# Hunting the coast



## basspro2232 (Nov 20, 2013)

Just curious how many of yall hunt the coast...did some scouting last year and saw tons!..mostly buffleheads and bluebills. Met a few locals from the area that hunt the bay religiously so were gonna head down there and meet up with them and give it a shot.


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## rnelson5 (Nov 20, 2013)

I love coastal hunting...... Oddly enough i have never hunted the GA coast........ I need to get on that.


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## CootCartel (Nov 20, 2013)

Biggest pain is the tide, and running down your cripples


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## vrooom (Nov 20, 2013)

You need a deed from the king of England, and he doesn't hand them out freely!


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## basspro2232 (Nov 20, 2013)

wasnt planning on hunting the GA coast my bad...ive gator hunted there and dont like messing with the tide...ill be hunting near Apalachacola near SGI...the tide doesnt really play a factor there


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## arkie1 (Nov 20, 2013)

*we hunt it!*

We have had pretty good luck out there. Usually hunt it later in the season. Alot of buffle head and blue bills and the occasional puddle duck.....and of course mergansers. Takes me 15 minutes to be at the ramp 15 to run to the sound and about an hour or 2 depending on wind and tide to get decoys out and set the boat up. It can get really rough really quick. I also never take decoys I can't stand to lose, either because of the tide or pesky dolphins. The sunrise can be great out there though.


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## Wlrountree (Nov 20, 2013)

*Yes it can be*







But I wanna know who the heck you took with you when it only took an hour to put out all them bleach jugs, cause it wasn't me


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## arkie1 (Nov 20, 2013)

Some people work faster than others


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## king killer delete (Nov 20, 2013)

your giving away my spot


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## creekrocket (Nov 20, 2013)

You're getting too old to hunt....your spot is right  there in you avatar...


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## rnelson5 (Nov 20, 2013)

basspro2232 said:


> wasnt planning on hunting the GA coast my bad...ive gator hunted there and dont like messing with the tide...ill be hunting near Apalachacola near SGI...the tide doesnt really play a factor there



Now i have hunted there. Buffleheads, bluebills, and if the weather is right redheads round out the usual bag. I am sure others have killed more variety but this is what i have seen. There is something odd though about uunting ducks in short sleeves in Dec.........


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## grouper throat (Nov 20, 2013)

I like it and grew up hunting our local coastline. Im making my way to a local spot with my buddy next Wednesday possibly. It's best when the weather is bad and the big groups of ducks (thousands of redheads and bluebills mostly) have to stick close to the shoreline. My only problem with it is I don't like to take my good shotgun around the saltwater.

Its the only place I've seen where you have to check the redheads good before shooting as they might be canvasbacks.


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## Hooked On Quack (Nov 20, 2013)

killer elite said:


> your giving away my spot





creekrocket said:


> You're getting too old to hunt....your spot is right  there in you avatar...


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## king killer delete (Nov 20, 2013)

*52 years*

52 years of duck hunting 23 Nov 1961 killed my first duck and guess where I will be Sat morning. Done fought in 3 wars, four if you count the Korean DMZ. Been all over the world and hunted just about every place I have been. You guys just hope your are doing it when your my age. That dog is a great duck dog in my avatar. He ducks real good when I swing.


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## king killer delete (Nov 20, 2013)

*Thats why I hunt with you*



creekrocket said:


> You're getting too old to hunt....your spot is right  there in you avatar...



Have you got that lazy boy installed in your new boat?


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## creekrocket (Nov 20, 2013)

I'm working on it...


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## king killer delete (Nov 20, 2013)

creekrocket said:


> I'm working on it...



No your not your on your tug boat.


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## GobbleAndGrunt78 (Nov 20, 2013)

killer elite said:


> No your not your on your tug boat.



Probably sitting in the wheelhouse carving foam decoys...


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## ShellytheDuckSlayer (Nov 21, 2013)

basspro2232 said:


> wasnt planning on hunting the GA coast my bad...ive gator hunted there and dont like messing with the tide...ill be hunting near Apalachacola near SGI...the tide doesnt really play a factor there



Lots of buffle heads down there.


