First time in 13 years of hunting

[Clarq]

Maybe I'm getting desperate, but with my jerky pile lacking and the season rapidly coming to a close, I decided to take a few mergansers home. Dad and I never shot them when I was growing up, but I figure I shouldn't treat them with any disrespect until I've tried them.

I was lucky to harvest an absolute stud of a drake, along with a hen. They were both beautiful birds. I enjoyed getting an up-close look at their razor-sharp serrated bills, the crest of the hen, and the varying shades of white, black and gray on the drake's back.

I think one of the things that captivated me about waterfowl hunting when I was a teenager was the sheer novelty of it all. There was so much to learn and explore. After having hunted waterfowl for so long, it was refreshing to see that the novelty isn't entirely gone, as long as I stay open to new experiences. I am anxious to see how merganser jerky turns out.

Hope you are all having a great season. Can't believe it ends so soon...

[CameronAlsop]

Hope dies last, according to the poet you will manage to do them all.

[CPAjeff]

Congrats on the birds - I’m anxious to hear how the jerky turns out!

[Pumpgunner]

Originally Posted by CPAjeff

Congrats on the birds - I’m anxious to hear how the jerky turns out!

I'm curious also! Twice over the years I've had to cook a merganser that I mistook for another duck, I think it's important to get every scrap of fat and skin off the meat. I brined mine for a week and then poached it, then chopped it up fine and fried it with a bunch of onions, garlic, peppers, and carne asada seasoning and made tacos with it. It was edible.

[paddler]

Originally Posted by Pumpgunner

I'm curious also! Twice over the years I've had to cook a merganser that I mistook for another duck, I think it's important to get every scrap of fat and skin off the meat. I brined mine for a week and then poached it, then chopped it up fine and fried it with a bunch of onions, garlic, peppers, and carne asada seasoning and made tacos with it. It was edible.

That's a lot of work for "edible", Cody.