Hillbilly Dinner: The Coyote’s Leftovers

RoastedDuckSunday we had a coyote attack on our ducks, after going all summer without losing any. Usually a coyote will just take one duck and make off with it. But this time, it was a major fray, in the middle of the day. We had fourteen ducks, and I think this little doggy managed to bite every single one of them! It was either a group of coyotes (though Kirk only saw one streak across the driveway when he went outside) or a young pup that got carried away with enthusiasm and unskilled efforts at dispatching birds!

Three ducks are outright missing (sewn-up duck is one of them, I am sad!). I found two freshly dead, and another died later from apparent internal injuries. So, we are down to eight from fourteen, in one incident! Ouch! I’m not certain we have a boy left in the group either, uh oh!

The two freshly killed ones I decided we could eat, they were still warm when we found them, and I had time, so I butchered them up! A hillbilly would never let a coyote’s leftovers go to waste, after all! 😉

But they weren’t bled out as ideally as they would have been if we slaughtered them in human fashion. I wasn’t sure how this would work out. Books always warn to bleed them out thoroughly, but don’t explain what happens if you don’t. So, we endeavored to find out.

It seemed to just render tough meat, and some aesthetically displeasing bruised spots; which I imagine would be worse-looking on light chicken meat, but weren’t terrible on dark duck meat. (Well, they also had some tooth marks and surrounding injury- but we worked around those!) So, not something you’d want to serve to guests, but a salvageable private meal for two! We roasted them for Monday night’s dinner, and today have soup simmering on the stove. It smells wonderful! Just in time for the blustery fall weather we are having!

EggYolkString

The most interesting thing was the mature hen’s egg tract-I’m always fascinated to see these when butchering out. She had a fully formed egg at the end, almost ready to lay; and then this cluster of egg yolks in various stages of production.

The remaining eight ducks are a little subdued, hanging out near the safety of the house, nursing their wounds and de-stressing. Many of them look bloody and bedraggled; you can see an injured wing hanging down on the black and white one! But, they all seem like they are on the mend- ducks are tough after all!

EightDucks

7 thoughts on “Hillbilly Dinner: The Coyote’s Leftovers

  1. Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS says:

    That is so amazing! I’m referring to the egg yolks in development. My kids and I are really glad you took and shared that photo. I think it is great that you decided to eat the ducks. You could have served my family. 🙂 I hope you don’t lose any more and that the rest of the ducks all recover. Oh, the country adventures! It makes life worth living. 🙂

  2. workingcollies says:

    Aren’t the eggs fun? Laying hens are pretty amazing little factories, of sorts. Indeed every day is an unexpected adventure on a farm- I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

  3. Marla from around the corner & up the hill says:

    Howdy neighbor, drove home behind you from Cenex today, thought I’d check your blog to find out if anything exciting was happening down there. Wooo-eeey. Talk about newsy. That duck is looking mighty tasty, I’ll admit. (Does that mean I’m turning into a hillbilly?) We are moving to Getchell soon, so we won’t get to see your progress on a daily basis. Will have to read your blog more regularly!

    • workingcollies says:

      Hey Marla, I thought that was you behind me pulling out of Cenex today! Wow, moving to Getchell huh? Sorry to see you go!

  4. bruce king says:

    Wonder if coyotes are having some issue this year? I had to shoot one this morning taking chickens. Usually I see coyote predation on livestock during the whelping season — they’re raising pups and are hungry for the extra food — but I haven’t seem them be as active in the fall as the ones in my area have been.

  5. workingcollies says:

    I don’t know, I’ve never been able to discern much of a pattern in their movements or behavior. I suspect that it’s somewhat random, and dynamic. It seems like they are on the move a lot. We’ll have nights where it sounds like dozens of them are right outside our window, then go for weeks without seeing or hearing any of them. They are pretty mysterious!

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