duck hunting observations...

[mr.orange]

So after a 23 year hiatus from duck hunting, I've taken it up again, and have had a great time so far. But my wife and I had an interesting conversation this afternoon that I thought I'd put out there for comment by others.

So far the majority of ducks I've brought home have been gadwalls of average size, with 1 blue teal, 1 green teal, and 1 shoveler (eww). The gads have cooked up well on the bbq and the kids (13 and 10) love them. But the size of the breast meat (on the gadwalls) is what caught our attention. They're small. And they cook up smaller.

Which made us think, when we go to the store and get chicken breasts, they're huge. Why? Are they really that much bigger than the ducks I'm shooting? Or are they really pumped up on growth hormones? Ducks, I would expect to have significantly more muscle than a non-flying bird bred for consumption in probably less than ideal living conditions.

I'm beginning to seriously consider that maybe the ducks are considerably healthier as you know they're not being injected with anything.

Comments?

 

[pharaoh2]

I know of a few farms (collonies) that have huge chickens. They clain their hormone free, but I've seen some grotesque birds with giant breasts. I haven't shot any birds this year, but your bag sounds like mine most years and yes, their smaller. But remember, these are local birds this time of year. Most of the birds I see in September are gadwalls and teal and a schintload of coots. The others come later in the year, and they tend to plump up.

 

[sjemac]

My son had his 11th birthday this Wednesday and for his special birthday meal he wanted ............................................. whole roasted goose. About 85-90% of the protein my family eats has been shot or caught by me. We buy a little chicken here and there, the rare steak, and sometimes pork (we're about to slaughter our own this year though). Game meat has more protein and less fat than domestic and is free of hormones, antibiotics and and additives. It is about as organic as you can get if you believe that crap.

The chickens you buy are not so much pumped with growth hormones as with antibiotics to keep them from getting sick in crowded conditions. You SHOULD be able to eat a chicken breast rare but can't because of Salmonella -- hence the antibiotics. You CAN (and in ducks SHOULD) eat wild birds rare to med rare. (No crowded conditions, no Salmonella).

The chicken size is primarily due to genetics and selective breeding. If we can make a Dachshund we can make a fat breasted chicken. Not saying that commercial chickens don't get additives and hormones but the main reason for their rapid growth is simple -- non-dangerous -- Mendelian genetics.