What Happened to this Mallard?

by
posted on December 15, 2012
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dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (41)

undefinedMy friends and I had a pretty good duck hunt last week, and all returned home with fat mallards to eat. However, as I was preparing to pluck one of the birds, I noticed something odd: Its left foot had a split running through a digit and extending partially into the webbing. At first I thought the injury had resulted from our shooting that morning, but closer examination revealed it to be an old, healed wound. Here's a photo:

So, question is, if one of my shotgun pellets didn't take a chunk out of the duck's foot, what did? Another hunter last season? A snapping turtle? I'd love to hear a few of your theories.

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