird should be back from Shane Smith in October! Here's the mount I chose...