Yes a good black duck can definitely make the day. To me it is the most majestic of all the ducks. Last year I was sitting in the swamp grass at twilight with my back to the setting sun.
I was looking out over the decoys in a shallow bay near the Missisquoi where there was a tree line on the other side. A lone dusky drake flew down the length of the tree line out of range across from me. The sunlight hit his purple speculum and that small two inches of color reflected and seemed to throw a purple light over the whole landscape. It's an image that is burned into my mind still.
I have had three separate conversations in the past week on how all people ever shot around here were blacks in years back. It's scary what can happen.
We did see more than usual this year and there was a bumper duck crop with the early high water. The ducks we shot were big and healthy. We did shoot three hybrids on the Connecticut river. Not a good sign.
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