New to duck hunting

[bkln]

...and looking for an advice from you older and smarter folks :-) First off, I have a hard time to find a straight answer what the hunting season is: " it is regulated by federal law blah blah..." OK I get it I need a duck stamp and HIP and I have one...where do I actually get the dates? No word on DEC website that I can find. Do you get HIP # once or every year? I know duck stamp is annual.

Now, the rules: you can't shoot the birds while under power of a motor, but you can recover one under power of motor. What if you have a chance to shoot after you start the motor and maybe spook some other birds? Or is this another rule like: "if the tree falls in the woods....you know the rest..."?

Now, after the shot: what do you guys do? Do you dress it like a small game or deer or you can drop it off as is to your processor of choice (where is that in Dutchess county anyway :-)?)

And the last one, what's the deal with 3 shots shotgun? Can I just load 3 shots in my 6 shots gun and still be compliant...?

Thanks for your help fellows.

Mark

[Elmo]

DEC sets the dates once hunting season comes around and they print out those regulation guide books.

For the 3 shot rule. There's a little stick you can buy that you insert into your shotgun magazine. This limits the shotgun to only accept 2 rounds (and 1 in the chamber). My shotgun came with the stick already in it but my brother had to buy his since his shotgun was a defense model. One of his army buddy who hunts down in South Carolina told him he came out of the woods once after a duck hunt and a DEC officer was there and checked his shotgun to make sure it won't accept more than 3 rounds. Not sure if the DEC here does the same. Either or. I leave my stick in. I never felt a need to have more than 3 rounds anyway. My bro keeps his out and only puts it in when we go for crows. Not sure if you need the stick for crows but I guess it's better to be safe than sorry.

[finfeathr]

You need to get a copy of the federal regs that cover the many different waterfowling zones of NY..NYSDEC prints them out as a pamphlet annually, and are generally available when you buy your license or duck stamp. All of your questions are answered in it..

In short:

Yes, the boat can be under power to retrieve birds, but you cannot be under power to shoot cripples.

No, you may not shoot at birds you have scared up while the boat is under power. This is "rousting".

Your shotgun must not hold more than 3 shells [one in chamber, 2 in mag]. The magazine must be plugged so that only 2 shells can be loaded into it.

HIP # is annual.

Keep in mind that all waterfowl hunting infractions incurr a dual fine, federal and state...

[Larry]

As for dates the state is divided up into zones you live in the south eastern zone. The dates for each zone will be different and those dates will not be finalized till August along with the bag limits

[virgil]

I hunt mostly in Nassau County and have been checked by DEC many times- at least once or twice per season. They check to see that your plug is in and that you're using steel shot instead of lead.

[mike rossi]

About field dressing waterfowl you have to leave a full wing and/or the head intact for identification.

You can ussually get the waterfowl regulation pamplet at the same places that sell duck stamps. I say usually because they seem to get thrown out or the clerks dont know what you are talking about. Although you can buy your stamp in june, the reg pamplet wont be out until September, sometimes after early canadian geese season started...

You are overlooking something else- you cannot comply with the law unless you can identify waterfowl. So learn your birds. As a matter of fact, if you are going to hunt on any of the federal refuges in NY, you must take a waterfowl identification course and carry proof of completion when hunting there.

Besides the regs about shooting under power of a motor, you wont have a long waterfowling career if your into opportunistic shots. Its about setting up and duping the birds, with or without decoys.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have had my gun checked numerous times. Get a plug. I lost mine and made one from a hardwood dowel. works great and very cheap. A word of caution with some older pumps. I had an Eastfield. the supplied plug would only allow 2 rounds in the mag is they were 3 " if you had a pocket full of 2 3/4" shells you could squeeze in 3. Test you gun if you plan on carying 2-3/4" shells.

On the boat question. Actually just shutting off the motor is not enough. in order to shoot all momentum must stop after the motor is turned off. If you are still under motion from it running it is a no no

A++++ on duck identification. Comparing what you have in your hand to a picture in the book doesn't work too good...lol

[greybeard]

Since you're questions have been answered by other's I will try to answer the one on dressing the bird.

As a side note, after you know the rules they're easy to follow. I found that the biggest issue is duck identification. I took a course on L.I. and got a little handbook . I think it was called "Ducks at a Distance" It was in color and I carried it with me. If you can't identify it DON'T shoot. I have been checked by DEC quite a bit even having them check my kayak when I used it (I don't shoot from the kayak).

My way of preparing birds: BREASTING (it's pretty easy)

I leave a cooler with ice in the car for the ride home. .

When I get home I clean (breast) the bird(s)

I use a single edge razor blade, or scalpel.You can cut yourself when using a single edge razor. ( I skinned a lot of game and those are "MY " preferences, but a small sharp knife works fine)..Also when I skin it to the anus I usually don't puncture the belly bag with the thin blades , so there's less mess, and I don't get any guts on the meat

Most times I breast the bird

Birds kind of have a natural line down the center of the breast bone

Lay the bird on it's back

Seperate the feathers down the center by guiding them to the left side and the right side with your fingers (like parting your hair down the center of your head)

You will now see the skin and feel the center of the breast bone

Make an incision down the center Keep your blade on top of the the breast bone As you pass the bone try not to cut into the belly bag (it's neater that way) If you have inards coming out just remove them and disgard them. If my blade touches the guts I clean it before using in on the meat, or use a new blade. I also wash my hands after gutting (if I gut it) before thouching the meat ).

