Newb waterfowler

[meatGrinder]

I'm a newb duck hunter myself, went out a few times this season. One of the members here set me up with an excellent duck man and he showed me the ropes pretty quick. I agree that having someone help you out a few times is crucial. If you're ever down in central Oklahoma, I can show you some public land that I can usually find some ducks on.

I plan on hitting the clearance stuff pretty hard myself for next season. Waders, calls, decoys and stuff.

 

[Sam Shoun]

I wish I did find myself over in central a little more. I will keep the offer in mind, thank you.

The birds seem to have largely passed for now, I think, but for future reference I offer gas, breakfast and all the dumb questions you can handle. In fact here's a few now: it seems a lot of folks don't care for the taste of wild duck and/or goose. How many of y'all are eating your birds? Does the way you handle/prepare them make a big difference in the taste? My google fu may be failing me on that one. Is it possible to harvest the meat and get a mount? Do you use the animal any other ways... feathers, down...?

 

[Okie4570]

As with any game, some like the meat more than others.........grilled is the best way I've found, especially when cooked by someone else, lol. But seriously, grilled with bacon wrapped, look in the wild game recipe thread at justin_h635's posts. Goose on the other hand, is a little harder to palate, IMO. I've got a lot of it frozen to make jerky with. Not sure it's possible to get the meat off of bird you want to mount, so I'm thinking no on this one. Once you get the bird you want mounted, cut the end out of an old sock or panty hose and pull him through and put in the freezer until you get him to the taxidermist. Carcasses get used for bobcat trap bait.

 

[ShurShot]

I haven't tried this but it looks good:

 

[badrinker]

I wish I did find myself over in central a little more. I will keep the offer in mind, thank you.

The birds seem to have largely passed for now, I think, but for future reference I offer gas, breakfast and all the dumb questions you can handle. In fact here's a few now: it seems a lot of folks don't care for the taste of wild duck and/or goose. How many of y'all are eating your birds? I eat 'em. Mostly as summer sausage (thank you Seigi's!) but I also bake and/or fry them. Does the way you handle/prepare them make a big difference in the taste? HUGE difference My google fu may be failing me on that one. Is it possible to harvest the meat and get a mount? Do you use the animal any other ways... feathers, down...?

It would probably be possible to eat them and get a mount, but I would assume it would be much harder for the taxidermist. I would ask a taxidermist that question. I've never wanted to eat a duck badly enough to have to eat the one I want mounted.
I give the rest of the carcass to a falconer I know for hawk food.

 

[badrinker]

That depends on how much corn you dump on ground.



Blue sarcasm font

Wonder bread going out of business made it a lot harder for some hunters!

 

[Porter]

As long as you cook it rare to medium rare you will love it.

Okie mentioned wrapping a mount bird in panty hose or a sock. I used to do the same thing, but the taxi I use now told me it actually makes them a lot more difficult to mount and can cause damage. I don't know all the logistics of it, but this guy mounts nothing but birds and has won numerous titles for his work so I trust him. He said just put them in a big ziploc. The best thing you can do is get them to the taxidermist ASAP.

To answer your question about eating a mount bird; it can be done but I would advise against it. The taxidermist just needs the skin, but unless you are really good at skinning a bird you will more than likely mess it up. I can skin a deer like a champ, but won't touch a duck.

 

[Okie4570]

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As long as you cook it rare to medium rare you will love it.

Okie mentioned wrapping a mount bird in panty hose or a sock. I used to do the same thing, but the taxi I use now told me it actually makes them a lot more difficult to mount and can cause damage. I don't know all the logistics of it, but this guy mounts nothing but birds and has won numerous titles for his work so I trust him. He said just put them in a big ziploc. The best thing you can do is get them to the taxidermist ASAP.

To answer your question about eating a mount bird; it can be done but I would advise against it. The taxidermist just needs the skin, but unless you are really good at skinning a bird you will more than likely mess it up. I can skin a deer like a champ, but won't touch a duck.

Hmm, ask him about the sock method. He told us to bring it today or put it in a sock, you've got my curiosity up now

 

[iluvlabs]

The sock or pantyhose method will damage the feathers. No matter how much you try to avoid it, when the sock slide against the flow of the feathers it damages them. I put my waterfowl to be mounted in plastic trash bags. Double bag it to help prevent freezer burn.

 

[Okie4570]

Hmm, thanks, when the end is cut out of the hose or socks, it never gets pulled against the flow of the feathers, it just gets pulled on through. Double bag it is though from now on, much easier.