Nutria after duck hunt was a bust.

[Kain]

Got skunked hunting for ducks but these two nutria decided to have a fight when one swam in front of the den of the other.  He swam in front of me so I let him have it.  Picked up my decoys and the other one was sitting on the bank so I gave it some expensive duck rounds too.  I cooked one up and it was actually really good.  I will leave a link to the catch and cook below if interested.

[Kain]

Would you eat one?

[greenhead_killer]

Good grief that’s a big critter. Big giant muskrat

[Stein]

I would take a hard pass, but I did subscribe to your channel.

I would try it if someone cooked it, but I'm not dragging it home and cleaning it to see.

[Kain]

I would take a hard pass, but I did subscribe to your channel.

I would try it if someone cooked it, but I'm not dragging it home and cleaning it to see.

I was skeptical that it would taste good thats why I used so much seasoning.  It was when I was skinning it out that I decided to try it though.  The meat looked decent and the animal had no nasty smell.  Like some animals you clean just smell bad and make you not want to try it but this seemed "clean".  If that makes sense.   

[duckmen1]

 

[Oldguy]

Really had no idea that they would be edible. Looks good though. My wife said no way!

[Kain]

Really had no idea that they would be edible. Looks good though. My wife said no way!

They are overrun with them in Louisiana I guess.  There are several shows and videos that try to highlight them as good to eat. Its to get people to go hunt them.  I figure I would give it a shot.  I was not expecting much but think its worth trying again.  Either way they have decent fur and are destructive so its worth shooting them if you dont mind using up ammo.   

[CastleRocker]

Looked like it was better than duck! 

I've eaten nearly everything we have around here, except nutria and possum.  (They eat those down south too...)

[carpsniperg2]

Reminds me of shrek eating weed rats

[Norman89]

"I make a mean weedrat stew!"

[Hilltop123]

Thanks for sharing, that was very interesting. Always nice the expand the list of possible meals. One question, do they look different than a beaver when they swim? Are they easily identifiable, when in the water.

[lewy]

 

[Kain]

Looked like it was better than duck! 

I've eaten nearly everything we have around here, except nutria and possum.  (They eat those down south too...)

I have never had possum either.  I would try it if I ever found one out in a more rural area but I dont want to eat the ones that live here around my house.  Just seems different.

Reminds me of shrek eating weed rats

I resemble Shrek on occasion so its fitting.  LOL

Thanks for sharing, that was very interesting. Always nice the expand the list of possible meals. One question, do they look different than a beaver when they swim? Are they easily identifiable, when in the water.

I dont think there is enough of a difference to make a 100% ID while swimming but in my opinion I think nutrias back hump shows more.  Beaver you might just see the head or a straight back in the water but nutria seem to have a pronounced body behind the head.  Still not confident in that theory enough to shoot without being sure.   These ones I saw fighting when one swam in front of the others den.  I could easily see their long skinny tails flipping around.  So when he swam in front of me I was sure.

[Curly]

There is a TV show by Scott Leysath (I may not have got his last name right ?) called "Dead Meat" where he goes hunting and cooks up some weird stuff.  He had a show where he shot some nutria.  I can't remember if he liked the meat or not.

[Dan-o]

I salute you. 

I couldn't do it....

[h2ofowlr]

The thought of trying to eat one has never crossed my mind honestly.  Years ago, I would help a few farmers out by shooting them in their ditches.  The cause many issues when they get into the water ditches.

[Kain]

The thought of trying to eat one has never crossed my mind honestly.  Years ago, I would help a few farmers out by shooting them in their ditches.  The cause many issues when they get into the water ditches.

Farmers hate them but they cause issues all over with how they destroy shoreline and plants.  Turn prime marsh and sloughs into muddy bogs. 

"A nutria will consume about 25 percent of its body weight each day. Because it eats the roots and stems of plants, it destroys about ten times more plant matter than it eats. Nutria have been known to turn shoreline areas into muddy bogs, destroying marshes that provide protection for flooding and habitat for other animals. "https://invasivespecies.wa.gov/priorityspecies/nutria

[crazywednesday]

I would eat one in a heart beat. My friend is a trapper and we had beaver one night. It was great.

[jbeaumont21]

You get those down on the lake?  I may have to give it a try. Like you said they eat lots of plants and grasses so they probably aren't too bad. I see them down on Shillapoo frequently, may have to shoot the next one. I'll bet they are better than coot and I see lots of people shooting and eating those.

[KFhunter]

What's the closest Nutria good hunting to Spokane area?

