Ethics of feeding your kids merganser

[E.Shell]

I really like the puddle ducks Ive had. The teal, wood ducks, black ducks and mallards Ive had have all been uniformly great. Im sure it depends on what they’re eating locally though.
I have eaten a small handful of diving ducks, which was enough to not try that again. Survival food is an apt description, Id have to be awfully hungry.

I think that's pretty accurate and definitely sums it up for me too. I think Teal and Wood Ducks are best.

 

[AKG]

My brother and I bought our city kid nephew a hunting license during a short thanksgiving visit a few years ago when he was about 16. He wanted to duck hunt, unfortunately there weren't many birds flying yet. We did see a few mergansers on a pond we had access to. He put the sneek on them, jumped them, and knocked one down. He was pretty proud, my wife cooked it to a nice medium rare. He loved it. Had blood running down his chin raving about how good it was.

 

[j3h8]

How many waterfowl hunters have actually tried mergs vs just regurgitating information they've been told by old timers?

I have not yet shot a "lawn dart" because they are illegal to shoot here. Would give em a try at least once though.

'round here people talk about how awful jack rabbits or coots are and both are delicious. Idiots never tried them just spouting off about how stringy or disgusting they are without ever giving them a try.

 

[Yoteassasin]

You are eating lawn darts ! Savages ! They are crab bait at best and dog treats

 

[BigDuckHunter]

How many waterfowl hunters have actually tried mergs vs just regurgitating information they've been told by old timers?

I have not yet shot a "lawn dart" because they are illegal to shoot here. Would give em a try at least once though.

'round here people talk about how awful jack rabbits or roots are and both are delicious. Idiots never tried them just spouting off about how stringy or disgusting they are without ever giving them a try.

That’s a good attitude to have. I’ve heard people say that Canadians and antelope are both inedible. I think pronghorn are one of the better game meats and while Canadians aren’t my favorite, I’ve definitely found some recipes I like. If I would’ve listened to other people I never would’ve even tried either of them.

 

[Wrench]

In 1991 two friends and myself hatched this plan to fish a high mountain lake over spring break. We ended up stuck in the snow for 3 days and the lake was frozen except for one area that the sun warmed the rocks. That area had some mergs on it. I managed to kill one and we ate it with the lemon pepper we brought for fish. It wasn't good, but it was what we had to work with. I shifted to squirrels after eating the mud duck.