SwampMafia Report post Posted December 8, 2015 What are your most prized waterfowl? Mine is a mature canvasback I shot off a desert tank! What waterfowl are the ultimate trophy in your opinions? In AZ I think it's the cinnamon teal 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues assassin Report post Posted December 8, 2015 Just started waterfowl hunting so far my coolest was a Rudy, maybe some guys get a lot of those idk but I only have seen 1 so far 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted December 8, 2015 Wood Duck drake. I have only seen one in AZ personally. I was lucky enough to take him, and he will be heading to my taxi soon. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northern Pintail Report post Posted December 8, 2015 Male Pintail... Been on my hit list for years and yet to get one. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesPursuit Report post Posted December 8, 2015 Such a tough question for me! If I had to name one favorite that is commonly found in Arizona it would be bull sprig. Any day you have pintail dropping into the decoys and shoot 4 fully plumed drakes, you know you were doing it right! This was one of my "most prized" waterfowl bags, on a very, very cold day in the desert. 2 pintails aren't pictured as they are wrapped up for mounting. Here is mine mounted before I brought it home. A limit with a few prized divers. A great cinnamon. Still looking for my first wood duck, have seen them, just never under 40 yards. One dream duck I haven't seen in AZ that I would like to is an Oldsquaw. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rcdinaz Report post Posted December 8, 2015 I have seen or shot a lot of different ones in AZ we get a lot of variety just not in huge numbers. I have seen cinnamon teal on two occasions but not that I could get a shot at or out of season. I have yet to see a drake wood duck but would probably pick that as my number one. I shot a picture perfect pintail but my good buddy helped out by ringing its neck to dispatch it before I could stop him. I also shot a Goldeneye I wish I would have mounted but didn't because it was a hen or I could have been working on a drake/hen display with a cool looking duck. Harlequin or hooded merganser would be at the top of the list but them showing up here would be an accident. I didn't get out last year and probably won't this year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couestracker Report post Posted December 8, 2015 Such a tough question for me! If I had to name one favorite that is commonly found in Arizona it would be bull sprig. Any day you have pintail dropping into the decoys and shoot 4 fully plumed drakes, you know you were doing it right! This was one of my "most prized" waterfowl bags, on a very, very cold day in the desert. 2 pintails aren't pictured as they are wrapped up for mounting. 011414300a - Copy.jpg Here is mine mounted before I brought it home. 1030141035.jpg A limit with a few prized divers. Drake_Divers.jpg A great cinnamon. CinnamonJan14.jpg Still looking for my first wood duck, have seen them, just never under 40 yards. One dream duck I haven't seen in AZ that I would like to is an Oldsquaw. I see we use the same, excellent, bird taxidermist! Still looking for a good duck to have done by Sven. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnnie blaze Report post Posted December 8, 2015 There's a guy on here that just got a squaw mounted....trophy for sure Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesPursuit Report post Posted December 8, 2015 There's a guy on here that just got a squaw mounted....trophy for sure Haven't hunted with Jim yet but he seems like a good dude. And he has taken some great birds for sure. http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/topic/56819-king-can/ That's one of my favorite things about waterfowl, you never know what's going to drop in to the decoys. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muledeerarea33? Report post Posted December 9, 2015 If Sandhills crane counts I'd like to get one, eat it and have it mounted. Not real sure how bird mounts work, do you still get the meat if your mounting one? Like a deer, elk, etc. I know most fish are just air brushed replicas but don't know about birds. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TRKHNTR Report post Posted December 9, 2015 Sea Ducks more specifically King Eiders. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
6ANut Report post Posted December 9, 2015 Drake pintail and a banded Canadian, I have shot one Drake wood duck in az but he just didn't have the large body. Hope you are ready BigBrowns. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brademan76 Report post Posted December 10, 2015 I love full plumage drakes of most of the puddle ducks and some of the divers. I will turn those suckers over in my hand a hundred times while in the field when I pick them up off the water just admiring them. Dream mount is a "dead strap" of drake mallard, pinnie, gadwall, wigeon, redhead, green wing, woodie... haven't decided on shoveler, can, or scaup though. Edit: Anyone needing a consistent waterfowl partner- please message me. Just moved here from Nebraska this summer so I have zero experience with waterfowl here, but am highly experienced with waterfowl hunting in general- having hunted up and down the central flyway from Missouri up into Manitoba and Saskatchewan. I've got plenty of gear, am willing to drive and I'm pretty sure I'm tolerable and sane... but I can't be positive... especially considering I like the tortuous nature of duck hunting. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
creed_az_88 Report post Posted December 10, 2015 Are buffleheads common in az? I don't duck hunt but I get to look at a pond every few days that is full of buffleheads some canvas backs and some mallard hens. Those bufflehead drakes are beautiful and I've never heard about them in az. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesPursuit Report post Posted December 10, 2015 Are buffleheads common in az? I don't duck hunt but I get to look at a pond every few days that is full of buffleheads some canvas backs and some mallard hens. Those bufflehead drakes are beautiful and I've never heard about them in az. In the right habitat they are common. Not very tasty though, they get a pass along my decoys. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
