I have never shot a coot because I figured they weren't good to eat. If you do, how do you cook them?

Fried or grilled. They ate as good as any other duck... which is not saying much.

My buddy has family back in Louisiana that shoots a bunch and makes a coot gumbo. I haven't tried it but he says it's not bad

Coots are good for gumbo and sausage.

On a slow day, or if I'm just feeling froggy I will go and jump coots. The damn things are in all of my hunting spots.

Here is the thing about coots: they spoil very fast, I mean SAME DAY fast. If you wait till the end of the day to clean them the smell may turn you off forever. A 6 hour old dead coot is like a duck that has been sitting in the pond dead for 6 days.

But, if you clean them as you go and get the breasts in the cooler they are just like most waterfowl. Also, there is surprisingly little breast meat on those suckers. I use them for taco meat.

Jerky
cut thin and oven on 1fitty for 6/7 hours

In my limited coot eating experience, the breast meat is not good (definitely tell it wasn't duck), but the legs are big and tasted pretty good.

i hear the gizzards are big and good for gumbo

I've never been hungry enough to find out if they were good or not.

Less meat than a teal and they smell like guts

x2

Both true statements. Although the guts smell can be mitigated with prompt field cleaning.

Coot shooting is best for introducing new/young hunters to shooting to keep up interest on slow days. They are like a practice bird, or a slow day bird, but still edible...sort of...with proper preparation.

Gumbo

Man I hate that smell...

So is posssum and coon, but only if youre really drunk.

I have soaked the breast meat in milk, overnight, then rinsed with water. Next, rolled in flour/salt pepper and pan fried. I cook ducks the same way. Very simple and it works.

My dogs won't even eat grilled coot.....

Yep, there's not enough meat on the birds which is one of the reasons I don't hunt coots. The second being I enjoy watching the goofy critters when the hunting is a little slow.

They do have large gizzards that taste very good, have had many fine meals of fried coot gizzards.

Going to have to try the gizzards. Those things are massive, almost as much meat at the breast...assuming I get out before season closes. (work ). Nothing to do at my holes but jump shoot anymore, and there are always plenty of coots. Always.