Mergansers

[hanson]

Who purposefully hunts for these interesting birds?

I know my family, hunting partners, as well as myself go out of our way to NOT shoot these birds. One of the difficulties when diver hunting is distinguishing these birds in flight from some of the other obscure diving ducks we encounter. Occasionally, a merganser will fall from a gun in our blind.

Anyway, I was flipping through the Cabela's Waterfowl issue decoy shopping (looking for some new bill decoys) and realized they make merganser decoys. Now like I said, we go out of our way to not shoot these birds and if you do, hope you can handle some low blows and good natured ribbing. Which brought up a thought, do other people shoot these birds or specifically hunt them? If you do specifically hunt them, how?

One of my hunting goals is to shoot a full plumaged drake Hooded Merganser. What a gorgeous bird and one I'd be proud to have on my wall. I came close last year. We had a flock of a dozen Hooded Mergansers land just outside of shooting range. There were 8 gorgeous drakes in that flock. Rather than swim into the decoys, the swam out into the lake and eventually took off. That is as close as I've come.

With the goal of shooting one of these birds, what bodies of water would you target? Would you try to decoy them?

I've spent a little time around the upper St. Croix river this fall and there are plenty of mergansers flying that river. Unfortunately, the ones I have seen are Americans and not Hoodeds.

I'm just curious and would be interested to hear any thoughts you guys have on Mergansers?

[outdoor ran]

Same thing in my blind, we try to avoid them. Your really going to catch heck if you knock down a red breasted, hooded or common. I think the drake hooded would be one of the coolest ducks if it wern't for that fish bill on him. We have them come in and sit down in the dekes alot. Were hunting big water and using about 100 decoys. I think the hoodeds taste about the same as the other divers. We let 2 nice drakes swim around yesterday in the dekes. Adds to the spread

[hobbydog]

It was MEA week at the cabin and on one of those days I take my daughter and son out for a little jump shooting and exploration. We saw these in a ditch and did an easy sneak. I did the shooting and my daughter took the pics.

[Sartell Angler]

hanson- I don't know where you could go to target them, but I got a really nice drake out on Lac Qui Parle a few years back. Have also gotten some out towards the Willmar area as well. Try not to shoot them if I can help it because they aren't much for eating

SA/wdw

[eyepatrol]

We get mergansers to come through here also. My brother 5 years back shot a real pretty hooded merganser. He decided to clean it and eat it (he thought he was tough and could eat anything). He took one bite....and ohhhh, if I could have had a camera when he was knawing on it!!!

We too try our best to avoid shooting these ducks. Every once in a while we'll down one, but usually it's not too hard to identify them, or at least for me it isn't. Long sleek body with a long neck, fly low to the water, fast wingbeat. Although they are named mergansers, we like to call them "fishducks". The drake hooded would be a nice mount, but I wouldn't even consider eating them....not even smoked or jerky.

bc

[Esoxmn]

I have cooked them before with other ducks and no-one knew the difference.

[Dean Schellinger]

Esoxmn-

I'm sure you guys all got a little "sauce" in you while you while waiting for them to cook, if you know what I mean.

[buzzsaw]

Nice pics Hobby!