I live in South Florida where we have many muscovy ducks. They're larger than mallards but smaller than geese. I'm thinking it's feasible because they're not as fast as mallards. Any thoughts?
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My sponsor's RT just caught one the other day! It was 4.5 pounds, and much bigger than his male RT. Be careful though...last I knew, they're usually domestic. My sponsor only got away with it because the duck was unattended and on public property, and he'd seen some loose around--therefore, not legally owned. I'll get some pictures of it up later, it's absolutely crazy.
Give a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. Light a man on fire and he'll be warm for a lifetime.
I have never seen a Muscovy duck fly, all the one's I've ever seen were domesticated. Years ago we caught one & gave it to a mate of our's, his family ate it for xmas dinner ! I heard it was rough, I'm not going to say it tasted like sawdust, as I've never eaten sawdust, but that was a rumour. There is 11 children in his family.
You can't call it hunting if the duck is domesticated and doesn't fly. You can call it a bag, but, there is nothing sporting about it.
Muskovies are great flyers. They are wild duck from South America. Many people that raise them cut off the first joint of one wing so the domestic ones can not fly but feral ones are great flyers. What is the deal with all you guys about jumping everyone. Even adult red tails use baggies to teach the young to hunt. ET
Who jumped anyone. I made a satement that I stand by. If the duck is domesticated and can't fly, then its not hunting. Have you seen any feral muscovys in your area. We don't have them here in California. You can't say your catching game if your using bags.
Yep, they live and breed up and down Brushy Creek and the San Gabriel River here. People turned their Easter ducks loose in the park and they bred and have done well. My redtail took two last year and they can fly very well. You are the only one that said they can't fly. Joel said they were not as fast as mallards and he is right. You jump in and say they can't fly and start yelling baggie. I suppose there is nothing sporting to hunting stocked gamebirds either as they are just baggies turned loose on someones place. I can show you some baggies that very few hawks can catch any easier than a wild born animal. A trapped wild rabbit taken to another location is a baggie, is it any less sporting! Starlings caught and released for a falcon or Harris are they less sporting. What about sky trials, for some reason the falcons very seldom catch those less sporting baggie pigeons. JMHO
If you read correctly, my post said if they can't fly then its not hunting. I never said that they can't fly. If they can fly and are wild then it is. I don't think that sky trails are hunting at all. It is not a wild pigeon you are releasing. When I take my falcon out and throw it a duck or a pigeon, thats not hunting. I don't put that in my game count because I have supplied the game. The same thing goes for any bag that I give to my birds. It is not hunting. Now if you "hunters" on this forum want to count domesticated animals that you have supplied to your bird as game, go for it.
I raise muscovy ducks and they are soo slow in flight what is the point??? I have seen feral muscovy's fly also and they are not fast at all. I bet the ones your friend caught were sitting on the bank looking stupid. The muscovys we have here in the states are not like the ones found in the rain forest our muscovys are bred for meat production so they are fatter and slower. Granted they can fly but so can a chicken but the odds are stacked against them. I practice falconry to see evenly matched skills of predator and prey. Muscovys can gain speed going down hills or from the top of a tree but the take off is so slow its sad.
If they are being fed by someone you are correct. The ones living here all on their own handle themselves very well in the air and are not the waddle butts you see on farms. I would bet yours are very well fed.
I am with you rt. I want to see an evenly matched pursuit or catch between game and predator. I am not against using baggies, but, they {IMO} shouldn't count as wild game caught. Even if you take a rabbit to another field, it has already been caught by another bird and isn't 100% in its abilities to escape the predator. We do have some ducks around here that have been released or escaped, but, these ducks don't have the fear of man to make them fly when they see man. We also have ducks at some of the parks that are used to being fed by people who visit the park and will come towards you insted of flying away. Once again,{IMO} they should not count as wild game caught. Its OK to have your bird fly on them, but be honest and tell it like it really was.
Ok, I guess I should clarify as it seems a mild argument has started over my post. Here in South Florida the Muscovy ducks are feral, they are quite active and sometimes fly for a few miles between lakes and ponds. I am not talking about muscovy ducks that can not fly. These have been feral for many generations and fly quite often. I'm not interested in bagged kills. That's why I asked if anyone had flown at them. I didn't realize we in Florida are the only ones with a feral population.
P.S. rptrlvr, I found that picture on this site. I did not realize it was your eagle. I will gladly delete it if you wish. I think it is an awesome picture, a one in a million shot. I'm a big fan of the Golden Eagle.
Yes that picture is my female eagle Odin. I took the picture a few days before she soared off if I remember correctly. Its hell getting old and forgetful. I don't mind if you use it, I was just curious where you found it.
it is on the modern apprentice website,too under birds/golden eagles
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