# Red leg mallards



## pinfeather (Nov 3, 2007)

OK there has been a thread on northern mallards, there is no diffrence in them right? What makes some mallards have the bright red legs and some have the orangish legs?Are the red legs mature birds, do they get the red legs when their feathers get colored out after molting? I am just wondering what makes them diffrent. My bag had them both this morning....Good luck to all!


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## NDhunter14 (Oct 17, 2007)

birds with the darker legs are generally because they are from farther north where its colder, i dont know if i have ever seen them red before, they generally range from a pale yellow/orange in early season locals to a bright orange in the late season with the migrants


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## honkerhunter83 (Mar 17, 2009)

I THINK I HEARD ONCE THAT IS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE BLOOD FLOW TO THEIR LEGS AND DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES, MORE BLOOD FLOW WHEN COLD AND LESS WHEN WARM , BUT I AM NOT SURE ,


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## FSUPhil (May 7, 2007)

A veterinary I spoke with recently said when the far northern birds start south they begin to use their fat reserves and produce something during the long flights that makes their legs turn more redish orange.


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## pinfeather (Nov 3, 2007)

The redish legs even look bigger than the yellow/orange feet...I guess the feet are bright orange, but we always call them REDLEGS.... :beer:


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## recker (Oct 12, 2003)

Been written about many times in Delta Waterfowl and DU. It has nothing to do with where the birds are from. It is a hormone change they start to go through later in the season each year. If fact alot of these so called Northern Mallards really are not from that far north according to Delta and may be raised not far from where you are hunting.


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## TheDrake (Apr 20, 2009)

recker said:


> Been written about many times in Delta Waterfowl and DU. It has nothing to do with where the birds are from. It is a hormone change they start to go through later in the season each year. If fact alot of these so called Northern Mallards really are not from that far north according to Delta and may be raised not far from where you are hunting.











Delta had an article on it last year,excellent read.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Once again, you guys dont know what your talking about.

"Red legged" mallards OBVIOUSLY come from the quill lake region. Sheesh.


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## Kill_Em_n_Grill_Em (Apr 5, 2009)

barebackjack said:


> Once again, you guys dont know what your talking about.
> 
> "Red legged" mallards OBVIOUSLY come from the quill lake region. Sheesh.


HAHA, Once again a god who knows everything about hunting, I go to my knees and point to the west and pray to god everynight that i can be just like you one day and know more about ducks then the people who study ducks for there job and write articles for delta waterfowl. Sorry for the person who is less intelligent than zeus over here. :eyeroll:


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

Kill_Em_n_Grill_Em said:


> barebackjack said:
> 
> 
> > Once again, you guys dont know what your talking about.
> ...


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

He told you bbj!


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## possumfoot (Nov 7, 2006)

recker said:


> Been written about many times in Delta Waterfowl and DU. It has nothing to do with where the birds are from. It is a hormone change they start to go through later in the season each year. If fact alot of these so called Northern Mallards really are not from that far north according to Delta and may be raised not far from where you are hunting.


 :beer:


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## possumfoot (Nov 7, 2006)

hey kill-em that was OBVIOUSLY a joke.


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## H2O_Tech (Jun 21, 2004)

Ability to detect "humor" in a post kicks in around post #20...for most. :beer:


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

Ohhhh snap kill-em..........you really showed me! :lol:


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Hey Zeus........Quit creating problems on the waterfowl forums. These are for dedicated waterfowlers who actually hunt.

Go tune a bow or something.


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## AdamFisk (Jan 30, 2005)

Oops, forgot to throw my humor icons in....... :beer: :lol:


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## T Shot (Oct 4, 2002)

AdamFisk said:


> Hey Zeus........Quit creating problems on the waterfowl forums. These are for dedicated waterfowlers who actually hunt.
> 
> Go tune a bow or something.


x2! But I'm serious.


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