define game bird wildlife wastage

[Jack Diamond]

Just something I overheard a couple years ago ,3   I believe, while duck hunting.
A game officer was saying he was waiting for some campers to return, and he was going to cite them for wasting wildlife, as he had found where they had just breasted a limit of ducks and left the rest to waste. Well just about most I know do exactly that.       Is that defined as wasting?

[huntergreg]

Not sure but I am interested to know myself?

[Hangfire]

I would hope so.

A acquaintance of mine and I were talking about this very thing 15 years ago. He likes to hunt ducks, always cleans the whole duck and freezes any that he doesn't use right away. The next spring any ducks that are left over are thawed, boned out and made into sausage. He had gotten into the discussion with others about how there is little meat other than the breast and it wasn't worth fooling with. When he thawed  and bone out ducks one spring he placed the meat in two piles, one the breast, the other all the rest. He weighted the two piles and found the nonbreast pile was greater than 40% of the total meat weight.

The basic reason people do not take more than the breast is, they do not want to put out the effort or time, lazy.

[boneaddict]

I also think it is laziness.

[Gringo31]

The reason I never took duck legs was because I think they taste like crap.  

But, I haven't hunted ducks for many years now.

[MichaelD]

Kinda like taking the back straps and rear quarters and leaving the rest on an elk or deer when you just take the birds breast in my opinion.....

[canyelk48]

Interesting subject.  I'm betting a lot of people also only breast out dove, quail and maybe even pheasant.

[singleshot12]

Most waterfowl hunters I know only breast their birds and that has always bothered me. It only takes an extra minute to take the legs and thighs out and they are very edible. I even have great way of fixing up the heart, liver, and gizzard which are also very delicious.

I even know of some people who shoot ducks and don't even eat them, they use them for crab bait and claim that that is not wasting??

[Houndhunter]

i could see where just taking the breast on a duck is wasting some meat, ive done both and did not know that it was illegal to do so. but as for doves quail and grouse, theres not much on them to begin with except the breast especially doves and quail. i think its a little over the top to say breasting out those types of birds is wasting

[T-Bone]

I was raised by my Father to always pluck my ducks and even save the heart, liver and gizzard. Now in my late 50's, I generally only pluck teal or the occasional mallard and breast out the majority of my ducks. I do save the legs on the larger ducks. I notice most individuals cannot even properly breast a duck and just cut a couple strips from along the breast bone. Perhaps, that was the situation with the Warden or he planned to cite the hunters for their pre-home precessing? Many hunters don't realize the sex and specie of duck must be identifiable during transport.

The throwing away of pheasant legs is a real LAZY to me. Yes, the lower leg portion can be a bit tendon-y, but the thigh is not and I eat the breast and all the leg on all my upland birds. I didn't even realize the popularity of throwing away the entire pheasant leg until I watched a TV show by Jim Zumbo on a South Dakota pheasant hunt. To his credit, he was using the legs of pheasants harvested by himself and other hunters in a meal.

[Stickerbush]

interesting topic, so its actually illegal to just breast out and not take legs etc?

[bigtex]

In WA there is no exact definition of what parts would be considered wastage. Some states will actually say what parts you need to have with you in order to not be cited. But in WA it is up to the officer and the basic consensus is that if it is a well-known edible part then you need to bring it home with you. There is no problem with bringing the part home then not eating it (throwing it away).

[boneaddict]

AK is an example of specific, such as demanding ribs and neck meat in certain areas. (big game)

[canyelk48]

The throwing away of pheasant legs is a real LAZY to me. Yes, the lower leg portion can be a bit tendon-y, but the thigh is not and I eat the breast and all the leg on all my upland birds. I didn't even realize the popularity of throwing away the entire pheasant leg until I watched a TV show by Jim Zumbo on a South Dakota pheasant hunt. To his credit, he was using the legs of pheasants harvested by himself and other hunters in a meal.

Yup, I agree with ya.  I usually cook my pheasants in a crock pot on low heat and even the legs turn out great!  Gotta wonder if you'd get ticketed for breasting out dove, quail and grouse though; guess we'd need an "official WDFW answer" on that issue, or maybe it depends on the mood of the game warden.  My buddy almost got ticketed once for littering a dirt parking lot with duck feathers from a duck he was plucking on my tailgate!  You think that game warden was having "bad" day?

[Hunterman]

It all comes down to interpretation, thats why the laws are written the way they are in this state..How many people have been ticketed for shooting a grouses head off with a high powered rifle??

Hunterman(Tony)

[NWBREW]

  The basic reason people do not take more than the breast is, they do not want to put out the effort or time, lazy.

