Game rates with meats, poultry and fish as an excellent protein food. The use of all surplus edible game should be encouraged at all times. This bulletin has been prepared to promote the use of surplus wild ducks (number above the breeding stock, as determined by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the less-known American coot. The coot, erroneously but more commonly known as the mudhen, is neither duck nor chicken. However, because of its similarity to the wild duck in plumage, habitat, food and migratory habits, the coot is often classed with the ducks.

The material presented in this bulletin is based largely on the experimental work that has been done on game cookery and poultry cookery (Wills, 1946)² in the foods laboratories at Iowa State College. Ducks and coots are used interchangeably in the recipes that follow. Duck and coot flavors are similar and not always easily differentiated.