Canvasbacks

[nimrodajh]

Toledo Bend is covered in cans. Mostly a big open water duck.

First time I hunted there early 90s, you couldn't kill them. There were thousands of them and they had no fear. You'd have 80 to 100 trying to land in the decoys and hoping there would be a lost redhead or ringneck in in there somewhere. They're BIG and FAST! It was something special.

[glen]

Never shot one but will one day and it is headed for the wall if its full plumage

[Lungbustr]

Hardly a trash duck. Known as the king of ducks. It was the most sought after duck in the days of the market hunter. Very fast and largest of the divers. It is a trophy duck to some hunters. Not long ago you could not even kill one due to low numbers. They have made a slight comeback but nowhere near previous numbers. Like the previous posters said they are common where there is plant food for them. Just not as cool to shoot for the mallard hunters. I will take a drake can any day.

They don't taste like the king of ducks. If it was based on taste, the king would be wood duck or teal.

[nimrodajh]

Hardly a trash duck. Known as the king of ducks. It was the most sought after duck in the days of the market hunter. Very fast and largest of the divers. It is a trophy duck to some hunters. Not long ago you could not even kill one due to low numbers. They have made a slight comeback but nowhere near previous numbers. Like the previous posters said they are common where there is plant food for them. Just not as cool to shoot for the mallard hunters. I will take a drake can any day.

X2, I hunt mallards until I see something else first

[nimrodajh]

They don't taste like the king of ducks. If it was based on taste, the king would be wood duck or teal.

Very true. Some guys I work with love em though. They prefer divers actually for gumbo.

[Limbwalker]

Hardly a trash duck. Known as the king of ducks. It was the most sought after duck in the days of the market hunter. Very fast and largest of the divers. It is a trophy duck to some hunters. Not long ago you could not even kill one due to low numbers. They have made a slight comeback but nowhere near previous numbers. Like the previous posters said they are common where there is plant food for them. Just not as cool to shoot for the mallard hunters. I will take a drake can any day.

Well said.

They are the king of ducks, and we're fortunate we have a season for them nowdays.

[TallTexan]

I grew up hunting, fishing and swimming that place. We need to do something hunting there sometime. I still know of a few hidden holes.



On the cans, we hunted a spot earlier this season and shot a few. Definitely a bigger, more open water duck. Sure are pretty too.

Might have to take you up on that next season...I'll be moving to Silsbee soon, so that place with be my quick getaway.

[Muddy Bud]

We shoot cans all the time up at Choke. I've even shot a couple in Port Bay.

[Chase This!]

Pretty birds.

[RACK]

I remember killing canvasbacks back in the early 90's when there were a million ducks flying the Missisippi flyway each and every morning. Everyday was a limit of ducks. If you hunted ducks back then you know what im talkin about . It was nothing less than phenominal. Havent seen many cans to speak of in the central flyway and darn sure havent killed any in the central flyway either. So hats off to the hunters that are seeing them down here ! Thats great to know...thanks for posting

[EastTx]

I killed my first this year.

[LukeC]

Canvasbacks used to be a very rare duck. The few flocks that were around were in the north eastern part of the flyway. They took them off the bag limit for a few years. The species made a comeback and got to hunt able numbers. Ducks Unlimited and Parks and Wildlife teamed up to get a census on Canvasbacks and made the bag limit one in the 90's I think. When they started to become more and more abundant they began to fill all of the flyways. This year was the first year they changed it to a 2 bird limit. So they are a rare bird but you usually see a lot of them at one time. When they are there they are there but they move along quickly.

[CastAndBlast]

I have flocks of 100-200 birds work and land in decoys when I hunted lake somerville in college. Gorgeous birds to say the least!

[bmactx67]

I've shot a lot of them when I hunted Port A. I have about 8-9 on a tank not far from my house. Been seeing them on a daily basis. I thought it was rare to see them in this flyway.

[westtexducks]

Killed a bunch of em this year and several of them if I had the cash would have went on the wall as they were absolutely gorgeous along with a bunch of redheads to go along with them. This was in ward and pecos counties.