When do I have to clean my geese?????

[coaster]

I find it is best to gut and clean right away,and if the weather is cool enough I cut an orange in half and put it in the cavity and let hang for another day or so.I have heard of useing an onion insted of a orange..

[Schutzen]

T-stix
Years ago I found out about a little trick that makes it easy in the field. Make your self a hook type utensil about 10" - 12" a hvy welding rod with the coating cleaned off works, bend a small hook in the end. You cut the goose/duck belly open insert the hook thingy as far as you can and twist it around a little then pull the guts out. It will get most of it out till you can get it home to finish the job. Some knife manuf. still make small gamebird knives with a little hook setup on them for Quail and such.

[Thunderstix]

Thanks Schutzen. I am embarassed to say that I have only gone for geese once this year....and only 9 days left...I think.

[Schutzen]

T-Stix
Hey no problem, glad I could pass it on to you.
Kool thing about sites like these is being able to share or learn from others.
I'm always picking up stuff from the guys here and I toss in my limited knowhow here and there too.

[leftcoast]

Couple years ago we tried the English thing and hung a goose for several days by his neck, guts in. We cooked it like a regular roast and it was still tough. Tasted okay.

Usually we slow cook them or can them. I like canned because it makes great sandwhich meat.

=keith=

[Schutzen]

Keith

One of my friends likes to marinate his birds sliced up in different types of salad dressing then fries it up, he swears by it!

[redlegdrake]

I have skined them out. Makes it easy and no plucking. Just pluck a few for fancy ocations. Even do it with the geese. Especialy if I have 20 snows. It takes all day to pluck them. But I gut my birds as soon as the dog puts them in hand most of the time.

[Freshtracks]

Baah ... cleaning ducks. I cleaned ducks for 2 years before my dad took me out and got me a license at 14. Then a ol' friend of my dads showed me how to do ducks the old country way.

It required hanging ducks on a cedar shingle sided shed by the heads, allowing the birds to decompose (1-2 weeks) until the belly lining would ripen and split open, allowing the innards to fall out.

You then take the duck, throw it away and eat the shingle.

No seriously ... cleaning your birds as soon as possible will take any gamey taste from them. Usually the innards are damaged by shot and start a decomposing reaction. It is true though that the old country English like to hang their upland birds and waterfowl for a few days to enhnace that gamey taste.

Me I usually draw my birds and rinse them well with cold water that night and then ziplock and freeze.

A word of advise for grass eating waterfowl like geese and widgeon. Intestines full of grass decomposed very quickly, hence some finicky hunters I've heard draw their birds warm.

[NEEHAMA]

i've left them over night and the smell is rank! don't do this.
gut them right away in the field. just bring a knife and a garbage bag. when you shoot one find a out of sight area. gut them and skin them out. leave a wing on for id. then when you roast them put them in a roast pot breast down as you have removed the skin they could dry out. put bacon stips across the back and you will have a super nice dinner!! man i'm hungry!!

[ex bc guide]

I clean mine asap and they have been pretty good,I do not like the idea of leaving the guts in.
Mike