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## ShellytheDuckSlayer (Nov 21, 2013)

rnelson5 said:


> Now i have hunted there. Buffleheads, bluebills, and if the weather is right redheads round out the usual bag. I am sure others have killed more variety but this is what i have seen. There is something odd though about uunting ducks in short sleeves in Dec.........



A guy I work with killed a hen canvasback down there.


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

*so you know this guy*



GobbleAndGrunt78 said:


> Probably sitting in the wheelhouse carving foam decoys...


 He gets off today. The he heads to LA.


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

Watch the coast this weekend guys . Small craft warnings out until Friday night. Looks like the tide will be dead low Sat morning. High seas off shore gona be bad all week end. 7 foot waves right now with an 11 second wave interval.


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

Looks like I am gona hunt 3 hours from the bar. Bar. Mouth of the Savannah River in the sound.


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## PaulD (Nov 21, 2013)

killer elite said:


> 52 years of duck hunting 23 Nov 1961 killed my first duck and guess where I will be Sat morning. Done fought in 3 wars, four if you count the Korean DMZ. Been all over the world and hunted just about every place I have been. :



Here's to Bill Brasky!


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## tradhunter98 (Nov 21, 2013)

i want to see some victory pictures from after these hunts!


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## wray912 (Nov 21, 2013)

killer elite said:


> Watch the coast this weekend guys . Small craft warnings out until Friday night. Looks like the tide will be dead low Sat morning. High seas off shore gona be bad all week end. 7 foot waves right now with an 11 second wave interval.



sounds fun might actually wear my life jacket


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

tradhunter98 said:


> i want to see some victory pictures from after these hunts!



Are these what you Want?


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## Wlrountree (Nov 21, 2013)

Let me guess, you kept the mergansers for your beagle


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## PaulD (Nov 21, 2013)

Lotta lawn darts (Mergansers), not really table fair , and seperate quota from Ducks, not really a duck. :/
We don't shoot them.


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## tradhunter98 (Nov 21, 2013)

sure is that looks like fun, one day i am gonna get down there and get me a nice buffie to put on the wall!


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## GADAWGS (Nov 21, 2013)

How do you cook mergansers?


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## Mark K (Nov 21, 2013)

Used to do real well at the coast. Quite a few puddle ducks there as well.


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

*Ask Arkie 1*



GADAWGS said:


> How do you cook mergansers?


 Arkie 1 makes gumbo out of them. My lab loves them right off the grill. we do kill some blue bills and read heads frome time to time.


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## PaulD (Nov 21, 2013)

So you're just killing them and feeding them to the dog or ditch monster? 
Are you shooting them on purpose or is it a case of mistaken identity while they are flying?


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## wray912 (Nov 21, 2013)

PaulD said:


> So you're just killing them and feeding them to the dog or ditch monster?
> Are you shooting them on purpose or is it a case of mistaken identity while they are flying?



i shoot em and eat em....to everyone that says they aint worth eatin i got a several recipes that make em just as good as every other duck out there and ill put money down you like it and change your stance on mergs


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## Wlrountree (Nov 21, 2013)

Correction killer, I make the gumbo


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## PaulD (Nov 21, 2013)

wray912 said:


> i shoot em and eat em....to everyone that says they aint worth eatin i got a several recipes that make em just as good as every other duck out there and ill put money down you like it and change your stance on mergs



I love it when somebody calls for reinforcments. LOL! I just asked him a question, I'm just curious if y'all shoot them on purpose or if it's a proper ID'ing case?

Na, I've seen to many on raw ponds in water treatment facilities and in drain ponds on cattle feilds. I'm good with my stance, and they aren't a duck ( look at your regs). Thanks.


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

*Lab*



PaulD said:


> So you're just killing them and feeding them to the dog or ditch monster?
> Are you shooting them on purpose or is it a case of mistaken identity while they are flying?


 My female loves them off the grill. No ditch monster for me any time. I have folks that will eat the mergansers any time I have them.


