Bag limit ?

[KRS62]

I have read over the Regs and it's not completely clear. (I thought I had it right, but want to clarify.) I called FWC and asked them, but was not 100% sure that the people I spoke with knew what they were talking about, so I thought I would ask here.

"The daily bag limit of ducks is 6. The six-duck limit shall consist of no more than one black duck, one mottled, one fulvous whistling duck.......and four mallards (no more than two of which can be females.)"

Now you can read that 2 different ways. It's obvious that the limit on mallard hens is 2. However, is the TOTAL hen limit 2 total per day??? Or can any of the other species taken be a hen as well? So say 2 mallard hens and 1 each of any/all the others? I guess the question really is, what's the limit on hens?

[neckringer]

be careful dont know wher eyou are going to kill 2 hen mallards in fl or really have to worry about it. However if you are afraid of that law I would just be sure to be able to tell a female mallard from a femal mottle duck. The more common in florida.
If you want you can shoot all hens.
like 3 hen ringers 1 hen mottle, 1 hen blue wing teal and 1 hen treeduck
that is an example.
as far as I know the only ducks that I know to have a limit on hens is mallards.
In areas where there are great numbers of mallards it is very easy to kill just drakes. Due to the fact of beaing able to visually tell the difference (a big difference) while flying.

[Steve W]

To answer your question, mallards are the only bird with a hen restriction.

So you can have 4 hen teal and 2 hen mallards.

Or you can have 1 hen mottled, 2 hen mallards and 3 hen teal.

ETC. ETC. ETC.

[Converted]

You probably already know but, the ducks in central and south Florida that look like hen mallards are Mottled Ducks 99.9% of the time

[Randy Clark]

we usually dont have to worry because like they pointed out we are shooting florida mottled ducks not hen mallards so if you have previously taken more than one dont do it any more they will not except an ignorance plea as an excuse i doubt it seriously if we ever do get mallards this far down.

[dead duck]

i heard that it is a six duck limit, no matter what kind of duck. ex: 4 mottled(any sex), and 2 teal (any sex). or, 2 mottled(any sex), 1 teal (any sex), (2 wood ducks (any sex), and 1 ringer (any sex). etc, etc, etc.......
also there is a limit with 6 fulvous whistling ducks, and 1 black-bellied, but that doesn't go toward your six other ducks ( coots are also a different count).

i'm pretty sure that is close to how it's done, maybe a little different.

[Converted]

i heard that it is a six duck limit, no matter what kind of duck. ex: 4 mottled(any sex), and 2 teal (any sex). or, 2 mottled(any sex), 1 teal (any sex), (2 wood ducks (any sex), and 1 ringer (any sex). etc, etc, etc.......
also there is a limit with 6 fulvous whistling ducks, and 1 black-bellied, but that doesn't go toward your six other ducks ( coots are also a different count).

i'm pretty sure that is close to how it's done, maybe a little different.

Fulvous and BBWD do count toward your six duck total. Mergansers and coots do not count toward the duck total bag. BTW only ONE of the six may be a Mottled.

[RutnNStrutn]

Here's a thought, and perhaps might be something that UWF should address. Here in FLA, the mallard situation is unique in that we don't get many migratory mallards, and most of our mallards are pond birds. Also, the mallards we do have are interbreeding with our mottleds, creating hybrids and threatening the mottled as a species.
Therefore, why - in Florida - is there a limit on mallard hens???? We should be schwacking every one we can. If you happen to be in an area frequented by mallards, you should be able to kill them all to help the mottleds.
Opinions?

[backcast]

Here's a thought, and perhaps might be something that UWF should address. Here in FLA, the mallard situation is unique in that we don't get many migratory mallards, and most of our mallards are pond birds. Also, the mallards we do have are interbreeding with our mottleds, creating hybrids and threatening the mottled as a species.
Therefore, why - in Florida - is there a limit on mallard hens???? We should be schwacking every one we can. If you happen to be in an area frequented by mallards, you should be able to kill them all to help the mottleds.
Opinions?
I was wondering the same thing. I've got one spot that has taken 2 greenheads, a mallard hen, and several hybrids.

