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He's very close but not sure if he's quite worthy of going up. White ring isn't quite complete and probably not enough chestnut in him. Last two feathers on speculum have little color. What say you?

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No don't. We will get you one later in the season.

He looks alittle small to me. Color looks good though.

Don't mount.

But I don't mount anything, so ignore me

He was definitely bigger than the other mallards and bigger that late season gadwall we shoot. Can't really tell in pic I guts but he's on left. [attachment=-1]uploadfromtaptalk1415980442339.jpg[/attachment]

Hard for me to say yes, mostly because it's such a common bird and in my opinion, kinda ugly....here are some photos I shot for comparison.









Representing a high quality specimen of the species?? I'd pass.
There are other reasons (personally) to mount birds - if it's special to you then it doesn't matter.

Great pictures Dan, been searching online but those really seal my thoughts. The six mallards we shot today, 2 drake 4 hens, probably equal the total mallards I've ever seen in hand. He had a lot that jumped out at me at first but with your pics you can really see the separation and development of color that he lacks.

January vs November...that's mainly why all my trips are late Dec/Jan, try to get the highest quality plumage I can.

I was shocked he was what he is. The other drake we had was pretty scraggly.

I'd say do it if you want to do it. But don't do it because it's a perfect bird. Still need some more color.

Looks good to me.

I'm looking for a good specimen here. The hunt was very cool but pictures will more than suffice to remember it. Not seeing many mallards I thought I had more than I did at first look.

It's about as good as you'll get for this time of year. I got a few nice ones in early December last year, but none any better than that one.

Here's a couple January birds that in hindsight, I regret not mounting....





Sometimes I'm too fussy.

Awesome wigeon. Jason, that bird is close, but I would hold out for another one. If you're getting mallards this early in the year, there is sure to be more.

I'm thinking your right Jerry. Gotta love a plumed out green wing.

Won't cost anything to stick it in the freezer in case you don't find better this season.

Great minds, already there

Unless he is curled out eat him. there really good butterfly cut and stuffed with ham, cheddar and jalapenos. And wrapped in bacon and cooked to a nice medium rare .

firstflight wrote:Unless he is curled out eat him. there really good butterfly cut and stuffed with ham, cheddar and jalapenos. And wrapped in bacon and cooked to a nice medium rare .

I just went from 6 to midnight...

sws002 wrote:

firstflight wrote:Unless he is curled out eat him. there really good butterfly cut and stuffed with ham, cheddar and jalapenos. And wrapped in bacon and cooked to a nice medium rare .

I just went from 6 to midnight...

Mounted a small wigeon a fella had hunted a few times. He missed him on two different hunts, so he called me.

Sure enough, that little white head came in the sunlight to the other side of the pothole. Hit the call, and the white head rose to disappear in the marsh. What the heck? I stood slowly and he was swimming in the edge of the dekes. I told him to stand and shoot him. He stood, and the duck only flenched and started swimming away. Hmmm. I shot the water. He missed all three shots, so I nailed him.

Had to mount him on a wood duck sized mount, but it was the story I mounted. He was colorful and small, but I already had a monster mount.

When folk tell you to wait, the freezer works well. I blew the arse end off my first ever wigeon drake. I waited.

Like used to tell clients when they caught a fish and asked if they should mount it.

"You can mount anything you want, but if your going to mount that particular fish.......Please take it down inside the cabin so nobody else has to witness it!"

Might have to borrow that...

(Fuck a duck?)


Not a really good specimen but if it's your first one and you're sentimental by all means get it to a taxidermist.

January fat greenheads from WMA (x) is what you want.

What was the final determination?