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

*Its the buffle heads that taste bad*



PaulD said:


> I love it when somebody calls for reinforcments. LOL! I just asked him a question, I'm just curious if y'all shoot them on purpose or if it's a proper ID'ing case?
> 
> Na, I've seen to many on raw ponds in water treatment facilities and in drain ponds on cattle feilds. I'm good with my stance, and they aren't a duck ( look at your regs). Thanks.



No body called for reinforcements.  Merganser is a merganser and a duck is a duck. When we have the birds we shoot 11 birds. 6 ducks and 5 mergansers.  Welcome to costal duck hunting. I can take you to just any paper mill in the south and you will find mallards rafted up on the waste treatment ponds. Most city waste treatment ponds have just about any duck of any kind rafted up on them to. Those ducks and mergansers were shot in the salt marsh right off the Atlantic ocean. There were not any cattle with in 20 miles of where those birds were shot.


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## PaulD (Nov 21, 2013)

*yeh, none of them were worth eating*

..Ain't talking about paper mill teatment ponds. Talking about sewage ponds. 

I don't see 11 per person in the pictures though. 

Are you purposely shooting the lawn darts or is it a case of Mis-ID?


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## grouper throat (Nov 21, 2013)

The buffleheads taste worst IMO but I know several guys that will eat them all (including mergs). All the ducks that hang around the coast have a certain funky stink to them.


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## Wlrountree (Nov 21, 2013)

Man if it comes in my spread, I'm gonna bust em, or try too. The mergansers are easy to hit because they like to set down in the decoys quick but hey, I shoot what I can. I hunt the birds that are here and I can cook em up right. Nothing gets stomped in the mud. All you gotta do is soak for a day and put in the wok with some bell pepper and onions with a little sou sauce and corn starch and you've got pepper steak there. When mallards come in, I'll tell ya how they taste.  Also make a mushroom gravy with em and put it in green bean casserole. That's good too. They were better than the teal I had in there with em. Now they're not wood ducks but the are definitely worth eating. Besides shells cost too dang much not to enjoy what you killed with em.


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## wray912 (Nov 21, 2013)

PaulD said:


> ..Ain't talking about paper mill teatment ponds. Talking about sewage ponds.
> 
> I don't see 11 per person in the pictures though.
> 
> Are you purposely shooting the lawn darts or is it a case of Mis-ID?



dont know nothing bout reinforcements...and if it flys like a duck decoys like a duck and swims like a duck then itll die like a duck and get grilled like a duck...sorry we dont have bread fed "ducks" down here


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## king killer delete (Nov 21, 2013)

*city waste treatment ponds are sewage ponds*



PaulD said:


> ..Ain't talking about paper mill teatment ponds. Talking about sewage ponds.
> 
> I don't see 11 per person in the pictures though.
> 
> Are you purposely shooting the lawn darts or is it a case of Mis-ID?


 Paper mill ponds got enough chemicals an bugs in them to kill just about anything and nobody said we limited out that day. If its legal to shoot and it flys into the decoys it gets shot. Yes we are pufposely shoot Mergansers. One mans trash is another mans treasure. mergansers


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## bigkga69 (Nov 21, 2013)

PaulD said:


> they aren't a duck ( look at your regs). Thanks.



yes they are...sub family of Anatidae, Sea Ducks...I work in waste water and have seen virtually every species in our holding ponds...


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## PaulD (Nov 21, 2013)

*enjoy the merg hunting.*

Carry on.


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## ShellytheDuckSlayer (Nov 21, 2013)

PaulD said:


> Carry on.



This guy.......


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## wray912 (Nov 21, 2013)

PaulD said:


> Carry on.



will do thanks


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## bander_TC50 (Nov 21, 2013)

some people just like to


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## wray912 (Nov 21, 2013)

bander_TC50 said:


> some people just like to



its merg stew


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## bigkga69 (Nov 21, 2013)

PaulD said:


> Carry on.



  we're not merganser hunting, we're duck hunting, it just so happens that all three species of mergansers happen to thrive here in the salt, as well as buffleheads, redheads, ringnecks, scaup, teal, black ducks, scoter...beggers cant be choosers on public land...