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[Kain]

What's the closest Nutria good hunting to Spokane area?

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They are not that far yet.  This map is pretty old so they could have spread much farther but it shows where most of the nutria are located in this state.  They are supposedly cold sensitive which has slowed their spread to other parts of the state. 

[Norman89]

I would eat one in a heart beat. My friend is a trapper and we had beaver one night. It was great.

Nutria, beaver, and muskrat. If you think about it they are a cow of the water. I eat them all deliciose but don't forget to add some fat when you cook them they are very lean. All taste just like beef to me

[Jake Dogfish]

Is it easy to identify a Nutria vs a Muskrat?  Since I don’t think we can hunt Muskrats?

[Kain]

Is it easy to identify a Nutria vs a Muskrat?  Since I don’t think we can hunt Muskrats?

Muskrats top out about 4 pounds so there is a big size difference between them but other than that beaver muskrats and nutria look really similar.  A muskrat has a flattened (vertically) tail.  Kind of like an eel.  If you see a very large one on the bank with a long skinny rat tail instead of a flat beaver tell its easy to tell. I am more concerned telling them apart form a beaver than a muskrat. 

Muskrat...................................................................................nutria

[Kain]

I would eat one in a heart beat. My friend is a trapper and we had beaver one night. It was great.

Nutria, beaver, and muskrat. If you think about it they are a cow of the water. I eat them all deliciose but don't forget to add some fat when you cook them they are very lean. All taste just like beef to me

Thats what I found out as well.  I didnt know if I would like it or not but when it ended up just tasting like beef I was surprised.  No distinct texture or flavor difference.  Had a little body fat around the chest armpit areas but the whole rest of the body was fat free. 

[NRA4LIFE]

Dang, I didn't realize they were that big.  I don't think I've ever seen one.  I've eaten beaver, muskrat and possum.  The one thing I would say is DON"T EAT POSSUM.

[Pegasus]

I hear moles are pretty tasty...

[Norman89]

Dang, I didn't realize they were that big.  I don't think I've ever seen one.  I've eaten beaver, muskrat and possum.  The one thing I would say is DON"T EAT POSSUM.

Nutria can grow into the 30-40 lb range if left unvhecked

[Norman89]

Is it easy to identify a Nutria vs a Muskrat?  Since I don’t think we can hunt Muskrats?

No hunting muskrats only trapping but they are very easy to trap

[lokidog]

I would try the nutria, but people say I would try anything.....   

[follow maggie]

There is a TV show by Scott Leysath (I may not have got his last name right ?) called "Dead Meat" where he goes hunting and cooks up some weird stuff.  He had a show where he shot some nutria.  I can't remember if he liked the meat or not.

Thst was a good show. I wish it was still on. If I remember right he thought the nutria was pretty good the way they cooked it up for him.

[follow maggie]

Did you shoot these in Washington, or were you on a trip somewhere?

[Kain]

Did you shoot these in Washington, or were you on a trip somewhere?

SW Washington. 

[Yakirack]

[follow maggie]

I didn’t know they were in the nw. I thought hey were a southern creature

[Curly]

There is a TV show by Scott Leysath (I may not have got his last name right ?) called "Dead Meat" where he goes hunting and cooks up some weird stuff.  He had a show where he shot some nutria.  I can't remember if he liked the meat or not.

Thst was a good show. I wish it was still on. If I remember right he thought the nutria was pretty good the way they cooked it up for him.

I just rewatched the episode.  I found it on the DVR  this morning.  He went to Louisiana and shot a bunch of them. He said it was pretty good and everyone else, that tried some, liked it.

[Kain]

There is a TV show by Scott Leysath (I may not have got his last name right ?) called "Dead Meat" where he goes hunting and cooks up some weird stuff.  He had a show where he shot some nutria.  I can't remember if he liked the meat or not.

Thst was a good show. I wish it was still on. If I remember right he thought the nutria was pretty good the way they cooked it up for him.

I just rewatched the episode.  I found it on the DVR  this morning.  He went to Louisiana and shot a bunch of them. He said it was pretty good and everyone else, that tried some, liked it.

Now yall dont have to just take my word for it.   

[Goshawk]

I shot a few of them on the Chehalis River off of Priest Slew back in the mid 80's while working a Great lab.  He swam over to that dead rat, walked around it a few times, rolled on it, then swam back as if to say "Not in my mouth!".  I sent him back the second time and he drug it off the beach mud (low tide) and pushed it back to the boat.  What a chunk of swamp rat! He watched as I slew a couple more, each time looking at me like "Seriously? No ducks?"