That is what I think as well......but I don't hunt ducks......I think they taste like....well something I don't care to eat. 

[dirty24d]

I'll break the trend here.   I only breast my ducks out but i do so back at my house not in the field. Geese i will pluck and cook whole but ducks breast only.  I dont see the problem with it as  the meat from most ducks is minute as it is so were talking about not consuming a matter of ounces of meat not pounds. Waay different then big game so those two should even be compared.   

[lokidog]

I would hope so.

A acquaintance of mine and I were talking about this very thing 15 years ago. He likes to hunt ducks, always cleans the whole duck and freezes any that he doesn't use right away. The next spring any ducks that are left over are thawed, boned out and made into sausage. He had gotten into the discussion with others about how there is little meat other than the breast and it wasn't worth fooling with. When he thawed  and bone out ducks one spring he placed the meat in two piles, one the breast, the other all the rest. He weighted the two piles and found the nonbreast pile was greater than 40% of the total meat weight.

The basic reason people do not take more than the breast is, they do not want to put out the effort or time, lazy.

Hunted with some guys a few years ago, they were breasting them when I came in... what a waste!  I went back through and took all the legs from our two days of hunting (35 pairs) and had a couple great batches of curried duck legs.  Toss them into a slow cooker for a couple hours, then prepare however you want, tender and tasty like a bunch of wings.  I also love the gizzards but, have to admit, don't take the livers.

[runamuk]

 The basic reason people do not take more than the breast is, they do not want to put out the effort or time, lazy.

That is what I think as well......but I don't hunt ducks......I think they taste like....well something I don't care to eat.  

I dont hunt ducks but my kid does or was until his dad kinda quit on him...anyway my son was taught to breast them by his uncles who taught him and his dad so it isnt always lazy....and he always does the cleaning back at home, now that he cooks he often keeps more to try out...I like duck sausage otherwise to me they taste like mud....I dont hunt them so never thought much about it.  I need to find him a new hunting partner  

[Bob33]

Answering the original post:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=77.15.170

"The person recklessly allows such fish, shellfish, or wildlife to be wasted."

The interpretation of "recklessly" is the issue.

[Jack Diamond]

Interpretation of recklessly,
Interpretation of the law,
up to the officer to interpret
or take it home and throw it away.

exactly why I can"t quit chewing snoose,and I'm thinking about having a drink right now! A BIG one.

[Bigshooter]

I use to be good friends with a bird biologist that still works for WDFW.  When he killed birds he only breasted them.

[Alchase]

It all comes down to interpretation, thats why the laws are written the way they are in this state..How many people have been ticketed for shooting a grouses head off with a high powered rifle??

Hunterman(Tony)

Where does it state this is illeagle?

[Pathfinder101]

Interesting topic.  I have done it both ways.  If I am planning to cook the whole duck, I'll pluck it.  If I am planning to make it into jerky or sausage, I breast.  I never considered it wasting meat to breast them.  I may have to rethink my position on this though...

[jbeaumont21]

Even when I pluck and bake the whole bird I usually end up eating just the breast.  Everything else is tough with tendons.

[bobcat]

Even when I pluck and bake the whole bird I usually end up eating just the breast.  Everything else is tough with tendons.

   And I've done it every way it can be done. I just don't see where there's much of anything worth eating on any bird until you get up to the size of a goose.

[TheSilverSlayer]

It is legal to shoot grouse with a centerfire if you are participating in a modern firearm hunt with a valid tag in hand. Otherwise, I beleive it is illegal.

[bobcat]

I don't know of any law that says you can't shoot grouse with a rifle. This is the only law I know of but as long as you have a bear or cougar tag you could legally shoot grouse with a rifle anytime from September 1st to December 31st.

10. Hunting during modern firearm
deer or elk seasons:
You may not hunt wildlife during any modern
firearm deer or elk season, with any firearm
24 caliber or larger or containing slugs or
buckshot for big game, unless you have a valid
license, permit and tag for one of the following:
deer, elk, black bear, cougar, mountain goat,
bighorn sheep, or moose.

[singleshot12]

Even when I pluck and bake the whole bird I usually end up eating just the breast.  Everything else is tough with tendons.

Try taking a couple dozen mallard legs lay them out on a big baking dish add 2 cans of Mexican stewed tomatoes and slow cook in oven for several hours at 250 degrees until meat starts to fall off bone.  Better than any breast meat IMO

[Hunterman]

It all comes down to interpretation, thats why the laws are written the way they are in this state..How many people have been ticketed for shooting a grouses head off with a high powered rifle??

