Wildenten Luzern

Wildenten are a species-rich group of waterfowl within the duck family that hunting tradition in Central Europe divides into dabbling ducks (Schwimmenten) and diving ducks (Tauchenten). Dabbling ducks ride comparatively high in the water and can rise almost vertically into flight. Diving ducks lie lower, take a running start across the surface and forage by submerging completely. Both groups show strong sexual dimorphism, most visible in the breeding plumage of the drakes, while the females remain in a cryptic brown eclipse-style plumage.

The most common and practically most relevant species is the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos). In breeding plumage the drake shows a glossy green head, a white neck ring, a brown breast and a yellow bill, while the duck is mottled brown. Mallards weigh around one to one and a quarter kilograms and use almost every type of water body, from large pre-Alpine lakes and rivers to ditches and urban park ponds. The teal is markedly smaller, the smallest European duck, and favours shallow, well-vegetated wetlands, marshes and small still waters. The wigeon stands out through the rusty-brown head with creamy forehead and the pinkish breast of the drake; it breeds mainly in taiga marshlands. The gadwall is similar in size to the mallard but appears more uniformly grey-brown and understated. Among the diving ducks in Central Europe the tufted duck dominates, with its sharply contrasting black-and-white plumage and small crest on the nape, alongside the common pochard, whose drake shows a chestnut-red head, black breast and grey body. The scaup resembles the tufted duck but carries a paler back and lacks the crest.

The habitat of all Wildenten is tied closely to water, but preferences differ. Dabbling ducks favour shallow, plant-rich standing waters, floodplains, oxbow lakes and slow-flowing rivers with dense bank vegetation of reeds, sedges and overhanging woody growth. Diving ducks need larger and deeper waters such as inland lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits, because they take their food while diving in deeper zones. In winter many species concentrate in larger flocks on ice-free lakes, on dammed rivers or, for several diving ducks, also on coastal waters.

The classic methods of duck hunting are closely matched to the birds' behaviour. The most important form is the Entenstrich, a variant of flight shooting at dawn or dusk: the hunter takes a concealed position on the shore between a resting water and a feeding water and uses the fact that ducks fly reliably between these places at first and last light. Shooting is done with shot from smoothbore guns; for water protection lead-free shot is either legally required or strongly recommended. Stand hunting at small waters also plays a role, often combined with baiting sites that are kept supplied to tie ducks to reliable spots. Driven hunts on larger waters with multiple guns are a further established method. In all cases a reliable retrieving dog, classically a flushing dog or a retriever, is indispensable, since shot ducks frequently fall into dense shoreline vegetation or open water.

A few headline principles guide the Hege of Wildenten, all rooted in their close link to the water body. Central is maintaining and developing structurally rich shorelines with reed beds, sedge stands and native woody plants such as alder, willow and oak, since this structure provides cover and nest sites. Artificial nesting aids such as floating nest platforms or nest baskets can complement natural habitat and reduce losses to flood events and ground predators. Adjusted predator management, in particular of fox, mustelids and free-running dogs, noticeably improves breeding success. Because mallards regularly show a surplus of drakes, a deliberate, somewhat stronger harvest of drakes is part of the accepted Hege principles, in order to balance the sex ratio and limit multiple pairings on a single female. A measured harvest that strictly respects the breeding season, the use of lead-free shot and avoiding pressure on roosting waters at night round out the catalogue.