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## andyparm (Nov 21, 2013)

Whoa!! Sorry I'm late guys MerganserMan here. Mergs add to a limit or pad a short bag of birds. Duck poppers are delicious regardless of the make and model used. When mergmallards start piling in the deeks they get shot on the GA coast. Heck just got back from Louisiana and SMASHED the mergs right along with the teal and Gaddies. That's just me though...


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## Wlrountree (Nov 21, 2013)

wray912 said:


> its merg stew



Nope... It's gumbo

Definitely gonna try the duck sushi recipe someone posted the other day. Bet they'll be good in that too


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## wray912 (Nov 21, 2013)

Wlrountree said:


> Nope... It's gumbo
> 
> Definitely gonna try the duck sushi recipe someone posted the other day. Bet they'll be good in that too



That was me and its good


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## Wlrountree (Nov 21, 2013)

I agree. I can make a pretty good potful myself.


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## tradhunter98 (Nov 21, 2013)

i dont shoot at mergs............................unless they get in range, why not its GA not AR!


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## CootCartel (Nov 21, 2013)

Glad the merg killers are out in force, drop em on site!!


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## rnelson5 (Nov 21, 2013)

Man i just don't know about eating a ganser daddy.............. i just can't get past the smell.............  Maybe i just need to try some that someone who knows how to prepare cooked... . ...  .


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## rnelson5 (Nov 21, 2013)

Are we talking eating hooded, common, or redbreasted???


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## bigkga69 (Nov 21, 2013)

I think the question is for any merganser....I would like to hear some real proven recipes though... not a joke... I'm not gonna waste any of them, but if there's ways to cook em up decent then I'm gonna give it a go...


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## rnelson5 (Nov 21, 2013)

bigkga69 said:


> I think the question is for any merganser....I would like to hear some real proven recipes though... not a joke... I'm not gonna waste any of them, but if there's ways to cook em up decent then I'm gonna give it a go...



You are a brave soul..     Report back with results.


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## bigkga69 (Nov 21, 2013)

They can't be any worse than cormorants and grebes!!


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## creekrocket (Nov 21, 2013)

You marinate them over night in your favorite sauce, and Ike th in a cedar plank for one hour @ 225*. 
Pull them off the plank, throw them away and eat the cedar plank.


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## bigkga69 (Nov 21, 2013)

creekrocket said:


> You marinate them over night in your favorite sauce, and Ike th in a cedar plank for one hour @ 225*.
> Pull them off the plank, throw them away and eat the cedar plank.



  kinda like carp and mudfish!!


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## Wlrountree (Nov 21, 2013)

Seriously if you have the skills to make a dark roux for gumbo, make it, add diced onion, bell pepper, and celery in a 3:2:1 ratio, pour in your favorite broth and a touch of red wine. Let all that simmer for a little while and then toss em in with your sausage and whatever else you might wanna put in it. Spice it up with your favorite creole seasoning. If it tastes bland, add salt. I do brine mine in salt water and white vinegar for about a day though. Look up any gumbo recipe and it'll work. I bet y'all don't eat gar either do ya.


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## MudDucker (Nov 22, 2013)

If I ain't gonna eat it, I try not to shot it.  Not to say that a few sawbills haven't surprised me and met death at the hand of my gun, but they were unintended consequences or as elfiii likes to say, collateral damage.  I smelled some while cleaning them and I would have to marinade them so much that they would only be a medium to support the cooking of the marinade.  Nasty smelling fish eaters they are!


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## creekrocket (Nov 22, 2013)

You can't make chicken salad out of chicken :0......


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## Sea dawg1978 (Nov 22, 2013)

Wlrountree said:


> Seriously if you have the skills to make a dark roux for gumbo, make it, add diced onion, bell pepper, and celery in a 3:2:1 ratio, pour in your favorite broth and a touch of red wine. Let all that simmer for a little while and then toss em in with your sausage and whatever else you might wanna put in it. Spice it up with your favorite creole seasoning. If it tastes bland, add salt. I do brine mine in salt water and white vinegar for about a day though. Look up any gumbo recipe and it'll work. I bet y'all don't eat gar either do ya.



