Duck cleaning question

[WCTaxidermy]

As a bird Taxidermist, I can assure you that you want to at least get the gut's out of the bird as soon as you possibly can.  If you think about it, especially on ducks and geese, they have very heavy downy feathers, so dense that it keeps them dry in the water.  If you shoot one and let it sit, for any length of time, even if it's 0 degrees out, the gut's and inside of the bird are going to stay hot (about 100-105 degrees internal temp for a bird)  for a long period of time, and guess what happens?

I totally agree with the concept of wet and dry aging meat.  I wet age my brisket before I BBQ it for 30 days, but it is a clean piece of meat and sealed in Cryovac.(sp?)  I have hunted since I was old enough to carry a shotgun, and my Dad taught way back then to get the birds gutted so they can air cool and as soon a possible.  I guarantee your duck and goose meat will taste a lot better.

Now I know a lot of you won't agree with me and that is fine, but I have one question in closing.  Do all of you that don't clean your birds for hours or days do the same with your deer and elk you shoot?   

[Tealer]

Ducks and geese are not deer and elk.

[bobcat]

I agree with WC. When I used to hunt ducks, I would get the guts out ASAP. It's common sense, really. Like he said, would you wait a few days before gutting a deer?

[WCTaxidermy]

Ducks and geese are not deer and elk.

I understand that Ducks and Geese are not Deer and Elk.  The meat in Ducks and Geese is wild game meat, just like Deer and Elk.  It needs to be cooled off quickly just like Deer and Elk meat.  Just my opinion, that's all.

[singleshot12]

We used to hang them by the necks with guts still in for two weeks in cool weather, and boy were they tender and tasty

[bobcat]

We used to hang them by the necks with guts still in for two weeks in cool weather, and boy were they tender and tasty

 

[singleshot12]

You should try it sometime , the meat ages and is actually much better than day old kill

[LeftCoastLoren]

When gutting/ cleaning birds at the end of the hunting day the insides MAY be SLIGHTLY warmer than the rest of the bird ( in my experiences) its not like they stay at 105 degrees for days on the inside.

[LeftCoastLoren]

BUT if you plan on eating the heart....I'd get that out of the cavity ASAP!! 

[Squatch200]

I clean mine as soon as I get home from hunting. I've also cleaned them two days later and couldnt tell the difference except they are harder to clean the longer you wait.

[JLS]

I agree with WC. When I used to hunt ducks, I would get the guts out ASAP. It's common sense, really. Like he said, would you wait a few days before gutting a deer?

A deer has a little bigger body to cool down than a pheasant or a duck.

And yes, I do hang my deer and elk for a week if I can.  I skin them, but we're comparing apples and oranges here trying to equate deer/elk and ducks/pheasants.

[fisheral87]

Seems like there is more than one way to age a duck.

[MP123]

I've heard of guys aging upland birds by hanging them up by the neck until the head falls off after a couple weeks.  Never tried it myself...

[mrmoskillz]

Thanks guys.  The reason I asked the question was because the wife and I were filming a reality TV show and they wanted me to shoot a duck on camera and have it cleaned the next day.  I said as long as the bird would not be wasted that would be fine.  Turns out I shot a coot and had it cleaned the next day and it was fine.  I always clean my birds as soon as I get them home so they sit for 4-5hrs at most.

[Practical Approach]

Why would anyone want to eat a duck???