Duck numbers way down

[C-Bass2mouth]

Originally Posted by AlexOrtego

i'll just say, if you ever just listened to ducks call on the water.... they sound like sh** that's for sure... conditions are a much bigger factor than calling most of the time IMO

I've got 2 old boss hens, and 7 more mallards (3 hens, 4 drakes) that are this years birds that live in my pond (my beat lab) at my house. The old hens sound like a faulks being blown through your butt, and the younger ones sound more crisp, but they make all kinds of noises / cadences , and most are too nasaly to imitate closely.

They call differently for 2 scenarios when content:

1. Excited (flying, feeding, bathing, chasing each other, etc.)
2. Not-excited (everything else)

That's all. And I don't think they have their mind made up when they start calling, they kind of just roll with it. The times they call the most are when some of them are flying around and others are on the water and they talk back and forth. They ALWAYS call until the ducks talking back land. We just need to remember these are MALLARDS. Idk about everyone else but I rarely get to call at a mallard. If wood ducks fly over the pond hauling arse they won't even call. Had 2 mergs circle twice yesterday evening while I was watching them, not a peep.