January 2023 - 41

Mallard drakes are colorful and fully plumed in January. (Photo by Vic Schendel)
have an iridescent-green head and yellow bill.
The breast is brown, the body is gray and the
rear is black. They also have a blue patch on
the wings. Females and juveniles aren't as
colorful as males. They are mottled-brown
throughout the body. Their bills are orange
and brown. Like males, females have a blue
patch on the wings.
Mallards are dabbling ducks, meaning
they feed in shallow water by dipping their
heads into the water and tipping forward.
They can be seen with their rear ends sticking
out of the water surface when feeding
on open water. In January mallards are still
behaving this way as they dip into shallow
water for tasty invertebrates, but they'll also
visit grain fields to meet their carbohydrate
needs. This means you can hunt mallards
over open water or in fields near water.
" Scouting and staying on top of water
conditions are important this time of year, "
Jensen said. " Ice can become an issue,
which can be positive or negative. It limits
the places the ducks can be but you may be
limited in access to those areas. "
Jensen recommends taking time to pattern
the ducks - take note of when they are
leaving the water or field and when they're
coming back. They will stick to their pattern
unless something happens to throw them off.
" They're a species of habit, " Jensen said.
" If they have what they need, they likely
won't leave. Sometimes the water hole freezes
up, they lose a food source or hunting pressure
will move them. "
Jensen recommends late-season mallard
hunters have good camo and cover as the
birds have likely seen hunting pressure and
will be wise to it. For mallards, decoys and
duck calls can be used, but being in the right
place at the right time is the most important
consideration.
Wyoming Wildlife | 41
" Scouting and staying on
top of water conditions are
important this time of year.
Ice can become an issue,
which can be positive or
negative. It limits the places
the ducks can be but you
may be limited in access to
those areas. " - Brian Jensen

January 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2023

January 2023 - 1
January 2023 - 2
January 2023 - 3
January 2023 - 4
January 2023 - 5
January 2023 - 6
January 2023 - 7
January 2023 - 8
January 2023 - 9
January 2023 - 10
January 2023 - 11
January 2023 - 12
January 2023 - 13
January 2023 - 14
January 2023 - 15
January 2023 - 16
January 2023 - 17
January 2023 - 18
January 2023 - 19
January 2023 - 20
January 2023 - 21
January 2023 - 22
January 2023 - 23
January 2023 - 24
January 2023 - 25
January 2023 - 26
January 2023 - 27
January 2023 - 28
January 2023 - 29
January 2023 - 30
January 2023 - 31
January 2023 - 32
January 2023 - 33
January 2023 - 34
January 2023 - 35
January 2023 - 36
January 2023 - 37
January 2023 - 38
January 2023 - 39
January 2023 - 40
January 2023 - 41
January 2023 - 42
January 2023 - 43
January 2023 - 44
January 2023 - 45
January 2023 - 46
January 2023 - 47
January 2023 - 48
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2025
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/wyoming-wildlife-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2024-e-edition
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-iak-special-issue
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/dec-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/January2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/wyominggame/WyomingWildlife/September2020
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