Mergansers are great "Trainers" for the dog.
Mergansers are great "Trainers" for the dog.
I much prefer the fish tasting things I eat to have scales, not feathers! Years ago, I was hunting with someone who knew it all and he shot a Merganser and swore it was a Canvasback. Regardless of how we tried to convince him it wasn't what he thought it was, he later had to admit that he might have erred because when he roasted it, the smell in his kitchen was horrible.
Why do the ducks come just after I pour my coffee?
The Common Merganser is a fish eater and are poor table fair, the Hooded Merganser eats vegation as well as some fish and are okay at least the few that I've eaten. The Red Breasted I have no idea, don't even know if they exist on the west coast. They fall under waterfowl in the regs. you can shoot 8 Mergansers or combination of ducks and mergansers for a total of 8 daily limit. Best is don't waste the shot on them.
My Dad brought one home years ago and had my mother cook it up. The cooking aroma was enough to cause one to reject the repast without having to taste it. My Dad said it was delicious, but then he hobo'd as a teenager during the depression and he had a taste for many things that I found unsavoury.
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(Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend)
I've eaten them, take the skin and fat off of them and use the for makIng a stew with veggies and some summer savory.
Not the best eatin duck out there but will do in a pinch.
My wife's uncle's favorite duck is a merg but he's a true blood Newfie.
Last edited by Marc; 11-03-2011 at 07:31 PM.
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sure you can eat them ,even live on but they taste like sh@#
there we go!!
Anyone else that has responded actually eaten one?
Someone said they are a fish duck so they taste like crap. I have shot and eaten TONS of diving ducks (scuap, canvasbacks, buffleheads, etc) and they are damn tasty. Back in the market hunter days canvasbacks were the mostly highly prized duck and fetched more $$$ per pound then any other duck. And you wont find an oz of grain in a can. I have also seen TONS of mallards eat fish. they dont give a crap, they are opportunists. I havent tried merganser, and probably wont. but i wont go saying it tastes like shit cause i have never tried it.