Talked to a guy

yesterday as he was leaving the lake from his second duck hunt. Asked how he did and he showed me the five he got and named them. Four of the five he named were wrong. He had one redhead, two gad males and two gad females. Called them two Mallard drakes, and two mottled hens. He was proud of them and I just let him think the way he wanted. Made some mistakes along the way myself and didn't want to bust his bubble.

I was fishing and zeroed so his day was way better than mine.

I think he might of appreciate the help on the two.. mottled distinction/explanation in the long run.

Cool seeing new guys have success on there own though.

Six one way, half a dozen the other... Don't want to bust his bubble, but he's also the guy who will shoot 6 pintail...

head south a few hours to mexico and you can shoot 25 pintails and get a pat in the back

Some days I wish all the gadwalls I shot this year identified as something else.....

I can relate to the guy coming off the lake when the birds are in flight. Thought I had some gads fly in and took them both. Turned out to be a drake & hen widgeon. Not yet plumed out.

Instead publicly chastising him here why not educate him politely so he doesn't make the same mistake again, next time do the right thing.

Really gave it a thought but he was so proud I couldn’t.

Some ducks are harder than others to identify for the newbie but if you can't ID a greenhead in your hand, you need to find another sport.

I have had to call two different guys I know because they posted pictures on FB that were over their limit.

I had to call one guy who posted a video and pictures of their hunt a week before the season started.

Or find the internet, it’s not that hard to learn ducks especially when they are dead. LOL

There’s an app for that.

I try and feel it out a little bit.

Several years ago I was training my young lab during what happened to be dove season. As we were packing up to leave about 15 minutes before sunset a father and probably 15 yr old son pull up and park and get out in camo shirts and hats. They get out their shotguns and chairs and we had a brief chat, said they were going dove hunting. Asked how often they hunt, do they usually hunt here .. etc. They were obviously new so I explained to them that legal shooting time was sunset, and that was an actual time not when it gets dark. They thanked me and left.

Other conversations you just give em a thumbs up and say good luck have a great day