Lost Mallard

[Drake]

This one has me really scratching my head.Took the dog and a pocket full of shells,and a couple dozen decoys to my spot on the river.Birds really worked great and decoyed well.So after shooting three ducks,I pull up on a real nice mallard drake,dust him good,he falls like a stone and hits the water hard.I send the dog who is on him real quick,just as my dog is about to pick him up he dives,well we have seen this before many times and it has always ended in collecting the bird after it resurfaces a little down river.Well this drake had other thoughts I guess,my dog searched and I watched down river for a hundred yards and that duck never did ever come back up.I myself have never witnessed anything like this in my 30 years of waterfowling.Has any of you guys had this same thing happen to you?

[Wingman]

I have seen it a lot over the years BUT not in deep water 4-5ft at the MOST & usually in lakes with heavy vegetation. They dive & grab hold (clamping down) on vegetation and drown themselves.

Cheers,

Adam

[Drake]

I have seen it a lot over the years BUT not in deep water 4-5ft at the MOST & usually in lakes with heavy vegetation. They dive & grab hold (clamping down) on vegetation and drown themselves.

Cheers,

Adam
Yea,I have heard of it happening in a pond or lake that has vegetation.But this river ranges from sheet water to mid chest.The part of the river the duck dove at was just below knee.I mean its not the first time me and my dog have had a bird dive on us but to this extent.I guess you learn something new every day.

[Zach Byron]

I have had that happen numerous times! Even in water 6-8 feet deep! Its extremely frustrating!

[DK Dogs]

Wingman got it right. I have seen it a bunch as well.

[Bull boy]

have you ever tried to sink a duck after he drown his mouth would relax and he would float to the top:confused: I have seen it a lot over the years BUT not in deep water 4-5ft at the MOST & usually in lakes with heavy vegetation. They dive & grab hold (clamping down) on vegetation and drown themselves.

Cheers,

Adam

[H20FOWLER50]

seen it tons of times

[mike.]

ive had this happen but after the bird was already in my hand. We were hunting a pond and had a big group of mallards come in. We shot about 5 or 6 out of the flock and had some cripples. I grabbed one mallard and it was dead, or so i thought. I threw it to my buddy to put on the bird strap but he missed it and it hit the water never to be seen again. I guess it wasnt dead like i thought and just disappeared. At least i knew it didnt have a band

[Gitcha Some]

have you ever tried to sink a duck after he drown his mouth would relax and he would float to the top:confused:


Well it definantly happens ive seen it plenty of times, they clamp onto it pretty good. You can see how stiff their jaw muscle gets if you open a dead ducks mouth

[kwackerstacker]

yeah thats what my grnadpa saidI have seen it a lot over the years BUT not in deep water 4-5ft at the MOST & usually in lakes with heavy vegetation. They dive & grab hold (clamping down) on vegetation and drown themselves.

Cheers,

Adam