Episode 660: Waterfowl & Rape- A Lesson in Hybridization, Plus The .300 Win Mag & 7 Mag Duke It Out

What this episode covers

Is there anything more exciting for the duck hunter than when the retriever brings back an unexpected rare specimen, or perhaps a banded bird? While I have seen thousands of ducks brought back to the blind personally, I’d never seen a hybrid or a banded bird until this November when JoJo brought back a weird looking mallard cross. I figured it was crossed with a gadwall or green wing teal, but decided to send a photo to the authority on the subject: Waterfowl Hybrid Specialist Ben Pierce. He confirmed that it was indeed a ‘Brewers Duck’ (Mallard x Gadwall). We started visiting and I immediately realized there was an entire show worthy conversation on waterfowl biology and hybridization. Why do ducks cross breed so frequently compared to other animals? Is the male or female usually responsible? Are some species more aggressive than others? Are the offspring of hybrids sterile? There are so many questions to ask Ben. I found this to be one of the more interesting discussions in recent memory. (JoJo and I with the Brewer’s Duck I shot on my West Texas deer lease) Next, I’m joined by my old friend and host of the Big Game Hunting Podcast – John McAdams. A listener recently asked me to dive into a .300 Win Mag vs Remington 7mm (7 Mag) comparison. I called John as he’s well versed on both and even has a written blog pieces comparing the two classic hunting calibers (You can read his blog piece here: https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/7mm-rem-mag-vs-300-win-mag/ ). We discuss the history of each and their 375 H&H origins. But is one truly better than the other when it comes to hunting? What about at distance? Is the recoil difference something to consider? Does one have more knock down power than the other? Plus what are the most common bullet options available for each? Always interesting comparing calibers and performance with John.