36 replies to this topic

[clampdaddy]

I was at a local sporting goods shop today and they had some Heavyshot Classic Double ammo. Looks like my old double barreled Ithaca will finally make a trip to the duck blind!

[Beretta]

October 18th, Can't wait..... Counting the days, so is my chocolate Lab!!!!!!!!

[Mayhem]

I've been wanting to go duck hunting for the last 2 years. I need to wait till Bass Pro opens (Manteca) so I can actually get some waders that fit then I need to find a hunting buddy with a dog. The guy I was going to go with last year is probably going to loose his house this year.

[bzzrd feedr]

I'm looking forward to it but my wife isn't. Mayhem There's other places that sell waders besides Bass Pro, like Autolife, Cabelas, etc. For our relatively mild weather I'd stay away from neoprene, even the thin one's are just too warm. I use a light weight breathable wader (loose fitting) and as it gets colder later in the season go to a polar fleece wader liner pants. Don't know what size you are but if you want some cheap used neoprene waders pm me because they are closet queens for me.

[Jeff]

Counting down too, fellas! This next month is almost as fun though. Cleaning and prepping the trailers, getting all your new gear and guns situated. Training the dog and conditioning him. Bustin' out the calls and reading through all the waterfowl magazines and watching the duck hunting TV shows. Pray for rain or the late season might suuuuck!!

[Chris M]

I'm looking forward to it too. I'm headed up to Tule lake in November for 4 days with my brother and a friend. I found waterfowl ammo on sale at both Mel Cotton's & Big 5, and bought about $400 worth. I think I might have enough Kent Steel, Black Cloud, and Hevi-Steel to last me through next year's season.

[clampdaddy]

For our relatively mild weather I'd stay away from neoprene, even the thin one's are just too warm. I use a light weight breathable wader (loose fitting) and as it gets colder later in the season go to a polar fleece wader liner pants.

I totally agree. I hate neoprenes!!! You either sweat or you freeze in them and by the end of the day your clothes underneath are soaked with sweat. I've always had them but I never used to spend more than a few days a year duck hunting. Last year I really got into duck hunting seriously and I sweated my but off for the whole season. I figured I'd treat myself this year so I ordered a set of waist high breathables today.

[bzzrd feedr]

I've got the waist high waders but I prefer the Lt Wt breathable chest waders. The waist high's leave a gap at the mid section that isn't comfortable for me, especially when it gets cold or you have to deal with a little deeper water which we do helping the dog chase a cripple every once in awhile. They are great for ease of taking a leak vs. chest waders. Bottom line is there is no perfect wader. When I go hunt So. Dakota and it's real cold, those thick neoprenes are the way to go. I've got a pair I just leave in Pierre at my buddies place because they take so much space in for baggage.

[clampdaddy]

I went with a set of waist highs because the deepest water at my club is just over knee high....and because I get tired of stripping off my jacket every time I have to take a leak.

[PredatorMaster]

nope don't hunt them anymore don't matter how you cook them they are still greasy and Nasty.

[Old timer]

I am with you Doc I don't hunt waterfowl anymore and I have ducks and geese all over my ponds....

[ShooterJohn]

PM you've never had duck cooked in my Komodo BBQ. It's the best!

[Old timer]

do you pluck them or skin them SJ???

[ShooterJohn]

We pluck them using a wax dip. I hate to skin duck because it doesn't have much fat and I like the skin to crisp up.But I have a duck plucker now a friend gave me. I've been trying it on a few different birds. It works pretty good.

[Old timer]

OK I pluched a goose and it took three hours and was very messy

[ShooterJohn]

I'll agree with you there Bernie! I see feathers everywhere.

[mac]

We pluck them using a wax dip. I hate to skin duck because it doesn't have much fat and I like the skin to crisp up.But I have a duck plucked now a friend gave me. I've been trying it on a few different birds. It works pretty good.

Any more info on the "wax dip"? Where do you buy and am sure it probably gets a bit sticky and messy...and please don't tell me it's the same thing women use for mani-pedi's...LOL

[ShooterJohn]

Using wax will greatly aid the plucking of waterfowl and other birds. Wax can be purchased from a number of suppliers and is not expensive. The wax should be heated in a large pot of water. The large turkey frying pots with their gas heat source work great for this.Simply pluck as many of the feathers off the bird by hand as possible. Once the wax has melted dip the bird in the wax to give it a nice coating. Then allow the wax to cool. You may dip them in a pail of cold water to speed the process. Once the wax has hardened remove it from the bird. The wax should pull all of the feathers off with it. You should be left with a cleanly plucked bird.You can use paraffin wax and after you've finished the ducks throw the wax with the feathers in it back into the pot. Remelt the wax and the feathers will float to the top and just skim them off with a large kitchen spoon with holes. I've been using bee's wax because we happened to have gotten a fair amount for free. Seems to work as well.

