Ruddy Shelduck in Texas!

“The Chapmans”
Chase, Dayne, Kory, & Tyler

Tyler Chapman of Decatur, Texas is one of the most fortunate hunters I have ever known.  He has harvested an Aoudad, Elk, Whitetail, varmints, and many other animals here in Texas, but what surprises me the most is the rare ducks he has harvested the last 3 years.

On December 31, 2013 his family of duck hunters, “The Chapmans”, managed to harvest their latest rare duck on a small pond near Decatur, Texas… a Ruddy Shelduck. Native to north west Africa and Ethiopia, but breed in southeast Europe across central Asia to Southeast Asia. So, what is a duck like this doing in North Texas? I have no idea, but do know that Tyler can add this drake and 2 hens to his wall of fame right next to his Leucistic Gadwall and a Brewer’s Duck.

He and his father, Kory, saw the ducks about a week before, but decided not to hunt them till they could identify them.  It took them almost a week to finally determine what they were and that they were a non native species to Texas and that it was legal for them to harvest them. They are a duck you do not see every day in Texas with mostly a burned orange color over most it’s body with a white upper wing and dark green speculum that shines.

One awesome hunt and one for the record books for North Texas. Any duck hunter would be glad to have those in their bag!

Pictures below are some of Tyler’s other mounts mentioned.  Not a bad collection of rare ducks…