Wood ducks

[Night goat]

I've always wanted to try my luck on wood ducks, although I know nothing about them other than they prefer really wooded brushy areas... I'm starting to read more on them but was wondering if say some of the mid elevation mountain lakes or beaver ponds would be a good candidate to try? I've only seen them a handful of times but I know they exist, but definetly seems like a challenge...

[h2ofowlr]

I've always wanted to try my luck on wood ducks, although I know nothing about them other than they prefer really wooded brushy areas... I'm starting to read more on them but was wondering if say some of the mid elevation mountain lakes or beaver ponds would be a good candidate to try? I've only seen them a handful of times but I know they exist, but definetly seems like a challenge...

I see them more around low land lakes, marshes, ponds and streams.  I put up several wood duck boxes last month, so hopefully they have a good hatch.

[RC]

Have only seen a handful on this side of the mountains, but used to see quite a few in the backwater areas of the Yakima around Toppenish.

[erronulvin]

From what I have seen over the years ponds with Russian olive trees around them tend to hold birds.

[Night goat]

From what I have seen over the years ponds with Russian olive trees around them tend to hold birds.

Certainly don't see olive trees on the west side lol

[metlhead]

Second the Toppenish area. Shoot lots of them while chasing quail. One pond near White Swan roosted at least 200 of them. Getting one fully dressed is quite the reward. Oxbows and sloughs off any lowland river may hold some. I think it would be mostly a jump shoot opportunity.

[metlhead]

A fav

[Night goat]

Do they decoy well?

[TeacherMan]

They are everywhere around St. Maries. I do notice they like the smaller back waters, side river channels, field ditches, beaver ponds, etc…

[boneaddict]

[nwwanderer]

Certainly a success story for management

[trophyhunt]

I’ve always wanted a pair of those for the wall, but I’m getting soft in my age and just can’t shoot a bird so beautiful.  Guess I’ll have to buy mounts of them.

[ducks4days]

Hunt wooded beaver ponds. Get 2-6 wood duck decoys and keep them in a small group together distinct from your main spread. I only harvest them occasionally, and haven’t taken one the last 3 seasons, mainly because I haven’t targeted them.

[Night goat]

Yeah I can see why you wouldn't want to hunt these all the time, it's a bucket list duck for me, definitely wouldn't try to get a limit, one or two and the story of the adventure is enough for me

[metlhead]

Does seem odd we are restricted to very few pintails and scaup, yet allowed to shoot full limits of wooders. However, wood ducks are quite the sucess story and are very plentiful. Majority are early to migrate.

[Dan-o]

I have hunting access to a little piece of property in the Auburn valley that's a bit of a Wood Duck mecca.
I see Wood Ducks there all the time.
We shoot plenty of ducks off of it.

I've never shot a Wood Duck....    I think just because they're so stunningly beautiful.
I'm an old Wood Duck Softy.     

[Feathernfurr]

Take a trip to the east coast. Maryland to South Carolina and wood ducks are about the only duck you can bet on killing!

[goosegunner]

In my experience, wood ducks are very area specific. find those areas and you will shoot plenty of them. Also they fly right at first light so you better be ready. 

[85yota]

2nd on the beaver ponds. See them on dnr land during deer season on ponds. They seem to like ponds near other little ponds so they can travel back and forth. These are usually a mile or so behind a lowland gate, which basically would a waste of time to duck hunt unless ur specifically targeting woodys. My friend just got his wood duck mount back, 2nd duck he ever shot on some slew up north of everett. Lucky dog

[KP-Skagit]

Beaver ponds/flooded wooded areas near rivers hold them. They are creatures of habit so if you find them once they will probably be there for a while. There definitely seem to be a large distinction between the birds this time of year and the ones that are around in the season. The ones that winter here seem to be a smaller population.

That said....

My first and last wood ducks were shot in a drainage ditch next to a spud field.

Like many, I don't shoot them anymore. When I was a kid I shot quite a few and now 20 years later there still aren't any wood ducks in that area during the season.

[Mallardmasher]

We started with 8 wood duck boxes in our valley, 8 years ago. We are up to 54, with 47 being used this year, a a few used twice. We have started added 8 a year to surrounding swampy ponds in the county, we live in. All west of I5. Started with 7 mallard tubes last year are going to have 14 next year. It will take a couple years for the tubes to be used heavily.

[Shoofly09]

We started with 8 wood duck boxes in our valley, 8 years ago. We are up to 54, with 47 being used this year, a a few used twice. We have started added 8 a year to surrounding swampy ponds in the county, we live in. All west of I5. Started with 7 mallard tubes last year are going to have 14 next year. It will take a couple years for the tubes to be used heavily.

Do you put the boxes above flooded timber?    How high up?

I have a spot with a few wood ducks, would like to encourage more.    When they come in with that high pitch shrieking its unlike any other waterfowl.    Super cool.

[Platensek-po]

We started with 8 wood duck boxes in our valley, 8 years ago. We are up to 54, with 47 being used this year, a a few used twice. We have started added 8 a year to surrounding swampy ponds in the county, we live in. All west of I5. Started with 7 mallard tubes last year are going to have 14 next year. It will take a couple years for the tubes to be used heavily.

Awesome! Thank you! I plan on making a few more in the slow months of darkness for next spring

[C-Money]

We've had them buzz our spread, but we haven't ever connected on one. They are very pretty birds.

[burritosupreme2]

Where do you hunt general?

[pickardjw]

Wood ducks are about all we used to get hunting the Mobile-Tensaw Delta in south AL.

My cousin and his buddies quit duck hunting though. They don't even get many wood ducks anymore down there much less a mallard. Claims they just don't make it that far south anymore in the migration.