Hunterman(Tony)

Where does it state this is illeagle?

Game birgs must be transported with the feathered head attached

Hunterman(Tony)

[Alchase]

It all comes down to interpretation, thats why the laws are written the way they are in this state..How many people have been ticketed for shooting a grouses head off with a high powered rifle??

Hunterman(Tony)

Where does it state this is illeagle?

Game birgs must be transported with the feathered head attached

Hunterman(Tony)

Or what is left of it, lol
Just put it right next to their head then wring their neck as they flop around from the concussion.

[jason4429]

I think it is up to each person.How many people take every edible piece of meat off big game animals.You almost every thing in the guts are edible and don't forget the brains .They make a pretty good breakfast.The eye balls are also edible.

[Special T]

I usually  take the legs off the mallard, pintail gadwall birds.... the rest i usually breast out... I plucked many different kinds of ducks and think if you shoot smaller birds than the ones listed the breast meat makes up a large portion of meat...

[lokidog]

Bufflehead legs are pretty small to mess with but on other ducks, including fish ducks, the legs are actually more mild tasting.  I slow cooked about three dozen legs and then did an apple onion curry with them.  I brought them to a potluck dinner with almost all non-hunters.  I figured I would have a lot of great leftovers... there were six legs left at the end of the meal!  Even the old lady who loves her ducks behind her house said she enjoyed the flavor, especially since she didn't "know" these birds.   

If you are tossing out legs, you are losing out on some good meat and IMHO wasting game.

[sakoshooter]

Even when I pluck and bake the whole bird I usually end up eating just the breast.  Everything else is tough with tendons.

 All my ducks/geese get cleaned at home. Cleaning them in a parking lot, dirt of blacktop is bad and reflects on all hunters badly.
 I plucked all my ducks and geese for many years and no one ate the legs after the first time. Tough. As many tendons as meat. No comparison to the breast meat. Now I just breast them. As far as waste goes. I don't agree. At some point you've got to weigh the worth of your time and effort for your return.
Someone stated earlier on this thead that the leg meat equaled 40% of the breast meat. No way. Ducks look big but remember, their all feathers. I just got done cleaning a two day limit. The legs are about the size of my little finger on the Mallards. Not worth boning out if you ask me.
How many people bone the meat off the lower legs of their deer? How about the face. There is 10x the meat on a deer's face as there is on a duck's leg. How about salmon cheeks?
I do a pretty fine job of filleting my duck breasts off with as little waste as possible. I'm not lazy nor are any of the guys I know that breatt them. I think calling anyone lazy for something as petty as this is rediculous. We're all sportsman here. Don't get caught up in a game of the 'pot calling the kettle black'.

[Sawbuck]

Even when I pluck and bake the whole bird I usually end up eating just the breast.  Everything else is tough with tendons.

 All my ducks/geese get cleaned at home. Cleaning them in a parking lot, dirt of blacktop is bad and reflects on all hunters badly.
 I plucked all my ducks and geese for many years and no one ate the legs after the first time. Tough. As many tendons as meat. No comparison to the breast meat. Now I just breast them. As far as waste goes. I don't agree. At some point you've got to weigh the worth of your time and effort for your return.
Someone stated earlier on this thead that the leg meat equaled 40% of the breast meat. No way. Ducks look big but remember, their all feathers. I just got done cleaning a two day limit. The legs are about the size of my little finger on the Mallards. Not worth boning out if you ask me.
How many people bone the meat off the lower legs of their deer? How about the face. There is 10x the meat on a deer's face as there is on a duck's leg. How about salmon cheeks?
I do a pretty fine job of filleting my duck breasts off with as little waste as possible. I'm not lazy nor are any of the guys I know that breatt them. I think calling anyone lazy for something as petty as this is rediculous. We're all sportsman here. Don't get caught up in a game of the 'pot calling the kettle black'.

Well said.

[groundhog]

I have a question. I was told that even once your birds are processed and frozen they are still part of your posesion limit. In other words you can only have 14 ducks and 8 geese in your freezer and cannot continue to hunt until you have eaten a limit of birds... I find this hard to believe. Does anyone know if this is true?

[Fishnclifff]

I have a question. I was told that even once your birds are processed and frozen they are still part of your posesion limit. In other words you can only have 14 ducks and 8 geese in your freezer and cannot continue to hunt until you have eaten a limit of birds... I find this hard to believe. Does anyone know if this is true?

Good lord must we do this again.

The possession limit only applies to,  where you harvested the birds  TO your home or temp. dwelling.

Nothing else.

[groundhog]

Thank you. I didn't see the other post. That is why I asked.