Here is a proposed list of points. I moved Mallard to 4 points being the most numerous duck in North America. If you think it should be moved back to 5 let me know.

I tried to weight it to the ducks people shoot fewer of.

All positive points are for drakes.
Updated based on some of the comments
5 Points
Pintail
Canvasback
Wood duck
Goldeneye
Cinnamon Teal
hybrid duck (Consensus)
Exotic (Baikal, Eurasian Widgeon, etc.)

4 Points
Mallard
Black Duck
Mottled Duck
Widgeon
Cinnamon Teal
Hooded Merganser

3 Points
Green Wing Teal
Blue Wing Teal
Gadwall
Red Head


2 Points
Red Head
Whistling Duck
Bufflehead
Northern Shoveler
Hooded Merganser

1 Point
Ring neck
Scaup
Coot
Common Merganser

-1 All Hens
-1 All Coots
Bonus 5 point per band

Should Mallard be 4 or 5 points?

Should a greenhead be 4 or 5 points? single choice
	4 points
	5 points
Votes accepted starting: 10/26/09 05:11 PM
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how do you know if the coot is a hen?

Buffelhead? spoonie?

flip it over and...nevermind

I never enter these things, but a suggestion I remember someone made in the past was to have some fun side categories. Who has the most species. A Diver champ, spoonbill king, that sort of thing.

An idea I suggested which is in the spirit of why hens are negative point. Is to base the point system by best guess from the last USFW population counts. Ducks with high numbers of population or highest population in ratio with population average would have the highest points, those species with low counts the lowest points. Keeps it on a conservation mind set like encouraging one not to shoot hens, it encourages one not to shoot duck species that are in the most trouble.
But if I remember, not a sole liked that idea.

But like I say, I never enter this stuff. So carry on.

I only shoot about 3 or 4 ducks all season. Whenever one of you guys takes me out. think thats good for about 3rd place?


Keeping my fingers crossed.

I kind of like that idea John. I don't see myself passing on a pinnie for a teal because of this contest though

Mallards are the smartest duck which IMO justifies 5 points...(for the sheer numbers they are the hardest to decoy and expert calling is often needed)
Cinnamon Teal should at least be 5 points....(basically have to pay to shoot one)
Red Heads need to be in the class with Teal and Gadwall (heck Id rather shoot Redheads over teal and maybe Gadwall)
Coots= -1 IMO...your either taking water shots or shooting them 2 ft in the air.
Hens = -1 IMO.... From a Conservation standpoint as John eluded to, and from the sport and picture aspect.

Bufflehead?
Shoveler?

How can you make a Hoodie worth 4 points?

I would rather have coot.

-First of all, there are more Mallards than any other duck= 4 points.

-Cinn Teal are only in West Tx and are rare as heck = 5 points

-Redheads are desirable and beautiful birds, plus you can only shoot 2 of them. Need to be at least 3 points.

- geese should count as 3 points. (snows 1 or 2)

-Bufflhead drakes should be 4 and spoonies 2

Lastly, NO POINTS FOR COOTS EVER!

Geese were in there last year. I would say 2 pts for snows and 3 for canadas and 4 for specks. Mallards should be worth more or less based on where you live...but that would be a pain in the [censored] so 4 points is good. Red Heads should be 4. Spoonies should be on there as 5 points if you are Garrett and 2 if you are anyone else.

AND NO COOTS!!!

marc might need coots to count just so he can get on the scoreboard

You are thinking Scooter! I've never shot a coot in my life...even for points, lol.

no duck hunter worth his salt would ever put a woodie ahead of a mallard.

......or a hoodie ahead of any actual duck for that matter.

And NO coots!!! Obama likes Coots, therefore I do not.

I hear what you are saying about a mallard above a woodie...and maybe in your book that's the case. Personally I'd rather have a woodie in my bag. Mallards are the most common of ducks overall so I don't see why a common duck merits a higher score. Also no duck hunter worth his salt or not is going to shoot a limit of mallards around where I live or south. If he did that should be worth a ton of points...as for someone way up in north texas...it's not nearly as impressive.

I would pass on woodrows all day if it meant I could get a strap full of green heads, I don't care how common they are.

Give me 5 green heads and a gadwall drake for my favorite 6 bird limit.

Don't get me wrong, I will shoot my share of wood ducks this year, probably have a chance to get 3 every time I go out from Oct 31 until the split, but I would rather take the green.

You merganser shooters can have all of those 4 pts you can get. I would rather get skunked than shoot a merganser on purpose.

Ringers and Bluebills never get any love.

I took all the comments up to this point into account and made an update. Deletions have a strike-through and additions/changes are in red.

If we do Geese, maybe it would be a separate list. I have never been Goose hunting so this is a very sketchy list.

Greater Canada 5
Lesser Canada 4
Blue Phase Snow 4
Specklybelly 3
Ross 2
Snow 1

John, I hear you about the conservation, but I think for the most part the limits control our hunting of black ducks, pintails, and canvasbacks.

I figure since you could only shoot one that you can't stack up a bunch of 5 point ducks in a single day.

Northern Shoveler = Spoonie

For anyone who was wondering.

I think that you are on the right track Ed, but a drake baldpate (widgeon) has got to be worth as much as a greenhead. There FAR less Widgeon around and they are one of the most pretty birds to shoot. JMO- bump them back up to 4 pts.

Looking good.

I don't see any commment on Widgeon on here anyway. Give them the love!

Mallards should at least def = 5.....look at any pic in a hunting mag and 95% are some dude with a lanyard full of greenheads...(the most sought after species)