JW

I have used Muscovies but try to find a Domestic mallard.
The tape I use is that blue painters masking tape. Degrades over time if you don't recover your duck.
You might want to look for a NAVHDA chapter in your area. They should know a source for ducks.
JW

Doc E

We use ducks a lot.. Our dogs are primarily hunting dogs, but we do a lot of Hunt Tests in the "off-season" (over a dozen each year). One of our dogs (wife's dog) has over 1000 Championship points in HRC (there are barely over 300 dogs that have attained 1000 points in the last 40 years ! ).
Most any hunting dog club can point you in the right direction to get domesticated Mallards for training.
If you get somewhat young training ducks, they can't fly very well anyhow.
Use Surveyors 'tape' to wrap around the duck's head to cover the eyes (leave the nostrils uncovered). You can throw or launch the bird and it will flap it's wings (but not fly away) and if it's a hen, it will often quack too, but it will come right down to earth or water (cause it can't see). When the bird is in the air, "shoot" it with popper loads. You can have a "Live Shot Flyer" over and over as long as the dogs have good mouth habits and don't kill the bird.
On water, the duck can swim, but with it's eyes covered, it won't dive or try to fly away.
On land, you can cover the duck's head with a baby sock, but don't use the sock method on water or the duck will drown.


.