Fishy mallards

[DivingDuckDetlor]

A few weeks back my friend and I harvested some mallards out of Cowichan bay, to my surprise they had an extremely strong fish taste and the widgeon was delicious. Can everyone please give me some ideas on prep to help prevent this for my next mallards.

thanks in advance

[Big Lew]

Don't shoot resident mallards near salmon spawning rivers and estuaries.
Large flocks are much less likely to be eating rotten salmon. Mallards either by themselves
or in small groups of less then 8 are probably resident. If in doubt, shoot one and then
smell under it's wing where it would wipe it's bill....if it smells fishy don't shoot anymore.

[wideopenthrottle]

Don't shoot resident mallards near salmon spawning rivers and estuaries.
Large flocks are much less likely to be eating rotten salmon. Mallards either by themselves
or in small groups of less then 8 are probably resident. If in doubt, shoot one and then
smell under it's wing where it would wipe it's bill....if it smells fishy don't shoot anymore.
I see lots of ducks in the sewage lagoons down near the airport....so sniff for a farty smell... you may want to avoid those as well...heheheh

[lorneparker1]

Don't shoot resident mallards near salmon spawning rivers and estuaries.
Large flocks are much less likely to be eating rotten salmon. Mallards either by themselves
or in small groups of less then 8 are probably resident. If in doubt, shoot one and then
smell under it's wing where it would wipe it's bill....if it smells fishy don't shoot anymore.

Do you have a link of some science stating that mallards by themselves or in groups less then 8 are residents?

[Big Lew]

Do you have a link of some science stating that mallards by themselves or in groups less then 8 are residents?

After hunting ducks in southern BC for approx. 52-53 years, often around salmon spawning rivers, my statement
'mallards either by themselves, or in small groups of less then 8 are probably resident' has been remarkably
accurate and consistent within those areas. Of course it wouldn't necessarily be consistent with hunting
the foreshore or fields not near those streams. I presume the OP was asking for pointers and suggestions from
experienced hunters, and that's what I offered when considering he mentioned hunting Cowichan Bay into which
both the salmon spawning Cowichan River and Meade Creek flow.

[lorneparker1]

After hunting ducks in southern BC for approx. 52-53 years, often around salmon spawning rivers, my statement
'mallards either by themselves, or in small groups of less then 8 are probably resident' has been remarkably
accurate and consistent within those areas. Of course it wouldn't necessarily be consistent with hunting
the foreshore or fields not near those streams. I presume the OP was asking for pointers and suggestions from
experienced hunters, and that's what I offered when considering he mentioned hunting Cowichan Bay into which
both the salmon spawning Cowichan River and Meade Creek flow.

So no science then? How do you know with bird in hand let alone in flight if its a resident or not? Also there aren't many spawning salmon around in Dec. Maybe the odd coho but everything else has been washed away with the storms. Sorry man, but insinuating that flocks of 8 or less are "probably" residents, is completely ridiculous.

[kyleklassen]

Ahhhhh...yes I have heard the elders speak of the great meades creek salmon runs of yore. Could walk across there backs, and the ducks, oh the ducks, they still speaketh of them in hushed tones.

[Big Lew]

I'm confused by your seemingly hostile attitude toward my statements even though
I've tried to explain what I've personally noted within my hunting areas for many years.
It that's not what you've experienced, then wouldn't it be more productive to say just
that then to suggest I don't know what I'm talking about? In my area the eagles are still
eating leftover rotting salmon, the small groups of mallards I see almost every day when on
my walks along the Dewdney slough are doing so as well. On the other side of the dike are
vast fields often holding huge flocks of both ducks and geese. These large flocks never frequent
the slough. I've not shot any mallards or geese from large flocks that stunk of rotten fish.
I have shot many from the Harrison, Stave, Dewdney, and Fraser back sloughs over the years
that were fishy. The large flocks on the Fraser and Harrison don't seem to have fishy birds either.
I used to hunt Hayward Lake above the Ruskin Dam. Literally 100's of mallards would come from
the valley fields to roost on the floating debris and boom sticks. None of them smelled of rotting fish,
yet mallards in the river below the dam did. That's my personal observations sir, and if you can't
accept that as it is, but would rather have 'scientific' evidence and imply that my hunting experiences
are 'ridiculous' then I guess you're not the person I have thought you were. Good hunting to you, sir.

[lorneparker1]

Not hostile at all.
You made a ridiculous statement saying resident birds are in groups in less 8 birds. That is completely not true. imagine a newish waterfowlerfowler reading that and going out and skunking day after day because all he has is pairs decoying perfectly and he doesnt want to shoot them because they are probably resident birds...

The truth is there is no way to tell if you shot or are shooting at a resident bird or not. And the fact that they are resident or not has zero baring on whether they are fishy tasting or not. location and diet definitely play a role. No question. Flock size. No

Happy hunting to you as well.

