Me and my older brother were out duck hunting in the middle of a lake on a small island. It was cold and very foggy, and we had not seen many ducks for about an hour. So we were sitting there watching the skies, when I noticed a figure moving through the fog on the water. I looked closer, and I noticed that it had the outline of a mallard (remember its foggy, so I cant quite make out the creature). So I slowly got up and aimed at it, but my brother told me not to shoot yet. After a few seconds, the creature noticed me but it did not fly away. Instead, it slowly went under water, and thats the last we saw of it. My brother told me that he knew that the mystery animal was not in season, even though he did not know the name of it. Could you guys give me some information on this animal? Like mabey its name or type of duck? And if it helps any, I was hunting in northern Indiana.
2007-11-12 10:23:13 · 12 answers · asked by Lokes 2 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
It could of been a loon but I never saw one in IN before. They can stay and swim underwater for quite a while.
2007-11-12 10:28:35 · answer #1 · answered by bobbo342 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think the answerer's who said loon might be on the right track. I believe it was some type of Merganser or fish duck. They certainly can and do dive slowly when they wish and can stay submerged for 100's of yards before surfacing.
We have loons on our lake in northern MN and they can actually semi submerge when they want to make themselves hard to spot. This is effect is similar to a submarine that adjusts it's buoyancy. They can skim along with just their beak and eyes visible above the water or seemingly float on top of the water with almost their whole body above the surface too.
Anyway there are many species of "fish ducks' also that are basically all given the term because they are diving ducks and will also stay submerged for long periods of time when chasing minnows or fry, or when trying to avoid detection, so I assume it was one of these birds that you and your brother witnessed.
2007-11-12 12:20:11 · answer #2 · answered by gunguy58 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dogs or coyotes are not going to cache that way. Usually a coyote will just scavenge and WHEN they do kill they do not drag their prey and/or bury it for later. It is one of three things without a doubt: 1) Most likely a mountain lion. They are one of the only large cat in the world that is expanding its home range into areas that it used to not even inhabit before man started developing. Cats have their favorite hunting grounds, especially a mother with a den near to the kills. If I was a betting man I would say it is a mountain lion with her den nearby and she has cubs. I would not be shocked at all. 2) Bear, black or brown will bury their prey like that but they usually don't have caches like that. especially in the spring when you are picking the mushrooms. 3) Human being. Poaching and stashing. I actually don't think this is likely as it would be a lot of work to hump the animals to one place and stack them and then bury them. A human is too lazy for this. I am super curious! Get a scout cam and check it out! If you find out what it is I would really like to get an email from you with the answer!
2016-04-03 21:31:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Several things says it was a loon.one was it was big enough to see in the fog,two looked like a mallard,three didn't fly away,four semi submerged when you made your presence felt before dropping out of sight.It could have come up quite a ways away or have gone ashore out of sight.Loons are travelling south now from here in Canada,they left a little bit earlier this year,at least from our pond incidentally which is called -Big Loon Pond. 1km. long X 1/2 wide They come every year in early Spring till Fall and leave with surviving young.
2007-11-12 14:03:39 · answer #4 · answered by hunter 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With a head the size of a ducks, it could have been a duck or it could have been a turtle or water snake. One of the answerers said that it could have been a Loon inspite of the fact that Loons are a more northerly bird and I agree. You were in Northern Indiana and it is possible that a Loon could have gotten down that far south even though it is not their usual territory. You did the right thing by not shooting it. A hunter who makes sure of his target before firing is a GOOD safe hunter.
2007-11-12 10:46:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
the only problem i see with the answer that was given is that the loon dose not dive slowly. these are small fowls and move like a duck on crack are you sure that it was an animal? and not a stick i live in a place were we have a loon festival every year
2007-11-12 10:47:19 · answer #6 · answered by nuttrpuckr69 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Barney said it was a red crested webfooted lake loon
probaby any kind of a diver you can imagine. Simple coots will do that . If it was a beaver he would not have submerged unless frightened and he would have slapped the water. I would say it was just a coot.
2007-11-14 03:19:33 · answer #7 · answered by brokerman74067 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I live near the MI / IN boarder, loons are not in this area. You may have seen a diver duck. there are several species but they are generally smaller than a mallard.
2007-11-12 20:19:56 · answer #8 · answered by Jon 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep sounds like a loon. Or something similar. They are everywhere in Texas. They can dive down atleast 17 feet, as my uncle caught one on a trotline in 17 foot of water before.
2007-11-12 10:31:25 · answer #9 · answered by Jared D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe a coot. They like to go under and swim away (under water). They will usually surface several yards away so it is entirely possible it came up outside of your range of vision .
2007-11-12 12:35:58 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