# Rice Breast (Sarcocystosis)



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

I have had far fewer ducks this year with rice breast, I believe a total of 3. What are you guys finding?


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

I have had more this year. Seems like I get 2 or 3 every year, but this year I have had 3, but only shot about 25 ducks.


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## Stimmy (Sep 10, 2007)

we had one in pintail this year. I don't recall seeing that before. we have seen it maybe 5 mallards so far.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Uh, I don't eat that half of the duck. 

I just eat the legs, thighs, livers, hearts and gizzards so I can't say.

.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

I haven't had any so far this year, for some reason I seldom get rice-breast in the birds that I shoot. In 10+ seasons I've only ever shot 1 rice-breasted bird, I'm not sure why but I'll take that ratio!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Pumpgunner said:


> I haven't had any so far this year, for some reason I seldom get rice-breast in the birds that I shoot. In 10+ seasons I've only ever shot 1 rice-breasted bird, I'm not sure why but I'll take that ratio!


That's pretty good, 1 in 10+ years. I found it in a GWT the other night. That was the first Teal I have seen with it.


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Fowlmouth said:


> That's pretty good, 1 in 10+ years. I found it in a GWT the other night. That was the first Teal I have seen with it.


I've found it in a handful of teal I've harvested right out on the lake in the late season. Lots of the shovelers out there have it too. Dad and I have had days where 25-50% of the birds we bring home are infected. -O,-

This year, I think we're somewhere around 25 ducks between us and no rice breast yet. But we haven't been out to the GSL yet either.


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## Shadow Man (Feb 22, 2017)

Me and my brother have killed about 50 birds so far this season and none of them have had rice breast and we haven't been out on the GSL either, I wonder if there is a connection between birds on the lake and being infected with rice breast? One wouldn't think so because there are no fences in the sky but you guys who are seeing rice breast are you hunting the GSL?


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Shadow Man said:


> One wouldn't think so because there are no fences in the sky but you guys who are seeing rice breast are you hunting the GSL?


Farmington Bay, so basically yes the GSL....


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

Shadow Man said:


> Me and my brother have killed about 50 birds so far this season and none of them have had rice breast and we haven't been out on the GSL either, I wonder if there is a connection between birds on the lake and being infected with rice breast? One wouldn't think so because there are no fences in the sky but you guys who are seeing rice breast are you hunting the GSL?


I think it has more to do with the fact that we shoot mostly shovelers out there. Shovelers are more prone to getting it due to their feeding habits. That being said, the only teal I've ever shot with rice breast were right on the GSL in the vicinity of Saltair.

I've probably shot around a dozen teal out that way in the past few years, and 4 had rice breast, two on the same day (but not from the same flock). I've shot a few dozen more than that on the WMAs over the years and can't recall any of them having it. I'm not sure whether that's coincidence or correlation. I don't have a guess as to the cause.

I've also seen it in a few mallards and a pintail, but it's pretty rare for me to find it except in shovelers.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

None last year (37 birds killed) and only 1 (first ever gadwall with it) this year (81 birds killed). Hunt BRBR, Bay View Duck Club, and Harrison Duck Club.


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## Slap That Quack (Mar 2, 2017)

I've killed about 110 ducks this year and not a one. I think I have only ever havested 2 or 3 total that have had it.


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## Raptor1 (Feb 1, 2015)

None this year, usually 1 or 2 per year, but haven't hunted FB or the GSL this year yet.


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