I have eaten gar and I must say that it was the nastiest fish that I have ever had. The texture was awful and the taste was worse. Im sure it just the way that is was prepared but I just don't think I could bring my self to trying it again. 

But as far as mergs are concerned, as somebody else said, if its dumb enough to fly into my spread its going to get killed!


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## Wlrountree (Nov 22, 2013)

Seadawg if you ever catch another gar, bring it to me. I'll fix it right and you'll never throw another one back


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## FISHANDHUNT81 (Nov 22, 2013)

put them in some apple cider vinegar and hot sauce for a few hours. Dump the vinegar and add what ever marinade you prefer. Hot sauce and bacon make everything taste better.


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## steelshotslayer (Nov 22, 2013)

I hear that backstrap on a gar is good I have no idea never been brave enough to keep one and try it.  As for the mergansers Wlrountree I would love to try that gumbo I'll send you my address and a few bucks you can send me some.  I shoulda been born a cajun.


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## Ol Crooked Toe (Nov 22, 2013)

The best way to ruin a good piece of bacon is to wrap it around a nasty merganser.


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## Sea dawg1978 (Nov 22, 2013)

Ol Crooked Toe said:


> The best way to ruin a good piece of bacon is to wrap it around a nasty merganser.



LOL 

Wlrountree, it wasn't something I caught. A friend had a gar roast and he cooked it. He was from LA and said that it was their special birthday dinner when he was a kid. Glad I didn't grow up with him..

Now the turtle that his mom cooked was outstanding. 

I think im going to make some merg jerky this year.


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## trophyslayer (Nov 22, 2013)

gar backstrap is about as good as anything you'll every eat... Its got a gator tail taste and texture to it


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## Wlrountree (Nov 22, 2013)

I equate it to poor mans lobster. And turtle done right is also excellent


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## trophyslayer (Nov 22, 2013)

Wlrountree said:


> I equate it to poor mans lobster. And turtle done right is also excellent



draw up some butter and your ready


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## Timberdawg (Nov 22, 2013)

I've got a question for the people saying "why shoot it if you aren't going to eat it" 

If someone offered to take you on an African safari to shoot a lion, elephant, leopard, etc. would you pass?

I don't really see the difference in shooting Mergs for sport if you can find a local that wants to eat it.


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## Sea dawg1978 (Nov 22, 2013)

^^that may be the best responce yet.. Thank you


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## Pate55 (Nov 22, 2013)

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Merganser Gumbo over white rice is a fine meal ! I'm still kicking myself for not eatin this one !


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## PaulD (Nov 22, 2013)

Timberdawg said:


> I've got a question for the people saying "why shoot it if you aren't going to eat it"
> 
> If someone offered to take you on an African safari to shoot a lion, elephant, leopard, etc. would you pass?
> 
> t.



Yes, I have no desire to go there, do that, or kill those.
I don't eat gar, mud fish or carp either because I catch plenty of reds, trout and flounder around here. 
I don't eat merg because we kill plenty of good puddle ducks and I make an awesome gumbo which has good duck, home made smoked sausage , fresh shrimp and what ever other goodies I find. I know I'm different though.


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## Timberdawg (Nov 22, 2013)

PaulD said:


> Yes, I have no desire to go there, do that, or kill those.
> I don't eat gar, mud fish or carp either because I catch plenty of reds, trout and flounder around here.
> I don't eat merg because we kill plenty of good puddle ducks and I make an awesome gumbo which has good duck, home made smoked sausage , fresh shrimp and what ever other goodies I find. I know I'm different though.



If only I could be so fortunate.  Carry on...


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## Fat Albert (Nov 22, 2013)

Duck sushi?!?! As in RAW?!?! All I can say is you must be the man!


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## Wlrountree (Nov 23, 2013)

No it's cooked. Wrapped in bacon with jalapeño onion and cream cheese. Looked delicious


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## PaulD (Nov 23, 2013)

Timberdawg said:


> If only I could be so fortunate.  Carry on...



It's a choice, not fortune. You can be anything you choose, grasshopper.


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