Thanks, SCWA

[GMAC]

https://www.newswise.com/articles/do...ards-gone-wild

[Calibogue]

Rank....good recap of what he covered in the Ramsey podcast.

[SouthernWake]

Damn

“Based on our estimates, more than 90% of all eastern mallards possess a substantial amount of game-farm mallard genetics,” Lavretsky said. “This is a stark finding, as it indicates that the eastern North American mallard population is effectively a wild x domestic mallard hybrid swarm today. I find it a bit sad that there is only at maximum a 10% chance that someone looking at a mallard in eastern North America is in fact looking at a wild North American mallard.”

[Catdaddy]

The easy fix is to only allow 1st generation mallards to be raised and sold.......since they aren't going to put the Wilikis out of business.

Overtime the genetics will improve,....like the buffalo.

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[BOGSTER]

The first generation mallards were too good at acting wild.
It’s bad for business for the decoys to up and leave.


It didn’t take long before the pay ponders realized they needed a dumbed down version.

Boy did they get themselves one.

[nitro5x6's]

Good news for Black ducks. Now, to find a way to grow their nesting numbers in the Atlantic breeding grounds. Perhaps just leave them be and let them do their thing?

[Rubberhead*]

The easy fix is to only allow 1st generation mallards to be raised and sold.......since they aren't going to put the Wilikis out of business.

Overtime the genetics will improve,....like the buffalo.

Nope the easy fix is to stop releasing mallards and sue the literal pants off of everyone ever involved with MRP because they all knew this was going to happen...just the like the cigarette manufacturers knew their product caused cancer back in the 1960s. They sold our heritage to line their pockets and I'm as disgusted today as I ever have been.

[Calibogue]

Nope the easy fix is to stop releasing mallards and sue the literal pants off of everyone ever involved with MRP because they all knew this was going to happen...just the like the cigarette manufacturers knew their product caused cancer back in the 1960s. They sold our heritage to line their pockets and I'm as disgusted today as I ever have been.

yep, yep and yep

[quack head 11]

I have always heard about the mallards that used to be in South Carolina, specifically around Sparkleberry. I remember seeing pics you fellas posted on here of some good hauls out from down there.

I wonder if the cross breeding with pen raised mallards could have added to the migration changes?

May be far fretched as I know all the food notrh of us, the ponds around the swamp and the baiting that went on in the swamp all may play a part, but still a 10% chance of a mallard being a true wild mallard is astounding.

[nitro5x6's]

I have always heard about the mallards that used to be in South Carolina, specifically around Sparkleberry. I remember seeing pics you fellas posted on here of some good hauls out from down there.

I wonder if the cross breeding with pen raised mallards could have added to the migration changes?

May be far fretched as I know all the food notrh of us, the ponds around the swamp and the baiting that went on in the swamp all may play a part, but still a 10% chance of a mallard being a true wild mallard is astounding.

Mallards and Blacks. And " others" too. There was a time when we had a very strong migration of Mallards and Blacks in GA too. All along the NE corner of the state adjoining the Savannah river. Development and loss of habitat has made that history.

[BigBrother]

I wonder if the cross breeding with pen raised mallards could have added to the migration changes?

My humble and uneducated opinion:

Domesticated critters have a survivability problem in the wild. They are great food for predators, which feeds them well, and in turn...creates more predators. If they migrate, they will compete with their wild cousins for resources and nesting areas.

[centurian]

At this point what difference does it make? This hybridization started over 100 years ago so the damage is done and there is no way to undo this fact. At the rate of hybridization stated it is possible no living duck hunters in the east have ever killed a wild mallard or very few. They still migrate, decoy, and eat pretty good. We always screw up when we try to improve what nature provided.

[nitro5x6's]

At this point what difference does it make? This hybridization started over 100 years ago so the damage is done and there is no way to undo this fact. At the rate of hybridization stated it is possible no living duck hunters in the east have ever killed a wild mallard or very few. They still migrate, decoy, and eat pretty good. We always screw up when we try to improve what nature provided.

Truth there for sure.

[MC]

There have been several articles in DU's magazine over the last year or so about this research and it is interesting to consider that birds once thought to be "wild" mallards are really more along the lines of "naturalized" mallards.

https://www.ducks.org/conservation/w...ds?poe=related

[GMAC]

It is true that by 1960, the eastern flyway mallard population was predominantly descended from farm stock, but those birds looked and acted wild. They migrated north to breed. SCWA, and similar organizations in other states started their massive releases in the 80's, and have never relented. Its been all downhill from there. Its hard to say if there is a direct correlation in the decline of "wild" migratory mallards in the EF, but this study indicates that its a sigificant part of the problem. Why not just outlaw it? It certainly doesn't help anything unless you're satisfied killing a pen-raised bird.

[Rubberhead*]

At this point what difference does it make? This hybridization started over 100 years ago so the damage is done and there is no way to undo this fact. At the rate of hybridization stated it is possible no living duck hunters in the east have ever killed a wild mallard or very few. They still migrate, decoy, and eat pretty good. We always screw up when we try to improve what nature provided.

Let's learn from this mistake. It might be that the eastern mallard is a result of man's desire to kill instead of hunt but the remaining 40 some odd species of wild wildfowl are still somewhat genetically untouched. Let's learn from this mistake. BTW - I don't eat 7-toed mallards.

[Catdaddy]

It is true that by 1960, the eastern flyway mallard population was predominantly descended from farm stock, but those birds looked and acted wild. They migrated north to breed. SCWA, and similar organizations in other states started their massive releases in the 80's, and have never relented. Its been all downhill from there. Its hard to say if there is a direct correlation in the decline of "wild" migratory mallards in the EF, but this study indicates that its a sigificant part of the problem. Why not just outlaw it? It certainly doesn't help anything unless you're satisfied killing a pen-raised bird.

I agree but what if the government had never required 2nd or 3rd birds to be used for training and/releasing?

Where would we be on inferior genetics?




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[Coot_Commander]

They just bought and are digging a big new pond right besides jack creek…more ponds than they’re ducks now.i wonder if the ponds could be tax write offs?

[mudflat]

I remember asking a fellow about Sparkberry swamp in the late 80's. I asked y'all ever kill any with bands? His answer was they all had bands. Guy named Mickey, from Florence, drove a semi.

[Catdaddy]

I remember asking a fellow about Sparkberry swamp in the late 80's. I asked y'all ever kill any with bands? His answer was they all had bands. Guy named Mickey, from Florence, drove a semi.

Mickey Munn

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