# Duck Bugs.



## mallardgoose (Oct 11, 2010)

After I shoot a couple ducks in the evening, I leave them in the back of my truck. The next morning I go to breast them out, there are bugs all around the ducks. Some are dead and some are alive. I have noticed it much more this year. Are they called duck louse. They look like some kind of a wet nymph I would use fly fishing.


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## LETTER-RIP (Sep 14, 2007)

The bugs are lice! Birds have bird mites and lice. I have noticed lice on a lot of the birds I have cleaned this season.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Speaking of duck bugs, one of the pintails we were bresting last week had what looked like small white maggots in the breast meat. What was that? We did not save that bird, just way too gross to deal with.


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## Goshawk (Sep 7, 2007)

Bears Butt said:


> Speaking of duck bugs, one of the pintails we were bresting last week had what looked like small white maggots in the breast meat. What was that? We did not save that bird, just way too gross to deal with.


It's called "rice breast" it's not supposed to hurt the meat...google it for more info..


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## KennyC (Apr 28, 2010)

The Rice breast is said to be OK to eat per the biologist at the DWR BUT I don't think I would eat it. Till this post I had only heard of it in Mallards. Hmmm.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

KennyC said:


> The Rice breast is said to be OK to eat per the biologist at the DWR BUT I don't think I would eat it. Till this post I had only heard of it in Mallards. Hmmm.


I have seen it in pintails,mallards and mostley in spoonies.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

KennyC said:


> The Rice breast is said to be OK to eat per the biologist at the DWR BUT I don't think I would eat it. Till this post I had only heard of it in Mallards. Hmmm.


i have only seen it in spooneys so far but i couldnt do anything with them


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## M Gayler (Oct 3, 2010)

Who the hell breasts spoonies????????


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

M Gayler said:


> Who the hell breasts spoonies????????


Me. they taste just like all other ducks.DAM GOOD IN JERKY.


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Rice breast is better known as Sarcocystosis. Here's a read for you.
http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/research/ ... breast.php


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

dkhntrdstn said:


> M Gayler said:
> 
> 
> > Who the hell breasts spoonies????????
> ...


dustin, do you want all my spoonie meat?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

shaun larsen said:


> dustin, do you want all my spoonie meat?


That just don't sound right! :? :O•-: :mrgreen:


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## hotspot (Jan 12, 2009)

M Gayler said:


> Who the hell breasts spoonies????????


People who shoot them. Either breast them or pluck them. I personally don't shoot them. They live to see another day with me.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> shaun larsen said:
> 
> 
> > dustin, do you want all my spoonie meat?
> ...


Yea that don't sound right. No I will pass. What do you do with your coots that you kill?


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Fowlmouth, thanks for the read. I have processed quite a few shovelers this year and only the one pintail had the rice breast. And I made jerky out of a bunch of the shovelers and it's GREAT eating!


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Fowlmouth said:


> Rice breast is better known as Sarcocystosis. Here's a read for you.
> http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/research/ ... breast.php


After reading this, still think I'll be staying away from rice breast birds. The article sure doesn't leave you with a clear conscience on eating them.


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## mallardgoose (Oct 11, 2010)

I don’t think anybody would be angry if you didn’t eat a duck with rice breast. But if you are shooting spoonies and not eating them, that is very Unethical. So do not shoot it if you plan on not eating it.


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

dkhntrdstn said:


> Fowlmouth said:
> 
> 
> > shaun larsen said:
> ...


same thing i do with the spooners, turn them into jerky. its actually not too bad


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## 10Tenner (Oct 7, 2007)

> 2011 coot count: 64


Wow! I have yet to shoot a coot. Seem to elude me.  
But, I and my partner made a triple on geese this year. Six shots six down. A first for us tripling together. 10tenner


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## OPENCOUNTRY (Jan 25, 2009)

Sorry to bring this up again but i thought i would post this up again. 
So tonight i shot i big ol' drake pintail and it had that maggot looking stuff. "rice breast", i remember seeing this mentioned on the forum and i just wanted to see what people said about it. ANYWAYS! Just thought i'd say that i got a pintail with rice breast today at FB!
How many of you would eat it?


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## OPENCOUNTRY (Jan 25, 2009)

Well nevermind! I've decided that i'll probably pass on this one! I read the article and idk if i can do it! So sorry for bringing it back up and sorry if it bothers those that think i should just eat it!


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

You guys think you see a lot of lice cleaning the ducks you shoot eh... Try being a bird taxidermist.  Every time I skin a fresh one my table is covered with the little creepy-crawly things. Swans are the worst offenders when it comes to lice. They have HUGE lice on them. I end up picking several out of my arm hair and from the back of my neck after a swan skinning session. Every time I wash a skin there's always a few dead lice floating around in the rinse water. Fun stuff. Tell you what though, I'd rather deal with lice than be a big game taxi and pick ticks out of my hair all day. :x I hate those little basterds! :evil:


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> You guys think you see a lot of lice cleaning the ducks you shoot eh... Try being a bird taxidermist.  Every time I skin a fresh one my table is covered with the little creepy-crawly things. Swans are the worst offenders when it comes to lice. They have HUGE lice on them. I end up picking several out of my arm hair and from the back of my neck after a swan skinning session.


That's why we usually freeze them before skinning. I hate those little SOBs, especially from swans.


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