Mature Teal

[Drake Whistle]

has anybody goten a mature Drake Blue-wing? I've shot many teal but have never goten a mature drake with that grayish head and the white cresent. Also, what state did you get it in?

[Duckman4Ever]

I've got one mounted that I killed about 5 years ago in Jan. here in SC.

[kingkilla]

i have never seen one before. i didnt really think about it until this post

[iawaterfowler88]

only time they have that kind of color is when they are way south of us in Iowa...however in the spring ive seen drakes with all their color....they'd make a cool mount for sure

[Killer Miller]

During spring snow goose last year, there was some flooded timber near the river where we hunt. There were a bunch of tealskees in there and ALL of the drakes were in full plumage.

[motorcitymadman]

Down here in TX we kill a ton of teal early but none with hardly any color. Once in a while we'll kill one late in the season that looks pretty good. Here's about the best one I've ever killed.

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p228/motorcitymadmanTX/fd082b7f.jpg

[Richie]

I actually just asked my taxidermist about this when i was getting my green wings done. He had said that the blues don't come into full color until the spring time when season is well over. He said that was for us here anyway. He has never gotten a blue wing teal that was a fully mature plumaged bird. He also told me that the white crescent in the head pretty much stays, it's the body and wing color that doesn't show till later.

[rushcreekganderlander]

They roll through southern Ohio about 2 weeks or so after season goes out(Feb-Mar). But never seen one during season.