[PredatorMaster]

PM you've never had duck cooked in my Komodo BBQ. It's the best!

Might have to give it try.

[Arise]

I just started the water at our club on Monday. I am counting down the days!http://s317.photobuc...duckclub020.flv

[clampdaddy]

Argh!!! I have a week of deer hunting coming up but all I can think about is duck season and the second dove season! Seriously, is there anything better than the feeling you get when the ducks are wizzing by in the last thirty seconds before legal shoot time?

[Old timer]

oh yes when it legal shooting time and the birds are falling all around you... much better feeling for me anyways

[Arise]

Seriously, is there anything better than the feeling you get when the ducks are wizzing by in the last thirty seconds before legal shoot time?

Oh yeah!I also love to roast up Teal & Sprig.Sprinkle the inside/out w/ celery salt. Stuff w/ diced apple (or pears), celery, garlic. Wrap up tight in tin-foil and roast for 50 minutes at 350. Always serve on the rare side. Horseradish on the creamy side is optional. Comes out like Prime Rib. Only 22 more days!  1.jpg   24.35K   19 downloads  2.jpg   22.63K   19 downloads

[mac]

Arise, when you said you just started the water at your club I thought for sure I was going to see in the video a "cement pond" filling up and a blind by the poolside...LOL...that's pretty cool.

[clampdaddy]

I am bummed that canvas backs are off limits this year. At the club my morning shots are mostly into the sun so I have to do most of my species ID by silouette. Little ducks get hammered, no questions asked. Pins are easy to make out but I'm sure a few spoonies are going to get by me, thinking that they are cans.

[Arise]

I am bummed that canvas backs are off limits this year.

That really pissed me off and the fact that the Pintail was not boosted to two a day. The sprig are like mosquitoes down here.We don't get Can's down in the desert like you guys do up north. I had to go to Los Banos last year to get this hen & the last time I shot one was over 5 years ago.  1.jpg   20.73K   18 downloads

[bzzrd feedr]

We just slightly pluck them, cut off their feet and wings and dip. We use water heaters with the lid cut off and a modified insulated hinged lid. The thermostat then keeps the wax at the perfect temp. You only need a few inches of wax on top of the water. After you dip them they need to be scraped to remove the excess wax and placed in a cold water sink. After this we put them on racks hanging by their head to cool off and go have a beer. We then remove the wax and gut them putting it all into a specially prepared 55 gal drum burn barrel. We put a little old gas/diesel mix and light it up before we leave the club. Come back to ashes in the bottom of the barrel, the wax really helps in the burn of the feathers and guts. We tried recycling the wax but it is a pain in the neck

[clampdaddy]

I'm lazy, breast 'em out.

[bzzrd feedr]

I love the legs and thighs. You waste so much breasting them and it is just a tradition for us. Sometimes we do remove the breasts for a certain recipe but we save the rest to make gumbo or whatever. The other problem with breasting them out is you can't do it till you get them home or leave a wing which is a pain. To each his own.

[Mayhem]

I'm looking forward to it but my wife isn't. Mayhem There's other places that sell waders besides Bass Pro, like Autolife, Cabelas, etc. For our relatively mild weather I'd stay away from neoprene, even the thin one's are just too warm. I use a light weight breathable wader (loose fitting) and as it gets colder later in the season go to a polar fleece wader liner pants. Don't know what size you are but if you want some cheap used neoprene waders pm me because they are closet queens for me.

Finding waders that fit are hard. I'm a big boy with a long midsection and short legs. and I wear size 10 1/2 wide shoes (11 in waders). I've hit Sports authority and Auto Life neither had waders that fit me. I've had some real bad experiences with auto life. They also have a guy working there (sells guns) I know and really don't like. A former female co-worker and acquaintance of mine claimed he raped her to boot. It's probably BS but in my opinion the guy is real scum. so needless to say I want nothing to do with auto life.