Pinch and pull the skin up on one side to prepare for the incision

Slide knife between the skin and meat

Skin it until the whole breast is exposed and you have pulled the skin is out of the way. You can use your fingers to seperate most of the skin after you skinned a bit with the knife, or you can use the knife to do the whole thing

Filet it like a fish by running your blade or knife along the bone

Do the same for the other side

Remove and wash meat and remove as much shot as you can find

Pat dry and freeze, or prepare to eat it ( I usually soak birds in icey, or very cold water in the fridge for a bit to get some of the blood out of the meat)

I don't know how many people soak the meat , but I was told to do that when I was younger so that's just wat I always did. If you do soak it then rinse it off and pat it dry before eating, or freezing.

Hope I didn't leave anything out and hope this helps

I told a young friend once to look at a whole unskinned chicken that he brought home from the grocery store and look at it when it's on it's back and he'd see what I meant in case I wasn't clear. Since the feather's were off he saw the way the skin sat and figured where and how to make the cuts

I do pluck some, but when I do I have feathers flying all over from the ones that I miss putting in the bag, especially on geese Then I have feather's flying all over my yard, or worse in my garage. Also with breasting, if I do it not too long after shooting I don't gut it, so less mess..

I don't care to eat the skin, wings or the legs so that's why I prefer "breasting", and it's neat.( If you lived on LI you can skin the legs, and the upper wing later and try it for crab bait.

If I was careful when breasting I can prepare the skin for mounting( I don't do that anymore)

Some of the feather's are good for fly tying.

ps ... What duck call are you going to use ( I like calling so I'm always interested in what guys use)

[oldkevin]

if all else fails on the plug i have some times used a full lenghth pencil i have a mossberg 500 and it holds 6 23/4 in shells and i find the pencil is just the right size for a plug

[GrouseHunter]

Where can someone look for these waterfowl ID classes.

[greybeard]

GrouseHunter.. I think the name of the club who held the duck Id class when I took it is .. The Southshore Waterowlers Assoc... I'm pretty sure that hey have a website.....I am not a member so I'm not sure of when they meet, but I think it's on their site... The members that I met were very nice and helped answer a number of questions for me. They also hold a duck hunting event around October

( It's ben at Cedar Beach off Ocean Parkway for the past few years)..They post small signs in Oct. on the Wantagh and Ocean parkways If you can't get a hold of the club, you can ask at the event.. I think it's a dollar , or two to get in.)

If they don't do the class anymore I would think that the DEC in Stoneybrook would know..

I THINK that there is also a North shore club also, but I'm not sure.

Also , on the internet you can look up Duck's at a Distance to help ID species, but in my opinion you can't beat the class.. I thought that it was great.

Good Luck..

[greybeard]

GrouseHunter.. I forgot one more place to ask.. The Nassau County Fish and Game Association

[GrouseHunter]

Thanks for the info I am going to look for it.

[mike rossi]

My wife has been checking the sportsmens education link on the DEC website for the waterfowl ID course and they are not held too often...

Someone asked about calls. I have no favorites, but since Last Calls has followed our facebook page and supported efforts to establish a dove season in NY, when I need new calls, I am buying from them...

[bkln]

Thanks Guys, that's a lot of good info

[Larry]

i should get the reg's tomarrow i have a waterfowl meeting at dec 8hq at 830 it open to the public

[growalot]

OK guys help me out...I don't duck hunt...I don't like duck meat period.... just preference...But I thought duck...goose were fowl like chicken just dark meat....all chicken has to be cooked well and handle right...so assumed they do as well....Watched a cooking show and the guy made duck and served it ..I Mean RARE...eeewww...is that really safe do you guys eat rare duck and goose?

[greybeard]

growalot... I have seen it cooked that way too. It's not for me.. I cook it a bit.

I'm not taking any chances gettin' sick..I agree with you.. RARE.. eeewww.. I couldn't have expressed it better.

It's not like chicken at all (in my opinion). some ducks taste kind of like liver. I make it different ways ( I should say my darling wife does), and she can doctor it up pretty good, she had some way she made them that were really good..

I am quite a messy guy so I;'m kind of not allowed in the kitchen , but when I did it myself (when she wasn't home ) I fried them with Italian sausage and I liked them that way,, but these days I keep away from fried food.

I have never shot a duck upstate, but an old duck hunter once told me that the ducks up there tasted better because the food was better. Down here on L.I. he said they hit the saltwater and the taste is more like liver... I have NO idea if he was right...

I did stop shooting some ducks because they tasted and sometimes smelled pretty bad.... not to appetizing a thought is it

[mike rossi]

Some people will eat a piece of liver like a good steak and other people hate it. Most of us fall in the middle and like a couple thin slices on bread or with onions and other veggies... Waterfowl as well as woodcock, have a tinge of liver flavor. The extent of the liver-like taste varies bird to bird and place to place, but how it is cooked has a big influence on the taste. There are many different ways of cooking it and some recipes makes it tastes milder than others. Making jerky or sausage out of ducks and geese is very common, and to most of us, jerky and sausage all tastes the same regardless of the protein source...

[Culvercreek hunt club]

One way I have never had anyone complain about the taste of the duck I cook...or goose for that matter......duck/goose noodle soup.

[Doewhacker]

One way I have never had anyone complain about the taste of the duck I cook...or goose for that matter......duck/goose noodle soup.

I do that with other game birds too like Pheasant or Chukkar, or even in a parm fashion. Works great.

[growalot]

That explains why Gramps always had it soaking in milk...like Mom did liver...which I don't like either...lol

[mike rossi]

One way I have never had anyone complain about the taste of the duck I cook...or goose for that matter......duck/goose noodle soup.

That works good. Many of us tried to cook it like chicken or turkey - and learned that wont work.

[growalot]

by the way when I mentioned like chicken...it was in reference to Salmonella..I didn't know if all fowl carry it...I'd never eat any fowl rare regardless....very informative thanks