wood ducks

[Dustin07]

is it just me, or does it seem like wood duck populations in washington (especially western washington) have picked up in the last couple years? I went from not being able to find them a decade + ago in western wa, to seeing them everywhere now.

[h2ofowlr]

The wet springs have helped.  I have placed about 35 wood duck boxes around the areas I hunt.  I know I am seeing quite a few.  We have probably placed over 100 wood duck boxes in the past several years.  Hopefully it is helping.

[carpsniperg2]

i agree. more and more wood ducks showing up. way to put out the extra effort h2ofowlr, thats great of you guys to do

[rasbo]

I start seeing them while trapping,quite a ways in the woods,,what beautiful ducks they are..The settings I see them in are around beaver ponds..

[Crispy]

The wet springs have helped.  I have placed about 35 wood duck boxes around the areas I hunt.  I know I am seeing quite a few.  We have probably placed over 100 wood duck boxes in the past several years.  Hopefully it is helping.

Do you know about any restrictions on where you can place the boxes? I was thinking about building a few but I don't know where to put them. Ideas?

[jordano]

that is awesome work guys! I am surprised there are not limits on the number of wood ducks you can shoot in one day.... like 4 in the total bag?? I thought it was interesting how Bluebills, Pintail, and Redheads have limits but Woodies don't.....

[DOUBLELUNG]

Woodies doing wonderfully is ENTIRELY due to the folks who hang and maintain boxes.

[Dustin07]

The wet springs have helped.  I have placed about 35 wood duck boxes around the areas I hunt.  I know I am seeing quite a few.  We have probably placed over 100 wood duck boxes in the past several years.  Hopefully it is helping.

I think it is. Your area is one of the areas I am hearing more and more wood duck reports from. We're going to put some out on our land and I'm going to talk to some of the local farmers about letting me put some out on theirs. The coyotes are getting worse out here, and braver around people.

[h2ofowlr]

There is no restrictions that I know of in regards to placing boxes.  I would look for swampy areas that hold water all year.  Also small ponds, etc.  One of the boxes I checked had 11 chicks in it this spring.  Most have flown off to other areas.  I have been seeing a fair amount of woodies around.

[Stilly bay]

not to derail the thread but... is common to get wood ducks out in skagit bay or nearby areas? when I was a kid I would see tons of them out on camano and whidby islands but never heard of anyone getting one in nearby public hunting areas.

[boneaddict]

Woodies doing wonderfully is ENTIRELY due to the folks who hang and maintain boxes.

A-men!

[jordano]

Woodies doing wonderfully is ENTIRELY due to the folks who hang and maintain boxes.

A-men!

   

to those who put in all the awesome time! thank you!

[Whitenuckles]

 Its nice to see them around!!! It gets my blood pumping. We hung 22 boxes on the Snoqualmie  River early this spring. But only 9 of them got woodies. hopefully next year they'll all be full!

[Dustin07]

Its nice to see them around!!! It gets my blood pumping. We hung 22 boxes on the Snoqualmie  River early this spring. But only 9 of them got woodies. hopefully next year they'll all be full!

I wouldn't say "only" 9. That's 9 nests that got used that otherwise didn't exist, nice contribution 

[Crispy]

I'm definitely going to be building and placing some. What kind of maintenance is needed? Do you need to go in and clean them out after the birds have left? Might be a dumb question.

I'm sure I could google it, but this way anyone else that's interested might get some information they can use and get some boxes up as well.