Attn: Waterfowl fanatics!

[JShane]

Lemme just open this can of worms right here. Ruddy's are one of the better tasting birds that I get in my neck of the woods. Over time I've found the anecdotal hand me down wisdom to be lacking in the wildgame culinary endeavors. Certainly the wide range of habitat, food source, migration route, and of course handling upon bringing to bag play huge rolls in the flavor of any given animal we hunt to eat. But in my humble opinion there is a fine reason a ruddy duck was the third most expensive duck on a New York restaurants list during market hunting days. I agree @jrabq we all do have our limits and I'm glad for that. More ruddy's around for me.

 

[jrabq]

Lemme just open this can of worms right here. Ruddy's are one of the better tasting birds that I get in my neck of the woods. Over time I've found the anecdotal hand me down wisdom to be lacking in the wildgame culinary endeavors. Certainly the wide range of habitat, food source, migration route, and of course handling upon bringing to bag play huge rolls in the flavor of any given animal we hunt to eat. But in my humble opinion there is a fine reason a ruddy duck was the third most expensive duck on a New York restaurants list during market hunting days. I agree @jrabq we all do have our limits and I'm glad for that. More ruddy's around for me.

I was expecting that comment would stir the pot a little bit .

I did not pass judgement on the Ruddy's culinary status, only the fact they can barely fly.

 

[JShane]

They are a low flying duck no doubt. Fast too from my perspective. The seasons almost closed. Thank goodness for topics of discussion to fill the upcoming void.

 

[seeth07]

Lemme just open this can of worms right here. Ruddy's are one of the better tasting birds that I get in my neck of the woods. Over time I've found the anecdotal hand me down wisdom to be lacking in the wildgame culinary endeavors. Certainly the wide range of habitat, food source, migration route, and of course handling upon bringing to bag play huge rolls in the flavor of any given animal we hunt to eat. But in my humble opinion there is a fine reason a ruddy duck was the third most expensive duck on a New York restaurants list during market hunting days. I agree @jrabq we all do have our limits and I'm glad for that. More ruddy's around for me.

I have the same feeling about those that bash the coots. Top 5 waterfowl to eat hands down and the fact that they can barely fly and aren't afraid one bit of humans doesn't deter me from every filling one full of steel shot!

 

[MarvB]

I have the same feeling about those that bash the coots. Top 5 waterfowl to eat hands down and the fact that they can barely fly and aren't afraid one bit of humans doesn't deter me from every filling one full of steel shot!

Have had both some mighty fine coot cacciatore and coot fajitas in my time, just sayin!

 

[JDH]

Have had both some mighty fine coot cacciatore and coot fajitas in my time, just sayin!

I've got one in the freezer to try. It was more of a frustration kill after a long day with nothing to show but I'm going to try it.

 

[seeth07]

I've got one in the freezer to try. It was more of a frustration kill after a long day with nothing to show but I'm going to try it.

and this is how coot killing machines are born...

 

[MarvB]

I've got one in the freezer to try. It was more of a frustration kill after a long day with nothing to show but I'm going to try it.

Coastal coot not my fav but never have found inland birds anything less than pretty decent on the palate. Ex-BIL used to make a pounded out coot breast stuffed with crab (Dungeness) that was flat out amazing!

 

[Doublecluck]

Well I had not scheduled any jobs this week cause we were going to hunt the last 3 days of the season, decided we didn’t want to deal with muddy fields and not being able to drive In. So I decided to schedule a job. Show up to the customers house only to find these walking around across the street. Three of five wearing jewelry.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Everybody has some line they won't cross; I won't shoot ducks that can't fly more than a foot off the water (I'm not judging anyone!). I might make an exception if I ever saw a red one.

I've never seen either a Cinnamon Teal, Ruddy Duck, or Wood Duck in interior Alaska...typically since the opener is Sept. 1 and marshes freeze in early October, most of our ducks are "brown ducks".

 

[bowhuntmontana]

Everybody has some line they won't cross; I won't shoot ducks that can't fly more than a foot off the water (I'm not judging anyone!). I might make an exception if I ever saw a red one.

Or ducks that fly at warp speed and are tiny. I refer to ruddies as rockets, especially when I get buzzed by a flock of them. Hard to hit!

 

[JShane]

I've got one in the freezer to try. It was more of a frustration kill after a long day with nothing to show but I'm going to try it.

Brine the meat. Remove the fat. Flip that. Remove the fat. Brine the meat

 

[JShane]

In honor of the topic at hand currently

 

[TheGreek]

View attachment 210471

@nick87 I reckon that ain’t northern Illinois in this pic. I’m dying to hear about your trip. Hope you are knocking ‘em dead wherever you are.

 

[nettereo16]

It felt good to sleep in this morning!!
I got 26 days in and managed to stay employed and engaged to my fiance.
Picture from yesterday's final day.

 

[glass eye]

Missed the last 3 days of the season due to covid. Hoping to get back on track for some late season goose hunts.

 

[Nick87]

It felt good to sleep in this morning!!
I got 26 days in and managed to stay employed and engaged to my fiance.
Picture from yesterday's final day.
View attachment 210829

Good looking dog.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

It felt good to sleep in this morning!!
I got 26 days in and managed to stay employed and engaged to my fiance.
Picture from yesterday's final day.
View attachment 210829

Nice mixed bag!

 

[duck wrangler]

Tough season here in the Atlantic Flyway. Where I hunt, I need it to freeze the local ponds/impoundments to push birds out to the bigger water. Finally got a little ice on the ponds to allow us to have our best shoot of the season. Had a swarm of 75-80 gw teal that just wouldn't quite commit to the decoys that would have give us a two man limit, but I do like the variety. I had not killed a can in 8 years since the hydrilla was wiped out on the lake; love those birds!

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Tough season here in the Atlantic Flyway. Where I hunt, I need it to freeze the local ponds/impoundments to push birds out to the bigger water. Finally got a little ice on the ponds to allow us to have our best shoot of the season. Had a swarm of 75-80 gw teal that just wouldn't quite commit to the decoys that would have give us a two man limit, but I do like the variety. I had not killed a can in 8 years since the hydrilla was wiped out on the lake; love those birds!

Great mix!