A Waterfowler’s Treasure: The American Black Duck
When you ask waterfowl hunters about their experience hunting Black Ducks, they will say one of two things. Either they have had plenty of interactions with the species, or they have had few and far between.
About the size of a mallard with its "dusky" brown and black feathers and florescent blue wing tips, the American Black Duck is considered a prize to many waterfowl hunters because of its rarity in certain states, as well as their extraordinary beauty. This has made the Black Duck a treasure in the waterfowl world, and if you're lucky enough to hold one in your hands, you'll never want to let go!
Between 1950 and 1980, the American Black Duck population declined by more than 50 percent, sending the species into a dive, unclear if they would ever recover. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, many scientists believed this decline in population was due to overhunting, environmental contaminations in key breeding areas, and interbreeding with Mallards.
Today, the decline has tampered off, but Black Duck populations still remain below average in the United States.
In some southern states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, you may get lucky and find one Black Duck in a group of Mallards or Gadwalls hovering above the flooded tree line. But along parts of the East Coast, you can find these birds in the thousands.
Black Ducks thrive along the salt marshes and brackishwater ponds along the eastern seaboard. From Massachusetts down to Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina, over 52,000 black ducks visit the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay region each winter during the great migration.
Hunters targeting these birds will use blind boats, nestled up along the edge of the marsh with a decoy spread surrounding them to conceal their presence. You can also find these birds in the beautiful brackish water ponds that consume most of the marshes. These are key resting areas for black ducks because they feel safe and can feed in the shallow waters without hesitation or worry from predators.
I was lucky to hunt our farm on the Eastern Shore of Virginia this November. After a few slow days of scouting, I was not very optimistic about the hunt ahead. However, duck hunters know you can never have any expectations when it comes to hunting ducks, and I quickly realized that as the morning turned into a true blessing, engraving a memory in my mind forever.
After creeping into an old wooded irrigation pond before first light, I threw out a few decoys and began to call. As the sun slowly poked out, I was surprised to see a single bird hovering above the tree line, looking to land in the decoys. As the bird began to back peddle, showing the beautiful white underside of its wings, I pulled up without hesitation and took one shot.
I was shocked. I couldn't believe my eyes as I waded through the thick, muddy water, slowly approaching this incredible animal. The bird's extraordinary beauty took my breath away as I held it in my hands, examining every aspect of its shape and fluorescent colors.
With the legal limit in some states increasing from one Black Duck in possession to two over recent years, hunters can enjoy excellent wing shooting with a once-in-a-lifetime treasure that will tell a story for generations.
If you or someone you know is looking to check one of these majestic birds off the bucket list, look no further than the Eastern Shore and Chesapeake Bay region for your next waterfowl adventure!
Sources
American Black Duck. Chesapeake Bay. https://www.chesapeakebay.net/discover/field-guide/entry/american-black-duck#:~:text=More%20than%20200%2C000%20black%20ducks,visit%20the%20region%20each%20winter.
American Black Duck. Ducks Unlimited. https://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/american-black-duck