I'd be willing to try some of the suggestions here...but I have my doubts.
I've hunted and cooked ducks and geese from both coasts and the interior, as well as some swans. Farm field fed to pond scum fed. Plucked, breasted, smoked, grilled, stuffed, marinated, aged, fresh, whatever. I have yet to even smell a cooked duck or goose that was appealing. Not unlike any other dark meated (ha!) bird to include huns, sharptails and sage grouse. Waterfowl has consistently been at the bottom for me, across the board. Even breakfast patty sausage made from 75% elk and 25% duck, with bacon used as fat and all the spices had a duck stench to it. I'd love to find a way to feel different but am not hopeful.
Then, there's the expensive non-tox shot, the various state and federal stamps to buy and keep track of, the sunset to sunrise federal shooting time limits, the X of these, Y of these (but only 2 can be hens), Z of these (only one can be a hen), two of these can be lessers and only 1 can be a greater, etc. plugged shotgun mandates, the cold and wet weather, sitting in front of decoys between flights is boring as hell to me, etc. I could go on and on about the negatives.
I am glad others enjoy it all though.
Some species' drakes are really beautiful and they're fun to shoot, but I will stick to my grouse and chukar hunting, thank you. That said, I am planning an Emperor Goose hunt in the Aleutians this next year. Anyone in?
