We ARE IN FOR A RUDE AWAKENING!!!! SHORTER DUCK SEAON!!

Once again Steve, you wrote exactly what my impression was and what I was thinking. No reason for me to repeat it other than say I agree completely with all of your post.
 
Brad

Any concerns with harvest of sea ducks on the great lakes as well?

I know fall aerial off shore surveys of Lake MI stopped this year as well.


Andrew, since your post was ignored, I'll respond to your concerns. The vast majority of birds identified over-wintering on the open portions of the Great Lakes are goldeneye, mergansers, oldsquaw (longtail ducks, now in the PC World's vocabulary), and scoters.

Correct. I was mainly asking the question about Longtailed Ducks on LM.
 
RL and Andrew

I didn't ignore the question, just have limited time right now to respond and even less time to debate or discuss analyses.

The crux of the discussion comes down to whether seaducks still warrant special harvest opportunities above and beyond the regular duck seasons. The Atlantic Flyway Special Seaduck Zones were with the long seasons and liberal bag limits were established long ago when little was known about these species biology, they appeared to be abundant, underutilized and there was little harvest pressure. Over the years there has been growing concern about their status, there has been advances in understanding of their biology, abundance and ability to withstand harvest. At the same time there has been increasing interest in hunting them. Now sufficient information has been gained to assess the appropriateness of the special opportunities. As you can see both the flyway and FWS said its time to change.

Relative to Andrews question, there aren't special opportunities on the Great Lakes, but the increasing pressure on oldsquaw on the GL, which Andrew knows, is of concern. Their biology is like other seaducks, they don't produce a lot of young and depend upon high adult survival. RL can explain K-selected species and their ability to withstand high harvest.

Cap'n, the recovery of habitats and local breeding birds in Boston Harbor is noteworthy and heartwarming. But it's a small window into the world of eiders along the Atlantic coast. I've got lobstering and fishing family roots from New Bedford to Brant Rock to Casco Bay. I certainly understand where you are coming from and mean no personal attacks. You asked questions about the issue and I could answer your questions. I respect your right to disagree with my answers.
 
For those concerned with this possibility...what do you (or your clients) do with all the seaducks you shoot?
 
For those concerned with this possibility...what do you (or your clients) do with all the seaducks you shoot?

Tom, if I shoot it, I eat it (or my wife or a guest does). For that reason--and because I don't really target them--I've never shot more than a single eider at a time, and I probably never will.

As table fare, eiders are not awful--they are far better than the single drake hooded mergie I shoot every year for flytying and force myself to choke down. A buddy of mine has a really good Hassenpfeffer (sp?) recipe that is a fine way to prepare them, but it's not something I'd want to eat a legal limit of.

Haven't tried a longtail, so can't say.
 
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eider(scoter and old squaw get used also) terrinne wrapped in bacon then covered with puff pastry. accompanied with an apricot preserve sauce is about as close to heaven as you can get.

but thats just me, american palate's are as cultured as a fast food menu.

PS im not one for being PC
 
Nobody knows the difference when you make a huge crock pot full of BBQ pulled duck quesadillas or tacos on a Sunday night to me its just a doctored medium to any recipie. They also go good in the landjagers the Amish fix up for me
 
While I was never there for the complete making of it, they made it on Sunday after gunning RI for a few days, I always worked Sunday's (it was the sportsmans club recipe, I no longer belong to that club (way too much politics)) but I will try to get the recipe.

From my memory the eider was ground seasoned, and mixed with a little pork fat and ground chicken livers . There were 3 layers, 2 of the eider mixture and the middle layer was straight chicken liver. It was then wrapped in bacon. I'm pretty sure it was par cooked before wrapping with puff pastry and returned to the oven.

I'm pretty sure the apricot preserves were heated then deglazed with cognac and drizzled over the terrine.
 
Sea duck Hunting has a new breed of sea duck killers now . Glad the feds put an end to the slaughter


Couldn't agree more with this comment. Sadly the entire sport of waterfowling has headed in this direction.
 
Damn that sounds good!
While I don't like liver simply pan fried, in a pate, liverwurst, etc., I enjoy it.
Might have to try this recipe!
 
Damn that sounds good!
While I don't like liver simply pan fried, in a pate, liverwurst, etc., I enjoy it.
Might have to try this recipe!

Lucky for seaducks that they do taste/smell like crap!
 
Eider and Scoter brined for 3 days in salted water and pickling spices then lightly score the flesh of the breasts and smoke. They are better than any beef I have had. Quandys are not edible to me. And I have tried so I have not shot one in 20 odd years.
 
Eider and Scoter brined for 3 days in salted water and pickling spices then lightly score the flesh of the breasts and smoke. They are better than any beef I have had. Quandys are not edible to me. And I have tried so I have not shot one in 20 odd years.

Lucky for seaducks that they do taste/smell like crap!
 
eider(scoter and old squaw get used also) terrinne wrapped in bacon then covered with puff pastry. accompanied with an apricot preserve sauce is about as close to heaven as you can get.


Lucky for seaducks that they do taste/smell like crap!
 
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