Duck Load

[Joe Graziano]

I’m planning a sea duck hunt over Christmas with my son and a buddy. The guide recommends BB based on his extensive experience on the Chesapeake. This seems a bit much, but ok. I’d like to use my LC Smith 00 grade with full and fuller chokes. Understanding I cannot use lead or steel, for the double gun waterfowl hunters, is there a good duck load for an old 12?

[High Brass]

The guide surely means steel BBs. Those sea ducks are big and tough. If you can find bismuth 2s, use them. In the old lead days we used 1 1/4 oz. of #4s.

[OH Osthaus]

see if RST still has Bismuth in stock


or if you reload ----

https://www.precisionreloading.com/cart.php#!c=134

[Joe Graziano]

It looks like #4 is the largest shot size offered in 2 3/4 bismuth. It may be time to call upon old reliable, the gun I’ve taken more birds with than any other, the Mossberg.

[King Brown]

Go with 4s. You'll do fine.

[Researcher]

#4 Bismuth is what I used the only time I went out in the rain on the Chesapeake to shoot inedible waterfowl.

[Joe Graziano]

I’ve heard that. There’s always Super H Mart for ducks if the sea ducks taste like the side of the boat. Haha. I’ll go with #4 bismuth from Cabelas.

[gman]

IMHO when sea duck hunting in Maine we wanted to hit them [Eiders] as hard as we could. The main concern was for the retrieving dogs, as a crippled Eider would dive and pop up very far away, thus the tendency to draw the dog far off and through some tough currents. It was a bit scarry. In a modern gun best for sure was Hevi shot but also had good results with Hevi-metal BB and# 2. I do use # 2 Bismuth for ducks in my parkers on late season divers at home with no problems.

[Southpaw]

Here is a recipe that if you do it right you will never turn your nose up at sea ducks again, even works on sky carp and coots. Bar none the best way I have found to eat sea ducks is to breast them out and cut the breast meat into half inch strips about the length of index finger. Get rid of any connective tissue you can. Take strips and let them soak in cool salt water (Sea salt if you want to be holistic but make sure salt crytals are dissolved first) for about an hour. Drain then let them soak in some clean water for about 5 more minutes and change the water out frequently until water stays clear and not pinkish from blood if it sits for about a minute. Then take a package of McCormicks meat marinade and follow instructions but also mix it well with at least a cup of Zesty Italian salad dressing and at least a full cup of Dales Steak marinade and put it all into ziplock bag. If not enough to cover add a little more zesty and Dales and some water. Mix it well and move it around about every 5 to 6 minutes but let it marinate for at least 20 minutes but no longer than an hour. Generally while it is marinating I am firing up the grill. So when grill is good and hot put strips directly over the fire but only leave over the fire for a few minutes on each side. Key is to not overcook them but get them to about medium rare to medium at most.

I have known women that would gag at thought of eating wild game go crazy for this and even get in there in fight the men for it. I have also seen desperate men try and scare these same women off by telling them how nasty sea ducks are and what they eat and how yucky bloody etc. etc. while then try and take platter off and hide it from them.

You can also cook them indirect on charcoal grill with some wood chips to give them a little smokey flavor, if you have any left over which will probably not be the case this way also makes a great a duck gumbo or duck/turkey gumbo. They will cook slower but still don't overcook them.

Btw on a dare I did the same thing with some coots and no doubt they are one nasty duck to clean. Mostly did put that meat into a gumbo which turned out really good as well but double the rue and make sure its a dark walnut color and use bacon grease instead of butter.

[Joe Graziano]

Thanks for the recipe. I will certainly try it, assuming we get a few ducks. BBQ’d sea duck for New Year!