The Dream Six-Duck Limit

by
posted on October 4, 2010
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (11)

I've been asked numerous times to name my favorite duck,but for the life of me I can't pick just one (Heck, I even like spoonbills). Iam able, however, to answer a similar yetbroader question: What is yourultimate, dreamlimit of ducks? I figure that gives me up to six drakes to choose from, so here goes:

Fat, Northern Mallard
If you ask me, a wise, late-season, fully plumed, double-curledmallard is as fine a trophy as can be found in all of hunting. Such birds are covered in a thick layer of fat, and any meal preparation that doesn't involve plucking and roasting is absolute sacrilege.

Canvasback
The pursuit of thisbig, powerful beauty has frustrated me for years. Believe it or not, I've never killed one. Last year I missed three days of duck hunting with my buddies, and in each instance theybagged a can. This will be my year, though. Of course, I've been saying that everyOctober since the early 90's.

Black Duck
I love black ducks. They are so darn wary that just a few decades ago it was believed they hada sense ofsmell. If you bag a black duck,you know you'vedone something right.

Bull Sprig
If there's a duck that almost appears to dance through the air, it's the slender, elegant pintail. The bull sprig in my ultimate limit would have a fully plumed tail and a purple streak on the side of its head (the kind reserved for really mature drakes).

Cinnamon Teal
How do I expect to bag a black duck (found almost exclusively in the Atlantic Flyway) and a cinnamon (predominately found in the Pacific Flyway)in the same day? Hey, this is a dream limit. Nobody said it had to be realistic, and I've always wanted a fully plumed cinnamon for my wall.

Wood Duck
The acorn-eating woodie is as delicious to the eyes as it is to the tastebuds. Even a hen wood duck is adorned with stunning colors compared to her drab counterparts. So beautiful is the woodie that early Indians even paintedthem on their bowls and pipes.

Latest

NRA ILA Lede
NRA ILA Lede

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Excise Tax on Firearm and Ammunition Sales

On March 31, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), together with the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Colorado State Shooting Association, Magnum Shooting Center and an NRA member, filed a lawsuit challenging Colorado’s 6.5-percent excise tax on the retail sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts and ammunition.

The Magnum Research 10mm Magnum BFR Revolver

This 6-shot, single-action revolver may well be the first factory-made handgun chambered in this caliber in over three decades.

Hunting Heritage Trust Grant Applications Being Accepted

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearm industry, has opened the application period for the 2025 Hunting Heritage Trust Grants. They offer a total of $100,000 in financial support for programs that work to expand participation in hunting and the shooting sports.

Hardware Review: Marlin Model 1895 Dark

If you think lever-action rifles should only have walnut stocks and a blued-metal finish, then the new Marlin Dark series with its polymer buttstock and aluminum AR-esque handguard probably won’t be your thing. That’s a shame, because this recent offering in Marlin’s line of modernized, capable lever-action rifles has a lot going for it in terms of performance, functionality and fun.

ATN Shipping TICO LTV Thermal Clip-On

This thermal clip-on device is a huge night-time gear multiplier for hunters and observers, transforming any daytime scope into a thermal sight.

MidwayUSA Named Official Sponsor of the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings

Glock, Inc. is the Presenting Sponsor of the Freedom Experience on Saturday, April 26th

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.