Can wood ducks be decoyed?

Yes, you can actually decoy wood ducks . These quirky birds are notorious for snubbing decoys and calling, but that’s often the result of where, rather than how, you’re hunting.

How many decoys do you need for wood ducks?

If you’re where they want to feed, loaf or travel, they’ll probably plop down into a spread of two decoys just as readily as they’d commit to a 100-block rig. For water hunts, I throw out six to 12 wood duck decoys to attract the attention of birds and perhaps slow them down for a split second.

What is the best shot size for wood ducks?

If you are hunting smaller birds primarily, such as teals, gadwalls, wood ducks, wigeons, or scaups (to name a few), you are going to have better odds with a higher shot size, most commonly 3 or 4. If you are hoping to take larger ducks like mallards & canvasbacks, then you need to be using 1 or 2 shot.

What is the best wood duck call?

Duck Commander Wood Duck Call This highly durable, single reed call will definitely do the trick. Many hunters I know carry one of these at all times when hunting wood ducks. This a highly rated duck call among hunters. Its single reed design can mimic flying or sitting ducks, and can reach a good distance.

Should I use decoys for wood ducks?

Wood ducks will decoy, but they’re not wont to do so well outside the vicinities of their intended destinations. Set up where the woodies want to be, and use your decoys to fine-tune their approach. A small spread of about a dozen decoys is typically all that’s required.

What time of day do wood ducks fly?

Major morning flight activity in September and October took place before sunrise, and major evening flight activity in October occurred after sunset. Martin (1957) found similar habits in Wood Ducks in Indiana.

Where do you put wood duck decoys?

I like to place a dozen woodie decoys upwind of the blind, with a spinning-wing decoy or small jerk rig in between. Motion is critical, both for visibility’s sake and because decoys amidst slack water scream fraudulence to wood ducks. As a final touch, I position wood duck decoys closer to cover than I do mallards.

Can you use 2 shot for wood ducks?

Where do wood ducks go at night?

Sleeping, Roosting. Sleeps primarily on water, secondarily on logs, banks, muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) houses. Females with young broods sleep out of water, preferably on logs. Wood Ducks congregate in the evening at roosting areas; peak numbers occur in fall (Bellrose 1976a.

What is best choke for wood ducks?

Wood Duck Guns and Loads In reality, most shots at wood ducks are at close range if you’re set up right. A 12- or 20-gauge loaded with steel 4 shot and an improved cylinder or light-modified choke is all the gun you need.

How do you decoy a wood duck?

Wood ducks are a unique bird requiring specialized tactics. Here’s how to decoy them. Scouting is critical to successfully decoy wood ducks, as they’re stubbornly unlikely to waiver from habitual feed and loafing areas.

How many decoys do you need to hunt wood ducks?

Wetherald uses only about five wood duck decoys, plus some mallards. “There’s no real wood duck spread,” he says with a chuckle. “Finding them is the important thing, then just put a few decoys out.” Vancleave has a slightly more systematic approach involving two-dozen decoys.

Can You Decoy Wood ducks like greenheads?

However, it’s a grave mistake to hunt them like greenheads. Wood ducks are a unique bird requiring specialized tactics. Here’s how to decoy them. Scouting is critical to successfully decoy wood ducks, as they’re stubbornly unlikely to waiver from habitual feed and loafing areas. It’s not just an advantage to find the “X” — it’s rather essential.

Why do wood ducks like waterfowling?

It’s more relaxing and gives the ducks a chance to settle back in. Same goes for hunting the roost, which is fairly common with wood ducks but also pushes the birds out.” Make no mistake: Relocating wary, pressured wood ducks in a veritable sea of available habitat is one of waterfowling’s great challenges.