# Cleaning/Plucking a Duck



## burbach (Sep 29, 2005)

Does anyone have experience with plucking a duck and then cleaning off the pin feathers using wax? Any advice?


----------



## Gildog (Jan 30, 2007)

burbach said:


> Does anyone have experience with plucking a duck and then cleaning off the pin feathers using wax? Any advice?


yeah, it can be a messy process...we started out plucking and using wax, then went to plucking and using a blowtorch, then went to dunking them in hot water before plucking, then to skinning them and using a few strips of bacon on the breast when roasting.

now I usually soak the breasts in Italian dressing and grill...and use the rest of the carcass for gumbo.


----------



## t.crawford714 (Nov 7, 2008)

Check this out http://www.pluckwitheasypluck.com/ I am friends with the guy that made these, I am not kidding. I live like 10 miles away from him. I'm going duck hunting with him and if we get some ducks. We'll use this. I'll let you know how it works. Good luck!


----------



## slough (Oct 12, 2003)

Burbach, I learned to take the pin feathers off with wax when I first started hunting and have done it ever since. I don't do it much in the early season with ducks because their feathers are sometimes a pain to get out but later in the year when they're plumed out well and have fattened up a little I do. Not an easy process - I'd say it takes about 20-25 minutes to pluck, wax, and gut the bird but they taste pretty good that way. After I pluck as much of the bird as I can, I just boil a pot of water and then put about half a block of paraffin wax in the water and let it melt. Let the water cool for a couple minutes and then dip the duck in it and lay it on the ground for about 10 minutes to let the wax cool, then peel it off with a butterknife.


----------



## t.crawford714 (Nov 7, 2008)

Ok so I kind of forgot that I would let you know how it worked....well I'll tell you now....IT WORKED GREAT! The only feathers you had to pull yourself were the tough wing ones...


----------

