Waterfowl taste opinions

[bc sportsman]

We used to call Mergansers "Double Enders" for a very good reason. Another endearing term that we used was "Shitters" cause that's what they tasted like.

Canada geese are great, Snows as well. As Ian says - it's all in the cooking. My first wife tried to make Duck A L'Orange when we were first married.

Well, the acid in the fresh oranges reacted with the stronger tasting Goldeneye and ..............well let's just say that we found something else to do besides eat supper.

There were three of us brothers who were all hunting together for a few years. We would duck hunt, deer hunt, and fish for fresh caught, shrimp fed Coho then fill the freezers. Come Christmas time Mom 'n Dad used to hold an open house on Boxing Day, for everyone who was interested - family and friends.

The fare was leftover turkey, baked ham, and a wide sampling of the game that the 'kids' provided. I was into scuba diving at the time and in addition to the game meat, I used to contribute abalone, scallops, red snapper, ling cod and what ever else. Somehow there weren't a lot of leftovers from Boxing Day.

Ahh, those were the good ole days...........

That brings back memories for me. I used to scuba every weekend and come back with ling and other tasty sea morsels that would last me the the week. Help defray the living costs while going to UBC.

We live exclusively on game meat now (for red meat) with the exception of chicken and fish. Hope to replace some of the store bought chickens with ducks and geese this year. First time and we'll see how it goes.

As for salmon, for lack of a boat, I charter once a year out of Sooke (Reel Excitement fishing charters) and always get my limit of springs plus the other species. The salmon usually lasts us till December. One day I'll be rich and buy a boat so that I can fish for salmon year round locally. Not too excited about catching a salmon off my canoe. Probably would end up being towed out to Alaska.

Thanks for all the info guys.

[NEEHAMA]

duck=pepperoni
goose=sunday night family roast dinner!! just the best!!

[bc sportsman]

While we are on topic, how does everyone clean their birds? Only have cleaned grouse in the past using the 'step on wings and pull' method.

Anyone use a drill operated plucker? Skin out? Boil first and then pluck?

[f350ps]

For me it's a juvenile Snow all the way. Can't beat em. K

[ROEBUCK]

My father and i always used to pluck our birds but this took so long, so we both started to skin them out you do lose the tasty skin, but you can do a goose in a couple of minutes , sometimes we would cut and pull the breasts out on some smaller birds like teal and small gamebirds

[mattysco]

i found canada goose a little 'fowl' haha

[Ian F.]

I'm a boob man!

Breast everything!

I think I've plucked 3 birds in the last ten years and they where gifts. I'll even make goose roasts, 2 breasts, bone out the legs, flip the breasts, put the leg meat between with some bacon and garlic, insert in ham netting, treat like roast beef!

Not long now boys, not long at all!

Ian

[thatskindafunny]

Took up puddle jumping ducks 2 years ago. Shot 2 mallards one day. Cut the breast out and fried them up the next day. Haven't been duck hunting since. Yuk, tasted like liver. Too bad as puddle jumping is good for a nice walk out in the farm. But maybe just maybe I should get a good receipe and try one more time.

[rbduck]

I guess I`m kinda spoiled when it comes to the waterfowl I am lucky enough to shoot. There is nothing like a fresh roasted corn/barley fed prairie Mallard. The Canadas and Snows here are hard to beat also. I`ve shot Mallards with so much corn in them, they could hardly fly, as the corn was still in their mouths.
Keeping in mind, I shot my first Mallard in the Delta Marsh outside Vancouver and a lot in the Ladner Marsh. How about at the end of Williams Rd at #1RD in Richmond or by Steveston? Spent years hunting those areas.
Nothing is wasted either, plucked or skinned, whole birds and/or breasted with thighs and legs.

Good luck this year to all you waterfowlers.

Ron

[Jimbo]

Mallards are # 1 by far. Widgeon are at the other end of the scale !