Coots & Marsh Hens

[Sewer Rat]

Does anybody hunt these birds? Went out scouting with my 4 yr old this past weekend on Crooked Lake and these birds seemed to be everywhere... large flocks too.

saw some mottleds, and I think some teal.... but saw a whole buncha marsh hens too...

[Dead Ringer]

There was an article on jump shooting marsh hens in N. Fl last year. Doesn't seem like much of a challenge, or a meal, to me. Bluebills are as low as I go on the taste scale.

[Randy Clark]

my boy shot some coots once had to clean them cook them and eat them .he has never asked to kill another one the taste cured him.

[Steve W]

It depends on which kind of marsh hen you shoot.

The Clappers and Virginias taste pretty good.

The soras are not good.

I have not tried a King.

Coots are OK but not great.

All of these taste better than bluebills.

[Wilbur]

Moorhens are out of season right now... but they eat great! Season is usually during early teal till end of October first of November. The meat is not as dark as duck and alot lighter tasting. Take a few next year and try them. I bet you will go get some more.

[fpspecialk]

William is right! (Just don't tell him that I said that...lol) We harvested two Moorhens, just to try them... then wished we had taken more! I was very impressed. But of course with the killer marinade William has concocted... I think just about anything would taste good after soaking in it! :icon_smil

[BlindHog]

Everyone can save their bluebills for me. That "Wilbur Recipe" marinade is the main way I cook all my ducks. The true test will be the hen hoodie I have in the freezer. Bet it could make coot edible.

Do you have the recipe handy to repost?

From memory, it includes brown sugar, worcestershire, Dales sauce, fresh garlic, rosemary, basil, oregano, onion.

[Wilbur]

I'll see if I can make it resurface. Glad you liked it.

[Wilbur]

Had to look way back on my posts but here it is!

1/4 cup Dales Steak Seasoning
1/8 cup Worcestershire Sauce
3 shakes of Liquid Smoke
1/4 cup light brown sugar
small onion
1 heaping spoon minced garlic
Basil
Oregano
Rosemary Leaves
Thick sliced Bacon
4 Duck Breasts

Put onion, garlic, and dry spices in chopper and finely chop. Add this to wet ingredients and sugar. Mix well.
Bone out duck breasts and cut into 4 or 6 pieces depending on size, and place in marinade for about 4 hours.
Wrap meat in bacon and put on skewers with space between each piece.
Grill over medium heat till med rare.

Good eatin', hope ya'll like it.

[backcast]

Glad you put that up there. I've been trying to remember what you had told me. BTW, how was that coot??:tongue11:

[Wilbur]

Did ya have to mention that? Are you talking about the one with the talons?

[Wilbur]

This is how its done.

[Wilbur]

And this is when it's done!

[Randy Clark]

whens dinner?

[Wilbur]

I gotta go shoppin again first.:laughing7

[backcast]

Did ya have to mention that? Are you talking about the one with the talons?

Oh yeah, I meant the sacrificial marsh raptor!

[Sewer Rat]

cool recipe... will have to try it out after this weekend....

ok, moorhens yes, coots no... got it (and figures, moorhens all over the darn place last weekend..oh well)

thanks guys...

[brightlights]

I breasted out some ccots during first phase. It takes about the 15 limit to equal the same amount of meat of four med size birds like ringnecks. That said, I basted them all togehter with the ringnecks and teal in my special sauce, wrapped in bacon and grilled. They cooked a little faster.

Served them up as appetizers, no one could tell the difference between any of them other than the size.

[Cracker Country]

Hello all, being that I'm new to the forum and this is my first post I figured i'd try to add something by sharing a recipe. When I first started hunting ducks and geese I shot a couple mergansers and lesser canadians that didn't really appeal to me. But since I believe in eating what you kill i got this recipe from a seasoned winger, pretty simple too.
De-bone the breast, put about a 1/4"-1/2" of water in the bottom of a crockpot. Poor in a can of cream of mushroom soup, lay your breast in there, drop in 3-6 whole juniper berries depending on how much breast you're cooking (juniper berries will take the gamey taste out of any wild game) add ground peppercorns to taste, some chopped onion then add a can of cream of chicken soup. Cook on medium for 6-8 hours (i'd put it on before going to work) It comes out similar to creamed chipped beef. Put over rice and enjoy. If yall have ever cooked goose too fast you know how it comes out like boot leather, we thiss way of making it causes it to fall apart.

[Steve W]

That sounds mighty tasty.

[fpspecialk]

:wave: Howdy Cracker Country... Welcome aboard!