Another slow day, low #'s, and a....

[JohnP]

.....game of a wack-a-merganser ;).   Did manage to scratch out a few and missed our shot at a flock of hooded mergansers and a ringneck but it's all good.  The highlight, or downside depending on how you look at it, of the day was the playing wack a mole with a crippled mergansers.  Dang thing would dive under just as we'd shoot but 6 shots later we finally prevailed ;).  

 

[BilletHead]

48 minutes ago, JohnP said:

.....game of a wack-a-merganser ;).   Did manage to scratch out a few and missed our shot at a flock of hooded mergansers and a ringneck but it's all good.  The highlight, or downside depending on how you look at it, of the day was the playing wack a mole with a crippled mergansers.  Dang thing would dive under just as we'd shoot but 6 shots later we finally prevailed ;).  

 

       Pretty funny John. Cripples snaking away with heads flat on the water are tough. That is when shell per duck percentage goes out the window. Pretty slim pickings around BilletHeadVille right now here too. Maybe this cold coming over the weekend will make a push come. Did you by happen save that merganser flank? Did you know there is a stipulation you can sell legally obtained waterfowl feathers for fly tying purposes? You can and hoodie drake flank brings a premium price. They want it by the ounce though, can you imagine how many feathers to an ounce? I shot one a few years back saved the feathers and gave them away to a tyer.  Saved flank from wood ducks this year and will find someone that wants it on the forum and will gift it out. No sense if it can be used. Even saving mallard flank and it is hard to gift out as it is pretty easy for most to get.

  BilletHead

[Basfis]

Do you water swat with #6’s?  Found the cheap steel dove loads to be handy for that. Easily done in an O/U not as much with a semi. Of course not a distance deal but pretty effective if u shoot below the head. 

Makes the dogs life better. Then again it was a fish eater....

 

[JohnP]

1 hour ago, Basfis said:

Do you water swat with #6’s?  Found the cheap steel dove loads to be handy for that. Easily done in an O/U not as much with a semi. Of course not a distance deal but pretty effective if u shoot below the head. 

Makes the dogs life better. Then again it was a fish eater....

 

True that ;).

[JohnP]

1 hour ago, BilletHead said:

       Pretty funny John. Cripples snaking away with heads flat on the water are tough. That is when shell per duck percentage goes out the window. Pretty slim pickings around BilletHeadVille right now here too. Maybe this cold coming over the weekend will make a push come. Did you by happen save that merganser flank? Did you know there is a stipulation you can sell legally obtained waterfowl feathers for fly tying purposes? You can and hoodie drake flank brings a premium price. They want it by the ounce though, can you imagine how many feathers to an ounce? I shot one a few years back saved the feathers and gave them away to a tyer.  Saved flank from wood ducks this year and will find someone that wants it on the forum and will gift it out. No sense if it can be used. Even saving mallard flank and it is hard to gift out as it is pretty easy for most to get.

  BilletHead

Did not realize that Marty, I'll see what I can try to salvage off it.

[slothman]

2 hours ago, BilletHead said:

       Pretty funny John. Cripples snaking away with heads flat on the water are tough. That is when shell per duck percentage goes out the window. Pretty slim pickings around BilletHeadVille right now here too. Maybe this cold coming over the weekend will make a push come. Did you by happen save that merganser flank? Did you know there is a stipulation you can sell legally obtained waterfowl feathers for fly tying purposes? You can and hoodie drake flank brings a premium price. They want it by the ounce though, can you imagine how many feathers to an ounce? I shot one a few years back saved the feathers and gave them away to a tyer.  Saved flank from wood ducks this year and will find someone that wants it on the forum and will gift it out. No sense if it can be used. Even saving mallard flank and it is hard to gift out as it is pretty easy for most to get.

  BilletHead

You should check out the price for duck tongues. They go for a pretty decent penny. Usually they seek by the pound. How many tongues would it take to get a pound?!? There are some Chinese folks my parents know that go bananas over duck tongues. I often share mine with them. 

[BilletHead]

25 minutes ago, slothman said:

You should check out the price for duck tongues. They go for a pretty decent penny. Usually they seek by the pound. How many tongues would it take to get a pound?!? There are some Chinese folks my parents know that go bananas over duck tongues. I often share mine with them. 

             Have a recipe in one of my books for that but m betting you cannot sell them from wild birds. Domestic yes for sure but I am not quite that adventures yet .  Slothman do you waterfowl hunt? If so you should render duck or goose fat. I do goose fat and am telling you it is the bomb brother!

Here is some light reading,

§20.91 Commercial use of feathers.
Any person may possess, purchase, sell, barter, or transport for the making of fishing flies, bed pillows, and mattresses, and for similar commercial uses the feathers of migratory waterfowl (ducks, geese, brant, and swans) killed by hunting pursuant to this part, or seized and condemned by Federal or State game authorities, except that: (a) No person shall purchase, sell, barter, or offer to purchase, sell, or barter for millinery or ornamental use the feathers of migratory game birds taken under authority of this part; and (b) No person shall purchase, sell, barter, or offer to purchase, sell, or barter mounted specimens of migratory game birds taken under authority of this part.
[38 FR 22021, Aug. 15, 1973, as amended at 45 FR 70275, Oct. 23, 1980]
    Then a link for buyer. I am not a seller but gifter to fly tying friends,

http://www.featherbuyer.com/featherbuyer.com/home.html

  BilletHead

       

[slothman]

[slothman]

2 hours ago, BilletHead said:

  Slothman do you waterfowl hunt? 

 

       

Not as much as I used to back when I was single and without kids. 

[slothman]

The ironic thing about that advertisement is that I have never shot a shotgun shell as expensive as those. Lol 😂. I shoot the cheap stuff. I prefer xperts. I've been trying to finish off a case of Federal Blue box. I hate them though. They are, by far, the dirtiest shell I have ever put through my gun.