Wood ducks are, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful birds in the world. Highly sought after for their delicious meat and decorative qualities on the mantel. Wood duck hunting is also extremely exhilarating. A wood duck can fly past you in a flash if you don’t stay on your toes. The fast-paced action makes them a favorite for many waterfowl hunters all over North America.
Remember these 15 tips to ensure you have a thrilling and successful season hunting woodies this year.
Tip #1:Get Scouting
The hunt starts long before the season begins. Scouting is just about the most important thing you can do to set yourself up for success. The goal is to find where the ducks like to stay in the morning and evenings. As the name implies, they love thick, wooded cover; keep this in mind when scouting. Wood ducks, being creatures of habit, are very easy to predict, so if you find a feeding zone, chances are, they will return. Woodies will most likely see you before you see them, so your ears are your most important asset in locating hotspots. Listen for the squeals and chuckles they make when feeding. Being spotted can ruin a feeding zone for weeks or even seasons to come, so stealth is critical. Beaver ponds and flooded swamps are a favorite for wood ducks because the wet soil grows edible plants such as wild rice and duckweed.
Tip#2:Find A Roost
Roosts are where large groups of woodies stay in trees and thick timber for the night. Finding one can give you an edge on their daily commute to feeding zones.
Tip#3:You Don’t Need Decoys
When you think about hunting other duck types such as the mallard, you know it takes a serious investment for dozens of decoys. That is not the case with wood ducks, making them a popular duck to hunt for penny pinchers. Woodies usually travel in small groups consisting of 14 or less. Not hundreds like a mallard duck flock. At the speed woodies fly, they would totally miss a small decoy setup on a flyway where you would normally pass shoot. Unless you are setting up a small spread, say 5 decoys at a feeding zone, you’ll just be wasting your time. The effectiveness of decoys largely depends on the temperament of the woodies in your area. So if decoys don’t help you take down ducks, leave them behind.
Tip#4:Float Your Boat
Hunting on a canoe in a river is a great way to stay clear of other hunting crowds. The best part is, if you have a slight current, the canoe will take you on an automated guided excursion of great duck hunting. Just be sure to keep on eye out for fallen trees and debris in your way. A canoe made of A.B.S. will help keep quiet, unlike a metal one.
Tip#5:Stay Out of the Roost
When you find a bustling roost, it’s best to not run in gun-ho and scare them away. Wood ducks are very skittish and might avoid the roost for weeks to come. It is best to find flyways where the wood ducks commute from roost to feed zone and shoot them as they pass.
Tip#6:Hunt in the Rain
Some hunters chose not to hunt in the rain because other ducks such as divers aren’t active. But wood ducks don’t seem phased by wet weather. So instead of avoiding those drizzling days, get out there, and hunt to increase your overall chances of having fresh meat on the table.
Tip#7:Bring Em In With A Wood Duck Call
It is very easy to get the attention of wood ducks, unlike a mallard. And it doesn’t take a fancy duck call to do it. Duck Commander has a great and affordable woodie call you can check out on Amazon here. Our advice, watch some good Youtube videos on the subject till you can mimic the calls exactly. Then take your newfound skills to the field and get ready to blast the skies and hopefully hit a few.
Tip#8:Give the Water Some Motion
Wood ducks are very enticed by the splashes and ripples motion decoys create one the water. Setting up a few decoys with a jerk cord on still water also helps stir things up. Keep away from spinner decoys; woodies are not big fans of them. But all in all, you don’t need decoys to have an enjoyable wood duck hunt. It mostly depends on your location. If you are hunting in a flyway, they will probably miss the decoys entirely.
Tip#9:Bring Ole Blue
Having a hunting dog makes any duck hunt a more enjoyable experience. Not having to wade out to pick up your kill and possibly missing another shooting opportunity is like hunting in luxury. Plus, if you are not successful, you have a furry companion to make things more fun and interesting.
Tip#10:Hunt Small Water
Small young beaver ponds are great places to find wood ducks because the fresh soil will produce the edible vegetation they love. Still pockets of water on the side of creeks and small ponds are also a wood duck favorite.
Tip#11:Use a Whistle
A whistle call is a lesser-known way to get the attention of ducks but is very effective nonetheless. Say the word “ToooooWheeeet” into the call to replicate the happy whistle a duck makes when on the water. Just don’t make the whine wood ducks make when they flee as this is a warning call.
Tip#12:Jump Shoot Em !
Jump shooting is probably the most fun and popular way to hunt woodies. It involves walking along creeks, ponds, or lakes in the attempt to scare up some ducks. You must stay on high alert because ducks can take off at any moment.
Tip#13:Use the Right Guage
Some hunters say hunting with a 12 gauge makes you a girlie-man because it is so effective. And that a 20 gauge is superior because it gives the ducks a better chance, thus makes you more sportsmanlike. I haven’t heard anything more ridiculous. A 20 gauge will give them a better chance? A better chance of flying away injured, maybe. As for me, I’m sticking to my trusty 12 gauge to get clean, humane kills.
Tip#14:Hold Your Shotgun Shotgun Tenderly
Some hunters have a tendency to hold their shotgun tight enough to indent the darn thing. But this makes your aiming much more jittery and inaccurate. Try to hold your gun lightly; this will greatly enhance your speed and accuracy to shoot an unexpected wood duck fly by. Plus, save your hands from aching the next day.
Tip#15:Get Well Rested
Wood ducks are fast, agile birds that can dodge and dart through the timber with ease. The last thing you want is to be groggy and foggy in the head. That means keep off the Bud Lite and get to bed early. Wake up early, eat some good breakfast, and your favorite brew to ensure you are hunting at your best.
We hope these tips help give you a successful and enjoyable season. Thank you for reading and as always God bless.
We would love to hear your stories and see photos of your best memories in the great outdoors. We will even feature them on our website. Contact us at mossymoosereports@gmail.com.
