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Hunting >> Hunting in Australia, NZ & the South Pacific
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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3835
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Whistle ducks
      #387803 - 19/11/24 07:23 PM

The old faithful cylinder-bore Greener Empire is still bagging a few geese and ducks amid the early monsoons.
Not too many black ducks have overflown my hides so far this season, but whistle ducks seem to be abundant at the moment.
After an early session on the geese this morning I drove to a different spot and managed to bag a few for the table.



These three are the plumed variety, easier to pluck than the wandering whistle-ducks, and more pigeon-breasted in the roasting pan. So tasty!

Up early again tomorrow to check the bom-site...

Bureau of Meteorology rain radar web-page, that is!

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 41204
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Marrakai]
      #387805 - 19/11/24 11:30 PM

Well done. So you pluck yours rather than skinning?

I've wondered since I accompanied you on a goose shoot where we didn't get any. Do you wade out to get the downed birds?

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 28112
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: NitroX]
      #387808 - 20/11/24 05:14 AM

Those look kinda like our hen pin-tails.
Shooting ducks with cylinder bores can be a chore.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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93x64mm
.416 member


Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4671
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: DarylS]
      #387809 - 20/11/24 06:49 AM

Well done Marrakai!
Nothing wrong with the old Greener there mate, now to tell John your recipe.

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m239
.300 member


Reged: 13/09/17
Posts: 201
Loc: Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: 93x64mm]
      #387810 - 20/11/24 06:55 AM

Nice work.

How you going on the 'Mango Geese'?

--------------------

Adventure is worthwhile
~ Aesop


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Rule303
.450 member


Reged: 05/07/09
Posts: 5384
Loc: Woodford Qld
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: m239]
      #387811 - 20/11/24 09:07 AM

Well done. The old SXS still works.

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 28112
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Rule303]
      #387812 - 20/11/24 09:47 AM

What load are you using for ducks and geese, Marrakai?

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3835
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: DarylS]
      #387813 - 21/11/24 10:05 PM

Mark: The "mango geese" didn't really materialize for me this year.
There seemed to be bugger-all birds around until the early rain started, by then the mangos were pretty-much finished.

Loving the plumed whistle ducks though.
Managed a full bag of them yesterday morning, plus seven geese.
Stinking hot when the sun gets up a bit, over 35 degrees C with humidity 79%. Shirt is totally saturated by 8am, very uncomfortable.
Can't wait to get back out there!


Looking a bit bogan with the open shirt but it was bloody hot!

Daryl: My chambers are 2 3/4 inch, and I have become a big fan of Remington Nitro Steel, in UK #1 for geese and UK #3 or #4 for ducks.
They are 34 gram loads, used to be roll-crimped with 35 grams of shot BC (before covid). These cartridges are made in Italy.
Truth is, we are bound to availability in these uncertain times and I have had to use Eley 32 gram loads of #3 or #4 for ducks this year.
They're high quality shells, but I really miss the extra 2 grams of pellets in the pattern!


Three pellets on this little guy, plus a broken wing.

John:
Always dry-pluck ducks so I can singe the "fur" and tighten the skin before gutting.
Love the taste this gives them, reminiscent of my childhood days with a hunter-gatherer Dad.
Geese are partially skinned though, to facilitate removal of the breast fillets and thigh meat, plus giblet, heart etc if so inclined.
...and I keep well away from the water's edge these days: too many lizards!
Wing-shooting under flight paths and dropping birds on dry land at your feet is far more gentlemanly than "wearing the Marrakai socks"!
(sticky black-soil mud above the knees out on the Marrakai Flood-plain)

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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DarylS
.700 member


Reged: 10/08/05
Posts: 28112
Loc: Beautiful British Columbia, Ca...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Marrakai]
      #387815 - 22/11/24 07:39 AM

Good bag!!
TKS for the info on loads.

--------------------
Daryl


"a gun without hammers is like a Spaniel without ears" King George V

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eagle27
.400 member


Reged: 24/01/09
Posts: 1240
Loc: Rolleston, Christchurch, New Z...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: DarylS]
      #387816 - 22/11/24 02:55 PM

That Italian made Remington Nitro Steel ammo was great stuff, the 2 3/4" 34gm load doing 1360fps and ultra clean burning. Used it during our 2022 and 2023 gamebird seasons and it was perfect in both my semi auto and O/U guns with #3 shot for duck, geese and swan. Unfortunately it was not available this year so used smelly and dirty burning Eley and Gamebore.

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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3835
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: eagle27]
      #394084 - 29/10/25 07:17 PM

Cleaned out the local gunshop (F&OW) of Remington Nitro Steel just the other day, no more available apparently. Ever!

If I could just constrain my shooting to easy birds, that might last me several seasons, but I like the challenge of difficult shots as long as they're within range.

Managed a few geese and ducks last time out at the swamps, a half-dozen of each, but used a few more cartridges than I would have liked!



They reckon the national average is 2.5 to 3 shells per waterfowl so perhaps I shouldn't fret...


Dodged the storms and scored a full bag of ten whistle ducks this morning, all were the plumed variety that I greatly favor.
Life's good!



--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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93x64mm
.416 member


Reged: 07/12/11
Posts: 4671
Loc: Nth QLD Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Marrakai]
      #394089 - 30/10/25 07:34 AM

You got a good feed there Marrakai!
Will have to try & find bismuth or steel shot somehow?
If you do let us know please?

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Claydog
.400 member


Reged: 17/08/12
Posts: 1338
Loc: Katherine, Northern Territory ...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: 93x64mm]
      #394092 - 30/10/25 08:47 AM

Hopefully it starts raining and a few of geese head down here. Nice haul.

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NitroXAdministrator
.700 member


Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 41204
Loc: Barossa Valley, South Australi...
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Claydog]
      #394095 - 30/10/25 03:40 PM

Waidmannsheil. and you look hot.

--------------------
John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

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Waidmannsheil
.416 member


Reged: 19/04/13
Posts: 2568
Loc: Melbourne Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Marrakai]
      #394096 - 30/10/25 08:22 PM

Well done Tony, a really nice haul. That Remington Steel shot certainly works really well, I still have a number of boxes luckily, pity it's been discontinued.

Matt.

--------------------
There is nothing wrong with vegetarian food, so long as there is meat with it.

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Marrakai
.416 member


Reged: 09/01/03
Posts: 3835
Loc: Darwin, Top End of Australia
Re: Whistle ducks [Re: Waidmannsheil]
      #394264 - 09/11/25 08:45 PM

Don't know whether the Remington Nitro Steel is actually discontinued or just permanently dropped by our importers.
Same result at the shop counter!

Looks like Falcon is stepping up though.
F&OW even have some specialized steel loads for magpie geese from the kiwi maker that have been delivered in unmarked white boxes, only available in the Top End!

For whistle ducks, there are several choices for 2 3/4 chambered CIP-proved shotguns including the aforementioned Eley VIP Steel.

--------------------
Marrakai
When the bull drops, the bullshit stops!
--------------------------------
www.marrakai-adventure.com.au

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