[Glenny]

Even worser, mallardy tasting fish. Ziiing! Whos into the nogs tonight? lol

[Dutch Ppoacher]

Any bird that feeds on the salt flats will have a skunky smell due to the environment its feeding in. Just make sure to clean them well and before cooking brine them in a flavor you like.

i shoot my share of singles and doubles, theres no way to tell if they are resident birds, even taste is a tough one to go by.

just my 2 cents

[Lozzie]

Fed my wife and Inlaws Mallards I shot in Cowbay yesterday and there were no complaints. Typically I breast out my ducks and let them sit in the fridge in a bowl of salted water. It tends to dissipate coagulation and can also remove some gameyness. Give it a try and if it doesn't work for you, you can always buy chicken.

[Treed]

Actually, the statement he made that based on sampling over 50 odd years, in this particular region, he has noted that the ducks shot in a small groups tend to be fishy and in large groups are generally not fishy is exactly what science is. Backing it up with other evidence (smaller resident groups in sloughs, larger non-resident groups in fields) and the hypothesis that they are fishy because of their food is what good science is made of. He made no claims that this was true, or applied everywhere - just that it was his observation - with probably a nice big sample size :).

[walks with deer]

Truth is most guys don't have the luxury to pass on birds.

And in truth if you pass on a loner in my blind I'd be pissed.

[BiG Boar]

I believe that the taste of fish is most likely coming from the way you're cleaning the bird. Some eat fish, some don't, but if you touch the outside of a fishy one, and then use those same hands to remove the breast, you will have some flavour head over there.

[Sako 75]

I have seen lots of mallards feeding on dead salmons/eggs on salmon bearing streams. I am pretty sure those mallards are fishy. I am fortunately (lucky) enough to hunt most of the mallards by nearby corn/grain/vegetables farms.

[Dutch]

Not only salmon or herring roe opened up greenheads before full of the little beach crabs they were in a large flock probably just being friendly...:)

[Stormy]

I'm confused by your seemingly hostile attitude toward my statements even though I've tried to explain what I've personally noted within my hunting areas for many years.

That's my personal observations sir, and if you can't accept that as it is, but would rather have 'scientific' evidence and imply that my hunting experiences are 'ridiculous' then I guess you're not the person I have thought you were. Good hunting to you, sir.

Dave, sometimes you should just ignore the drivel uttered by the cool guys - thanks for sharing your experiences with us, clearly you have had years and years of experience in the fields and marshes - so I'd take your word any day of the week over some "scientific evidence" that probably means squat in the harsh light of day!

[ACB]

A old Newfie friend of my family hunted out by the Vedder R. and Vedder canal and when he would get ducks out there he said you had to pull their bills open an smell them. If they smelled like fish his dog got a treat that night. This is a guy that ate seagulls during the dirty thirties in Newfoundland, I guess he figured he had eaten enough fishy birds.

[fowl language]

just a bit of info on fish runs in the southern regions. the very last run that is fished commercially is the cowichan area. a few years back we fish the area till the 20th of dec. the second last run to be fished commercially is the late fraser run which could be fished from the end of oct. till about the 20th of nov. this could well be the cause of fishy ducks in certain areas.

[yamadirt 426]

Dave, sometimes you should just ignore the drivel uttered by the cool guys - thanks for sharing your experiences with us, clearly you have had years and years of experience in the fields and marshes - so I'd take your word any day of the week over some "scientific evidence" that probably means squat in the harsh light of day!

x2 ..........

[604Stalker]

If theres no science it never happend... Not even after 50 years of experience.;-)

[boblly1]

lew I accept your reasoning experience usually speaks the truth as for myself and my father before learned that in birds or any other game for that matter we found it is all about what they eat themselves and I would like to accuse the ignorance of others but I wont

[troutseeker]

So no science then? How do you know with bird in hand let alone in flight if its a resident or not? Also there aren't many spawning salmon around in Dec. Maybe the odd coho but everything else has been washed away with the storms. Sorry man, but insinuating that flocks of 8 or less are "probably" residents, is completely ridiculous.

Check their drivers licence?

[tigrr]

If the duck has flown down the coast eating lettuce and kelp it will taste different too. You just never know if it will be a good one or not. I have probably shot 6000 birds as well. Duck and goose hunting since 1970.

[J-Man]

Turn all ducks into jerky for deer hunting, they all taste great then.

[Linksman313]

Been out of the LM waterfowl game since 2015 but have a little to add here. My crew observed while hunting the fields surrounding the Nicomekl and the Serpentine Mallards eating worms and insects in the soil of fields in foresaid area, my educated guess was this was due to limited forage around (dry years). We also noted a different taste to these ducks vs migrators (obviously) but also different from the local yokels who foraged in water within the vicinity. Just my two cents, we all really miss the feet in your face action tremendously!! Good hunting all, get those bands :)