Removing back toe on domestic Mallards necessary?

[azure_]

So the US fish and wildlife people decided that in order to tell domestic Mallards from wild Mallards hatcherys have to remove the back toe of Mallard ducklings, right? Does this mean that if I buy Mallards from a hatchery and those Mallards hatch baby's, I have to remove there back toe? I'm not doing that so... I'm asking you people if you have experience with this and if the fish and wildlife people have ever finned you or taken away Mallards? Is there a permit you can get?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

There are other options instead of removing the toe although I don't think they are any less "harsh" per se. According to Cornell you can acquire permits if you don't own marked Mallards, but then you limit yourself to only selling to other permitted individuals. My one and only Mallard that I do have was given to me and kept with my non-breeders so I don't know how heavily enforced the laws are on breeding.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/21.13

 

[azure_]

There are other options instead of removing the toe although I don't think they are any less "harsh" per se. According to Cornell you can acquire permits if you don't own marked Mallards, but then you limit yourself to only selling to other permitted individuals. My one and only Mallard that I do have was given to me and kept with my non-breeders so I don't know how heavily enforced the laws are on breeding.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/21.13

Thank you so much for the information, these methods are crazy. JEEZ

 

[416bigbore]

This topic has been discuss in the past and I personally don't agree with that harsh method of marking them. Sure they are babies at the time and cost effective for those who have to mark them over leg bands,Blah, Blah, Blah, etc.

IMO, the main reason for these Mallards to be marked is to detour people from going out into the wild and gathering the eggs and hatching them for personal profit.

We have two hen Mallards that we bought from a private breeder and knew nothing of such marking method, both of them have their rear toes. I would think as long as a person can prove where you bought them from, unless your state laws says otherwise a person should be ok.

 

[azure_]

This topic has been discuss in the past and I personally don't agree with that harsh method of marking them. Sure they are babies at the time and cost effective for those who have to mark them over leg bands,Blah, Blah, Blah, etc.

IMO, the main reason for these Mallards to be marked is to detour people from going out into the wild and gathering the eggs and hatching them for personal profit.

We have two hen Mallards that we bought from a private breeder and knew nothing of such marking method, both of them have their rear toes. I would think as long as a person can prove where you bought them from, unless your state laws says otherwise a person should be ok.

Ok thanks, I think it's stupid to remove a back toe from babies too.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

This topic has been discuss in the past and I personally don't agree with that harsh method of marking them. Sure they are babies at the time and cost effective for those who have to mark them over leg bands,Blah, Blah, Blah, etc.

IMO, the main reason for these Mallards to be marked is to detour people from going out into the wild and gathering the eggs and hatching them for personal profit.

We have two hen Mallards that we bought from a private breeder and knew nothing of such marking method, both of them have their rear toes. I would think as long as a person can prove where you bought them from, unless your state laws says otherwise a person should be ok.

Agreed! I really want to know how they came to that conclusion on their marking method..."Hey guys why don't we just cut a bunch of little ducklings toes off?!". I felt so bad when I first picked my Mallard up and felt her toes missing.

 

[azure_]

Agreed! I really want to know how they came to that conclusion on their marking method..."Hey guys why don't we just cut a bunch of little ducklings toes off?!". I felt so bad when I first picked my Mallard up and felt her toes missing.

Poor babies

 

[416bigbore]

Agreed! I really want to know how they came to that conclusion on their marking method..."Hey guys why don't we just cut a bunch of little ducklings toes off?!". I felt so bad when I first picked my Mallard up and felt her toes missing.

I am not for sure how they come up with this other then the rear toe may not service a purpose. Just like the Adipose Fin that some fish hatchery's will remove from their hatchery fish before releasing them.

https://fishionary.fisheries.org/adipose-fin/