[RutnNStrutn]

Same here, I have a spot where I have seen several greenheads, taken one, Duckwhacker took one there, and I took a hybrid there as well. It's right near a bunch of ponds with mallards in nearby neighborhoods.

[Kevin Hall]

...Therefore, why - in Florida - is there a limit on mallard hens???? We should be schwacking every one we can. If you happen to be in an area frequented by mallards, you should be able to kill them all to help the mottleds.
Opinions?

Real simple ... it's a FEDERAL regulation - 50 CFR Part 20 ... if you want to look it up. ;) That is the guideline (frameworks) for setting waterfowl seasons for all of the states.

[RutnNStrutn]

Well, no kidding Kevin, smarty pants!! I know that part. But that is why I am saying, why????? Too much of the duck hunting world is based on mallards. But, mallards are such a tiny part of the Florida picture. Then when you factor in what they are doing to our mottleds, it becomes an issue that needs to be brought up to the Feds.
Perhaps this should be addressed by UWF, through Dianne and the state people, to be taken to the Feds???

[Dead Ringer]

Could it be that some (I know, relatively very few) of the mallards that are here during hunting season are truly migratory and don't interfere with mottled breeding because they are gone in the spring? Also, then, rather than nailing 4, newbies will go hog wild on mottleds (thinking that they are mallard hens). Finally, they let you kill how many thousands during the summer, do you really need more days to eradicate them?

PS. I really would like it if we wiped out every last one, just offering some devil's advocate questions.

[RutnNStrutn]

Good questions.
If people were actually to go crazy and shoot everything that looked like a hen mallard, then the mottleds would already be suffering. People would shoot 3 a hunt, and likely all 3 would be mottleds. I guess you'd have to rely on enforcement like we already do.
And how many people actually go mallard hunting in the summer? I never have, nor has anyone I know of. If anyone has a mallard honey hole, call me this summer, and I'll join you!!! :D

[NSBsailsntails]

we are legally aloud to kill greenheads in the summer? i know of a pond that has a few but the neighbors probably wouldnt appreciate me blasting them in their backyard. lol

i heard of a group of greenheads in MINWR this year, im guessing they are migrtory birds and not feral. either way if i see a greenhead it is dead.

[Dead Ringer]

And how many people actually go mallard hunting in the summer? I never have, nor has anyone I know of. If anyone has a mallard honey hole, call me this summer, and I'll join you!!! :D

Although my neighbors might not know it, I do. Sniper style out of the 2nd floor window. Only have about three on my lake (plus a hybrid and a muscovy), but after this year, there won't be any :duckie:.

My point about people wiping out mottleds was that this thread started with a question about shooting 4 hen "mallards". Although the hunters only shot one a piece, they just as easily could have shot 4 each and not known until we educated them. (PS. We are all very glad that you posted the question, thanks)

Maybe we should put together a UW-F Summer Mallard Hunt Day. We could all take to the field and have a wipe-out-the-mallards free-for-all. I'm sure that we all have some places where a few greenheads are on huntable land (I can think of one or two). And as far as I know, there aren't regulations as far as electonic calling, rallying, etc since it is a control activity, not sport hunting.


NSB

You are legally allowed to hunt greenheads in the summer. Of course, you are not legally allowed to shoot at them in a residential area. For details on the thousands of greenheads that you are allowed to eradicate, visit http://myfwc.com/mallard/


And to anyone who is unfamiliar with the mallard x mottled duck issue, please visit http://www.floridaconservation.org/duck/mottled/. And don't let anyone you know purchase baby or farmed mallards for pets or ponds!

[RutnNStrutn]

Yep, that's my point. I know of many mallard hangouts. But if I showed up in the summer with my scattergun and blasted them, I'd end up in the slammer. :D

[David B]

If you cannot shoot them, then trap them.

[Wilbur]

A loaf of bread and a cast net work good!:icon_geek

[fpspecialk]

Alright!!... Here ducky ducky...:duckie:

[redfishrob]

A loaf of bread and a cast net work good!:icon_geek


but a BIG YELLOW BRICK ROAD IN YOUR BACK YARD will entice them off the retention pond a lil easier

[RutnNStrutn]

Follow the yellow brick road!!!!! :toothy9:
Also known as "Golden Call"!!! :D