Thread: Pukeko question

Can I shoot pukeko on private land and how does it taste?

yes you can if you get permission from the landowner and they make nice carols

Originally Posted by 57jl

yes you can if you get permission from the landowner and they make nice carols

You mean that they sing carols too..?

Originally Posted by cally woo

Can I shoot pukeko on private land and how does it taste?

always told to put a rock in with pukeko - once cooked throw bird away and eat rock - not great eating - but very slow casseroled in pieces just pass -taste okay but its getting the wiry little buggers tender is the problem

Funny how many people think they are native to NZ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_swamphen

@cally woo

A permit is really easy to get just give your local fish and game office a call. They will email you one.
@Barry the hunter

This fella knows what to do with them

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-count...UFKUMCTZWHYII/

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by cally woo

Can I shoot pukeko on private land and how does it taste?

I have had a similar question in the past and here is what I found,

https://fishandgame.org.nz/about/fis...g-licences-faq


as for cooking... I wouldn't have a clue

You only do the breast/wishbone. Not the whole bird. Like boning out a parried breast sort of.
You end up with a small handful of the meat on its wishbone. Doesn't take long at all. Cook up like a soup or maybe a casserole. You will need several for a fee's obviously.
From memory there are some small tendons or pin bones in there but not a biggie. Been a long time so can't remember.
Tasted fine. Dont eat much different to duck so why should it be vastly different

Originally Posted by 308

Funny how many people think they are native to NZ
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australasian_swamphen

cant help myself 308 hope ya dont mind - quick bird classification lesson - all birds in NZ have a classification - pukeko are deemed native to NZ - Native means breeds and exits in NZ but can breed and exist in other countrys as is the case with pukeko - its actually for NZ a classification with not a lot of birds in it really uhmm native classification -grey duck- wax eye - harrier hawk come to mind - all in Aussie as well - for our NZ birds there is a classification above native called endemic - thats means the bird breeds and exists only in NZ so morepork tui fantail kiwi kakapo kaka all endemic - now if a bird arrives in NZ under its own steam its classification would be vagrant - but if breeding pairs make it here they would be given the native status if they started breeding - thats why spur wing plover initially were protected - they arrived and started breeding - once it was realised they were not worthy of protection they were removed from schedule of protected species and just deemed introduced - other classifications well introduced so sparrow blackbird etc - circum polar so albatross - migratory i.e come to breed and go again - vagrant we get birds blown here I have seen a duck called a Northern Shovellor native to PNG in Gisborne - the birds on game bird list different ball game again - can be and are a mix of classification s eg paradise ducks are endemic - grey ducks are native and mallards are introduced

Puks are good eating. Skin pulls off easily to expose a light boned frame and good breast and leg meat. pull the breast off and cut the best meat from the legs. DO NOT under any circumstances cook the legs whole as the leg bones will split apart leaving 10,000 bone slithers in your casserole etc

The pukeko are called poule sultane in New Caledonia, basically the same thing.

Originally Posted by Friwi

The pukeko are called poule sultane in New Caledonia, basically the same thing.

So kind of Rasin Chichen??

Good name for them.

Sultan is like a Turkish king.
So more like a Turkish kebab chick ;-;

They are called swamp hens in Aussie from what I've heard

My wife cuts off breast and legs. Pulls sharp sinews from legs. Casserol just as for chicken with a bit of bacon added. Can't tell apart from chicken. Nice.
Incidentally @Barry the hunter I watched a tiny rail very slowly swim around a couple of carex this morning. I've also seen them fly into midst of thick carex heads occaisionally, while waiting for ducks.