Duck opener 2006

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 5:38 pm

This morning's duck opener was foggy, wet and miserable. Who cares! We were hunting

. The moring started with the usual shots around the marsh way too early to be able to ID the birds. Lots of sky blasting at geese. Some guys think they can take down geese 70-100 yards overhead

.

I dusted the gun off quickly with three teal to Chris' none.

. Well, he did finish one for me. That was all that we got from sitting still.

Once the ducks settled into the marsh we went jump shooting, stalking through the marsh up to our chest in the swampy water and heavy pickrel weed. This has seemed to produce for us in the past.

We ended up with almost a limit. 9 ducks. 4 blue wing teal, 4 woodies, and one mallard with a leg band. He was my fifth bird and I thought it neat to end on that note. There were woodies every where. When we fired on one lifting out of the weeds 8-10 more would flush all around us.

We exhausted ourselves and had a blast doing it!

Now to get ready for the serious stuff next weekend.

Hardy Buck · Post by **Hardy Buck** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 6:30 pm

Awesome pictures

Good to see someone had some luck. What was the outcome of the Wrapped bird (with the tag on it)

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 6:32 pm

There's a number to phone. Then the'll send you a certificate stating the history of the bird.

As for the duck itself, he has a date with a frying pan tomorow

.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:53 pm

ecoaster wrote:There's a number to phone. Then the'll send you a certificate stating the history of the bird.

As for the duck itself, he has a date with a frying pan tomorow .

You mean you can eat those things?

Sounds like a great day to start the season. I may break down and try some duck & goose hunting this year. Last one I killed was with the longbow a few years ago. Semi-tame mallards at the local lake, just walk slowly & whack 'em in the head with a blunt arrow. Not much sport, but still good eating.

Doe Master · Post by **Doe Master** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:10 am

Yes we found the season started slow also ecocoaster but around 9:00 it picked up by 10:30 we had 32 mallards and one goose , it stared to rain so we packed it in . And also the meat is good we put ours into sausage with the goose ( 1/2 waterfowl and 1/2 pork )

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 9:49 am

It was a good morning for sure. A little slow with the fliers but with plan B it didn't matter too much. The great thing is not one cripple! Not one lost bird! We should of had ten birds but I was a little more than rusty

.

Oh well, good times with a good friend in the great outdoors, what more could you ask for?

Just one week until we can do it again. We'll just swap the "d" in ducks with a "b".

duber · Post by **duber** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:02 am

We had a good morning in the rain and fog.We ended up with 25 ducks for 5 guys.A lot of bluebills which is strange for our little pond.

10 bluebills,7 woodies,4 mallards,3 ring neck,1 black.

Most years it is all mallards and blacks with the odd woodie.

We went out Sunday morning in the same spot and got 4 woodies 4 mallards and 2 bluebills.

A good weekend for us.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:07 am

Sunday????

Did I miss the train or something. I didn't think you could gun hunt anything in Ontario on Sundays.

duber · Post by **duber** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:54 am

New this year.It is now up to the local levels of goverment (ie county or township) to allow Sunday gun hunting.Most have jumped on board.Were I live you can't hunt on Sundays but were my hunting camp is (1.5 hrs north) you can.

Go to the O.F.A.H. web site for more info on Sunday hunting.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:46 pm

Thanks for the info duber.

TYE · Post by **TYE** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:58 pm

Now thats something I'd like to try. Duck hunting, or goose hunting. But my dad won't take me cuz he hates plucking them. I need to find someone to go with.

ecoaster · Post by **ecoaster** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 2:05 pm

Don't pluck em. I plucked all mine last year and it was a hassle. This year I just plucked the breast feathers good enough to see the skin (takes about 10 seconds), then slide a knife in and split the skin exposing the breast meat. Cut out the breasts and the legs too(if it's a large duck). The small ones aren't really worth it. That's it. I breasted 5 ducks on Saturday and it too me about 15 minutes. I don't cook em with the skin on anyway. Makes them greasy and I don't like the taste.

leonk · Post by **leonk** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:07 pm

Don't even pluck the breast - just skin it and cut the breast out.
don't know about OH, in ON (all of Canada) you can't shoot waterfowl with single
projectile (arrow/bolt), though I heard many ppl do that and argue it's legal.

Nice shooting. I couldn't get out that day, so didn't get a chance to meet you guys (again

)
I had nice opening a week ago in Central zone.

I shot banded woodie in Tiny 3-4 years ago, turned out local bird banded same year.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:09 am

In Ohio a longbow (vert bow) is legal, but crossbows are not. But crossbows are legal for all other game in season? I thought crossbows were banned by federal regs, but have heard they are legal in some other states.
BTW - the way to clean birds for eating the breast is to lay is the bird on it's back on the ground. Spread the wings and put your feet where the wing joins the body to hold it down. Grab the feet with your hands and pull up slowly. The bird will tear and the breast will pop out! It's supposed to work with all birds, but some are just too tough, or too tender, to make it practical. I have done grouse, young turkey, and some ducks this way and it worked. A dove was too fragile and it didn't work (the legs pulled off), and some older birds and large birds are just too tough to pull apart.

leonk · Post by **leonk** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:27 am

BTW - the way to clean birds for eating the breast is to lay is the bird on it's back on the ground. Spread the wings and put your feet where the wing joins the body to hold it down. Grab the feet with your hands and pull up slowly. The bird will tear and the breast will pop out! It's supposed to work with all birds, but some are just too tough, or too tender, to make it practical. I have done grouse, young turkey, and some ducks this way and it worked. A dove was too fragile and it didn't work (the legs pulled off), and some older birds and large birds are just too tough to pull apart.

I always clean grouse like that, just love it. Neven succeded in cleaning ducks
like that - the birds are tough.