# shovelors???



## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

who hear still eats them/shoots them??? do you think the mercury advisory is overplayed and that there isn't a ton of difference between other species of ducks when it comes to mercury levels???


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## spooner (Sep 25, 2007)

I have found that with enough BBQ sauce, you can't even taste the Mercury!! :lol:


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

haha spooner I was waiting for you to post on this one...those are some pretty drakes..a plumed out spoony is a great lookin bird.


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## ducksarmy (Jun 13, 2009)

Its my bird of choice for pot luck dinners and company BBQ.. :wink:


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## Ryfly (Sep 13, 2007)

I still shoot a few although it's mostly in the quest to get a wall worthy drake.


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## OPENCOUNTRY (Jan 25, 2009)

Last year i went out for a late hunt with a couple of friends and we ended up killing like 14 shovelors. One that i got was a really pretty one. i took it to the taxidermist to get his opinion on a couple of things. he said it wasn't the biggest one he had ever seen but was definately the one with the most color. I thought about for a couple of weeks and my friends started giving me crap about even thinking about getting him done because he was a shovelor so in the trash he went


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

I think the mercury advisory is overated. Every bird that hits the ground and/or water goes in the pot exept the goldeneye in the freezer waiting for enough money to go the taxidermist.

One comment my brother made last year after the two of us limited out on shovellors, as we were breasting and dicing them, they go real well in stir fry recipes, "Well time for a family dinner, we have enough mercury in this bag to kill someone."


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## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

I do not shoot shovelers...might as well shoot coots or ruddy ducks while I'm at it!!!


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

> BRL1 wrote:
> "Well time for a family dinner, we have enough mercury in this bag to kill someone."


 :lol:

I was told by a biologist that there is more mercury in a can of tuna than there is in a shovelor..don't know if its true but makes ya wonder.


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## duckhunter1096 (Sep 25, 2007)

Wow.....Yeah, the mercury advisory is overplayed. Last year, from what I read, #4 on the list was the almighty Mallard.....wonder why they didn't advise on that one? I'm trying like hell to get a spooner for the wall, and eat any of them that I get til I find that one. 

Stablebuck, go ahead and leave the coots for me......They are every bit as good as 50% of the ducks we have here, just have a bad reputation. I won't pass them up.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

I still shoot them and eat them. all ducks have it. Bring on the spoonys.


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## Me and Annie (Mar 3, 2008)

I have fed spoony to many of my freinds who swear they won't shoot them because they taste nasty. I find it is pretty amusing. Duck cooked properly tastes great, duck cooked poorly tastes nasty doesn't matter if if is spoonies or mallards. I also agree the mercury thing is overblown. Of course I am done having kids so not to worried. :wink:


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Me and Annie said:


> Duck cooked properly tastes great, duck cooked poorly tastes nasty doesn't matter if if is spoonies or mallards. I also agree the mercury thing is overblown. Of course I am done having kids so not to worried. :wink:


Right there with you... plus, they're gorgeous in the hand, they decoy easily without me having to use the duck call at all, they're in with another of my favorite little ducks (teal), they give the dog a ton of work, they're just about everywhere and my daughter likes seeing me shoot them so I get the best of it all and get lots of shooting besides. 8)


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## kev (Feb 7, 2008)

I like spoonies too! A truly mature, fully plumed, shovelor is one of the hardest trophies to get. They nest late and come into plumage late, so getting one during the season is tough! Add to that they don't have the longest lifespan and it makes getting a mature bird tough. Spoonies are like seaducks in that it takes about 4 years to reach full adult plumage.

As for the mercury.......

In small amounts it's fine, I just mix the breast in with the rest and can't really tell the difference. My neighbor did a study and found that it really only affects birds in and around the GSL, birds from anywhere else are generally about the same level as the average duck.

A word to the wise though....

Just because there is a mercury warning on them doesn't mean you can shoot them and toss them, you'll still get a ticket for wanton waste. If you don't want to take a chance by eating them I wouldn't shoot 'em.

Later,
Kev


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## Ryfly (Sep 13, 2007)

I've always thought the same thing, that the Mercury is only a problem with the birds living on the GSL.


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## gunrunner (Feb 1, 2008)

OPENCOUNTRY said:


> so in the trash he went


Are you serious????? Nothing like just killing birds to kill birds!!!!! :evil: :evil: 
This kind of stuff is great for our sport.


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## fletchinjig (Jun 12, 2009)

I thought about for a couple of weeks and my friends started giving me crap about even thinking about getting him done because he was a shovelor so in the trash he went [/quote]

Sounds like you need new friends.


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## gunrunner (Feb 1, 2008)

fletchinjig said:


> Sounds like you need new friends.


Or a new hobby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## 1BandMan (Nov 2, 2007)

Whatever I shoot I eat. It is part of my values as a hunter.
Everyone eats ducks and geese that eat a fair amount of corn that doesn't come directly from a field, if you get my drift.......
And, I know that some birds are more succeptable to mercury issues, but again, if I shoot them, I eat them.

Besides, a third eyeball I think would come in handy. And advantages of glowing in the dark?...... if I unzip my pants, whoolaaa, instant flashlight. _(O)_


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