Mallards?

[1S1K]

I’ve been hunting geese for about 25-30 years with my Dad, but my palate is really starting to prefer mallards to Canadas or snows.

My 79 year old Dad and I had always found geese consistently between Hanna and Oyen (no secret there).

Last year I hunted around Stettler in mid-October in search of larger mallard flocks. The ducks were there but not in huge numbers. I returned this year and saw almost exclusively geese.

Question - am I in the right general area, or do most mallards migrate through the province further east? I’ve heard a lot about the northern birds “not coming down yet” but I hear that every year.

To be clear - I’m not asking for the gps coordinates of anyone’s favourite spot. I’m simply asking for the general consensus on where a guy can start looking for larger mallard flocks next season (I’m done for this year).

[1S1K]

Addendum - and the geese we saw were in the thousands every morning.

[tikka250]

Don't see any reason why birds wouldn't be around stettler. The migration this year was all kinds of random and messed up with the lack of water in some places coupled with unseasonably warm temps. I'd say if you know the area head back go stettler area next year and look around.
The northern bird debate I always argue. We kill malards from Sept 1 to freeze up and the "big fat colored up northern birds" are just regular ol malards that have had another 2 months to fatten up.

[antlercarver]

If your palate is not happy with canadas or snows, I find white fronted or some people call them specked belly geese are the best tasting.

[sns2]

I’ve been out every weekend going hard. Bashaw / Camrose / Westlock areas. I too have not seen the amount of mallards I normally do in our haunts. They didn’t die, so I’m guessing the warmer weather hasn’t pushed em down. They will be there soon. They have to, but I gots no answer for you either.

I’m with you on the Canadas. Good for jerky, but that’s about it for me. So, I bought a big dehydrator

[Daslogster]

I have been seeing very small groups this year myself, with larger flocks at the season startup east of Calgary and the last hunt I took 2 that cam in a singles, no flocks. The early birds were the biggest I have ever seen, but they were only around for a week or so. May just be the year. I have seen so many specs and snows where normally its just Canadas. Odd year for sure.

[3blade]

Been seeing bigger flocks in the last week…think the weather had a lot to do with it.

Mallards are everywhere there is grain and water. I’ve found good numbers consistently a lot further west than you are thinking. It might be them adapting to hunting pressure. Where as geese simply sit out in the middle of any particular stubble field with good feed and are easy to spot from the road, I’ve noticed big flocks of mallards pick very out of the way roosting and feeding areas. Often roosting in the same secluded wetlands where I’m hunting deer or moose, and feeding in adjacent fields, without flying very far day to day, until they pick up and go. These are spots you would not see from the road and may not even show up on a map, and they hold piles of ducks every year.

Have a look at some satellite pictures of your area, and take a long walk into places where there is food, water and willows at least 1/2 a mile from any road, and preferably behind a hill or tree line.