Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

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JHumes
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Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by JHumes » Mon Feb 07, 2011 7:51 pm

I'm planning on doing some wood/teal hunting this coming season.I've hunted mallards and geese previously, and new to this form of hunting.Any info would be appriciated(examples: calling techniques,scouting,loads/chokes,dog or no dog,ect.) Thanks,James
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xtrema2
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by xtrema2 » Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:00 pm

Scout,Scout,Scout. Find a hole where they're landing every morning, Throw out some decoys and wait. You can whistle at the wood ducks a little and teal can actually be called about like other ducks. As far as chokes, I shoot an ic

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JHumes
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by JHumes » Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:08 pm

xtrema2 wrote:Scout,Scout,Scout. Find a hole where they're landing every morning, Throw out some decoys and wait. You can whistle at the wood ducks a little and teal can actually be called about like other ducks. As far as chokes, I shoot an ic

Do you think a dog would be needed(I have a GSP) or could a canoe be a better choice.He doesn't have much waterfowl expierience.And thanks for the advice given, my main desire is to taste wood duck ,I 've heard their the best-tasting duck species.
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xtrema2
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by xtrema2 » Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:18 pm

Wood ducks are the best tasting for sure. I'd take a canoe

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marslebl
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by marslebl » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:04 am

I agree. It's about location, location, location. In my experience, I haven't ever had to do much calling, and they tend to come in a big wave close to day break. Again, these are just my experiences. They are fast, and they tend to hit the water fast (as opposed to cupping up like mallards). Really fun to hunt! You can hear them calling through the woods as they approach and whistling by your head in the dark.

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nikegundog
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by nikegundog » Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:26 pm

I agree also, you have to find the holes they like, one thing to look for is trees laying in the water that's what they love. They're out flying at sunup and sundown so that is the best time to hunt them. During the midday we mostly do either jump shooting (sneaking along the bank to locate them) or have someone go down the river with a canoe and drive them to us. Never much luck calling them. They sit awfully tight all day long if they're being chased. Tastes great but I think its about the worst duck to skin (pin feathers stick). If can find the honey holes along a river you don't even need dekes, for woodies, although 4 or 6 of them will bring them in. If you have a good dog bring him, I can get by with chest waders most of the time. Most of my shots are fairly close but they're both fast moving ducks so open the choke up somewhat at least modified, 2 or 4 shot.

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northern cajun
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by northern cajun » Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:36 pm

Bring your dog man!
Woodies make a couple of calls, the one everyone tries is the flying call it doesnt work well, you need the on the water call. Check out the duck commander tapes.
If you hear woodies on the water there are "dead" very easy to call in.
When I moved to NY I looked for steep sides oak/hickory hills that fed down to creeks where beavers made dams and every acorn on the hill side became a floating matt in front of dam.

Decoys are ok you only need a couple.
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longarm
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by longarm » Wed Feb 09, 2011 3:41 pm

Your question has been very well answered above, so I'm just chiming in to agree with previous posters.

IMO they ARE the best tasting duck by far.
Know where they want to be and be there considerably before dawn. As dawn approaches you'll hear the drake scream.. kind of an eery sound.. then lots of whistles as they are moving. They don't circle around a spot like mallards do and, as mentioned, they don't cup and glide in to land. It happens very fast: you'll hear wind in their wings and then they just pitch in next to you. I always bring my dog just about everywhere I go :D .
I have found that they are much easier to kill than many other ducks (particularly mallards) so when I think of it I use smaller shot for a denser pattern.
Small decoy sets are useful. I bring from 2 to 6, usually the fewer the better. If they are leery of the spot (ie you have been shooting there for a day or 2) they might land a ways away, watch your dekes, and then swim over. In this scenario a very few whistles can get them coming in.
At least here you avoid the pin feather problem by mid/late season.

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K9luke
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by K9luke » Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:37 pm

Calling for woodies is a fruitless effort most of the time. The less calling the better !! Location is everything. I have much better luck on small streams where there are plenty of Oak trees upstream. A deadfall and large tree roots are magnets for them especially where there is a backwater. Two decoy's are enough and keep them close to the bank. They like to drift down stream on the current so watch the water as well as the sky over it. Take the dog !
Be safe and Good luck!

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shooter2005
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by shooter2005 » Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:14 pm

i see it says you are from SE, PA. i have heard of guys getting woodducks on the swatara creek in some of the more secluded areas. i used to see/ hear them all the time when i was hunting near the creek in hershey. there is a lot of private land along there and some islands too. i have found them sitting on the slower water moving side of the islands freaquently. i have taken a few teals back there also.
what goes up, must come down

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birddog1968
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by birddog1968 » Sun Mar 06, 2011 1:30 pm

Hey JH, funny to find you here.

Book the Ferrar blind early Milton would also be good :wink:

Have you figured out who this is yet? One hint Pointers :lol:
The second kick from a mule is of very little educational value - from Wing and Shot.

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JHumes
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by JHumes » Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:37 pm

birddog1968 wrote:Hey JH, funny to find you here.

Book the Ferrar blind early Milton would also be good :wink:

Have you figured out who this is yet? One hint Pointers :lol:

Thanks for the tip, and is this Bridget, haven't seen many members the times I was down there.
James -cell: 484-636-9938
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birddog1968
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by birddog1968 » Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:40 pm

No , not Bridget...... Its Sean with the preserve (see the office in my avatar picture?), maybe i didnt have the pleasure of meeting you yet, I have trouble keeping all the members straight, just recognized your name.

Its fairly easy to get on woodducks down here, just need to hunt the Oct split.
The second kick from a mule is of very little educational value - from Wing and Shot.

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JHumes
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Re: Wood Duck Hunting Info Needed

Post by JHumes » Sun Mar 06, 2011 4:49 pm

Always nice to meet some members with pointing dogs, most use labs, maybe we could do dogwork on the grounds sometime and some hunting this coming fall/winter.And never would have thought about the backround.James
James -cell: 484-636-9938
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