[ILgoosehunter12]

i was thinking about getting a duck or a goose mounted. but my question is what is runs generally cheaper. and what is the prettiest looking one.

 

[Decoy King]

I am getting some mounted right now and ducks are around a $100 cheaper here. I dont have anything mounted yet ther still at the taxidermist but I am getting a Wood Duck and a Barrows Goldeneye. From wat I have seen I think that the pretttiest is a Wood Duck.

 

[Pete-pec]

Ducks will cost less, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you ask someone who hunts the hardwoods of the Mississippi River, they'd admit that a wood duck is pretty, but they might tell you a harlequin is prettier, and on the flip-side, a hunter from Alaska who hunts Valdez, might tell you a wood duck is prettier. Unfortunately for each hunter, they don't shoot that bird they might desire where they happen to hunt. Basically a lot comes down to where you live, and what is common in your area. I shoot mallards and wood ducks mostly, and they make up at least 80% of my harvest, and I think they are both pretty in different ways, but I would rather have something else on my wall. I think a damn coot is pretty damn cool to be honest with you, and most people wouldn't waste a shell on one. If you were to ever hold one in your hand, and look at the cool slate color that they have, and take a gander at those feet that look like a reptile would own, you'd have to say to yourself that that bird is pretty damn cool too! So my vote of the prettiest bird goes to the Mandarin. It's a tough one to beat!

http://www.ejphoto.com/mandarin_duck_page.htm

Pete

 

[3legged_lab]

pete, I feel like it is my duty to step up and argue with you :grooving: , mandarin's are nice if you are into ornamental looking birds, but the long lines and sleek neck of a pintail is flying grace. To agree with you it really does come down to what ever bird is a trophy to you, the collecter. Your opinion will also change on what you want depending on what you already have. This year I decided to save a really nice Barrow's, that in past years I would have never wanted on the wall.

And like Pete said coot are kinda cool in their own strange way, I have been thinking about doing a running take-off pose with one for a little while now :yes: :huh:
JR

 

[Pete-pec]

JR,

Although I listed the Mandarin as the prettiest, I will never have one in my collection......unless I shoot one in the wild. Thanks for proving my point that beauty is in the eye of the beholder........most people would say a pintail looks like lunch!

Pete

 

[ILgoosehunter12]

JR,

Although I listed the Mandarin as the prettiest, I will never have one in my collection......unless I shoot one in the wild. Thanks for proving my point that beauty is in the eye of the beholder........most people would say a pintail looks like lunch!

Pete

i was actually going to get my first pintail drake mounted when i get me one. and i never got one this year. theres only 3 days left to shoot one and i just dont see myself doing it. plus its all frozen over.

thanks for the input on such a dumb question.

 

[loudnerd]

I think one of the key words in Pete's last posting was "collection". I don't think I have ever met anyone that had just one duck mount haha. In my dream house I would have one of every species (my wife would probably have me mounted right beside them if I did) but just mount what you think fits you best. The hard part after that is you need to start working on your story of how you shot it, and trust me the shot gets longer every time you will tell it haha.

 

[ILgoosehunter12]

I think one of the key words in Pete's last posting was "collection". I don't think I have ever met anyone that had just one duck mount haha. In my dream house I would have one of every species (my wife would probably have me mounted right beside them if I did) but just mount what you think fits you best. The hard part after that is you need to start working on your story of how you shot it, and trust me the shot gets longer every time you will tell it haha.

lol. ya i guess. ive got 2 mallards and a snow given to me. all three were givin to me. i didnt shoot them. the mallards look good, but the heads are all chewed up becuase the guy had an inside dog and he left his room door open. lol. but its just the tops of the heads. i really would like a woody or a pintail drake or wigeon drake mounted. 3 of my favorite ducks. or maybe, MAYBE even a pair of gadwalls. i like them too. lol

 

[pintailkiller25]

im getting a barrows golden eye mounted right now and it cost me 175$