Mergansers

[SilkWWU]

Had a chance to shoot Mergansers today but realized I didn't know if you were actually allowed to shoot them.  Couldn't find anything in the regs, but maybe I missed something.  Can someone shed some light?  Those hooded Mergansers looked so beautiful, I immediately saw it as a mount!

[CP]

A merganser is a duck, therefore the duck seasons & limits apply.

[rebar]

Shoot them they eat the salmon smol >:(t

[boneaddict]

killem..............  easy shooting..they pretty much hold the same line...lead em a bit.   don't expect to eat them

[CP]

 

[SilkWWU]

Ok, so just to clarify you can totally and legally shoot Mergansers.

[Black Plague]

     mergansers yes cormorants no

[klickman]

    Kill em boys

[DOUBLELUNG]

    mergansers yes cormorants no

Reminds me of one of my all-time favorite wildlife law enforcement stories.

I knew a retired USFWS federal agent who worked the Great Bay area of coastal NH.  Because they have brant (black geese) there, and they are (or were) open for the general waterfowl season, quite a few hunters mistakenly shot cormorants.  He used to carry a Coleman stove, oil, salt, pepper and a frying pan, and would offer the violator the choice of breasting out, cooking and eating the merganser, right there on the spot, or taking the ticket.

If you've never cut into a cormorant, it smells like stepping on a rotting carp in the tall grass in August.  They are also BIG birds with lots of breast meat.  Hunters who took the challenge would often drop out as soon as they cut into the critter, others would quit as they smelled it cooking.  Some hardy souls would start the consumption, only to give up - or vomit.  A few hearty fellows managed the deed in lieu of the ticket.  Needless to say, the spectacle was quite amusing for bystanders. 

He said it got to where guys would see someone shoot a cormorant, and race to the nearest phone to turn them in.  Relatives and hunting buddies would turn each other in just to see the sight.  Guys would abandon their blinds to come see the show. 

Really good grassroots, effective on-the-ground enforcement.  He said after a couple of years, all of the regulars knew not to shoot cormorants. 

[alecvg]

So.. I want to hunt these guys, but what do you do with them?  If you don't want to eat them...

[teal101]

Throw em in the pepporoni pile.  Never notice a thing.

It would be nice if Washington would do a seperate merganser limit like they do on the east coast.  7 ducks plus 4 mergansers

[h2ofowlr]

Once you chase them up.  Keep a watchfull eye.  They seem to fly several hundred yards down the river, turn and come back low over the water.  They make for fun shooting as they are fast flyers.

[lokidog]

Like said above, pepperoni.  I do an awesome apple onion curry which covers any and all strong ducky taste.  Not as much meat on them as it looks like there should be from their size.  I once pulled a partly digested 9 1/2" spiny ray out of one.  They make for a pretty mount, I have a pair together.

[WCTaxidermy]

A client brought a Common Merganser in last month.  When I was skinning him out, I noticed a fish tail in the throat area.  Pulled it out and had an 8 inch Bass in my hands.  It amazes me that when the mouth of a merganser is fully opened, you can fit your fist through it.  They are neat birds.  John

[Forrestrover]

Interesting topic, especially since I've had a Merganser in my freezer for a few weeks, wondering what to do with it.