phil123 Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Decided to roast a mallard a friend gave me last night, and oh my god did it smell bad! It was like a swamp water smell. We did eat it although it was not the best so the dogs had a good meal! Has this happen to anybody else, is it normal for wild birds? Cheers Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontbeck Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 How long had your friend hung it ? I`ve only once had that smell in god knows how many years shooting. It sounds , or smells like, it`s` gone over.The`re should be no smell, other than what you would smell on a duck from a supermarket. It was early in my shooting careerer that we encountered that smell. I had left some duck , shot in September, for a few days before dressing them, the weather was quite warm. My wife, who did the cooking then, was not keen to cook them but I insisted. I went out with the dogs while they were cooking and when I returned the kitchen smelt like a sewer and I binned them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moor man Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I recall a similar thread, it can depend on what the birds were feeding on. They will eat anything if hungry/bored, rabbit guts, fish, rotten potatoes.....just a thought. If they smelt ok after preparing then its prob something they ate. Did you remember to draw it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaniel Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 i just breast mine, soak over night in milk or orange juice in the fridge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil123 Posted January 1, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I hung the bird for 4 days before plucking. I eat quite a lot of game and didn't do anything different really. The bird looked and smelled fine after been plucked and drawn. I think from now on any wildfowl I will just breast them! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest1957 Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I wouldn't hang duck. They don't improve like game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigrob Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I wouldn't hang duck. They don't improve like game. Correct . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontbeck Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I wouldn't hang duck. They don't improve like game. You live and learn, i`ve never hung duck since that episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 Duck taste of what they have been eating, they don't always feed on "nice" things. Depends on when and were its been Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatcatsplat Posted January 1, 2013 Report Share Posted January 1, 2013 I've had a few "muddy" ones in my time that tastes a little earthy. I tend to soak anything i shoot in salt water overnight just to draw out the blood, mud and other nasties Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpk Posted January 2, 2013 Report Share Posted January 2, 2013 i just breast mine, soak over night in milk or orange juice in the fridge... Never tried this. Do a lot of coastal fowling and have tried brine etc but it never really gets it tasting right. I will give this a go next time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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