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hooded mergansers

Jamie

Senior Member
5,690
177
Ohio
there is a pair of them on my pond right now poaching bluegills. a duck and a drake. how common are these ducks around central Ohio? have never seen one before today. had to use my bird ID book to find out what they are.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Fairly common bird in Ohio. The spring migration is on, so they are returning from down south, often in pairs and it seems they find places to hang out in the spring that you'll never see them during duck season. I saw a dozen bluebills on a pond down the road from the farm a few years back and I'd never, and still haven't, seen anything but geese on there.
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,690
177
Ohio
yes, I meant hen. are these birds headed to Lake Erie marshes or other breeding cites north of here?
 

GoetsTalon

Senior Member
Supporting Member
4,293
128
Walbridge oh
No no don't eat them lol! Jager might have a good way to cook them but I have never heard of one. Hell coyotes won't even eat them lol
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
No no don't eat them lol! Jager might have a good way to cook them but I have never heard of one. Hell coyotes won't even eat them lol

I sure do! Take two hooded mergansers and breast them out, leave skin attached if you so desire. Season heavily with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place seasoned breasts in a ziploc bag and cook sous vide style in pot of water. Add rocks to pot of water (secret ingredient... washed gravel 57's are best). Cook at 130 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove duck breasts and throw in the fucking garbage. Proceed to eat the rocks. lmao

Hooded mergansers are very common in Ohio. They predominantly eat fish and small mussels.... which means they usually taste like absolute shit. Eat at your own risk. Lol. In the spring they can be found in many of the same places as wood ducks, because they too are a cavity-nesting species. Those wood duck boxes that conservation clubs often build and put out in wetlands, unfortunately, usually harbor more merganser eggs than wood duck eggs. In fact, hoodies will often take over a wood duck box that's in use and kick out the woody eggs.
 

Jamie

Senior Member
5,690
177
Ohio
I wasn't really gonna eat them. they are pretty cool looking ducks, though. and they certainly know how to fish! which is why I don't want them hanging around too long. I'm already engaged in a war with the Herons and coons around here.
 

Wmiller07

Member
1,132
30
Fairly common bird in Ohio. The spring migration is on, so they are returning from down south, often in pairs and it seems they find places to hang out in the spring that you'll never see them during duck season. I saw a dozen bluebills on a pond down the road from the farm a few years back and I'd never, and still haven't, seen anything but geese on there.

There was a spot I was watching all year that never had anything on it all duck season. I just drove by today and there were hundreds of ducks and geese on it. Makes me miss waterfowl season...
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
I see more merganser ducks than wood ducks at my place.

You guys were supposed to tell him how good they are...