Wood Ducks

[AK_Skeeter]

I grew up hunting Wood Ducks on the east coast.
Then 30 years in interior Alaska and no woodies.
We moved to western Montana, and some special spots for this special duck species.

 

[philos]

I believe a mature drake woodie is the most beautiful bird out there.

 

[dtrkyman]

We basically shot all woodies back in the day early season, living out west now I rarely see one! Beautiful birds and they eat good too!

 

[Rich M]

We have a lot of them down here - pretty ducks.

 

[Catchfish]

They are pretty looking but I feel like a Harlequin can beat them in looks

 

[Bubblehide]

We have them here in the far west.

 

[Rogue Bay]

One of my favorite birds right there! We shot our share growing up in interior southwestern Oregon. I kind of took them for granted.

When I lived in northwestern Montana we’d see them during the spring and summer, but I never could find them during season.

Living on the Oregon coast now, we certainly have them around in pretty good numbers, but not a lot of places to hunt them consistently here. I need to put a little more effort into it this season.

Beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!

 

[AK_Skeeter]

More Montana woodies

 

[Darryle]

They eat just as good as they look

 

[buffybr]

I've always thought Woodies were the prettiest ducks, but never had a chance to hunt them until one year when I was antelope hunting in eastern Montana. The guy that I was hunting with said that I might find some along the Yellowstone River near Miles City. So after I shot my antelope, I went to Miles City, bought a duck stamp and a box of steel shot.

I found some where my friend said they might be, and when I shot a drake, I wouldn't let my dog retrieve him and waded barefoot in the slough myself to get him.

I think that my taxidermist did a great mount of him and I enjoy seeing him every day...

 

[Andyram_18]

Awesome Photos! We have a few woody's around where I live but not many. A few guys shoot a few each season early on. Never had the luck of taking one or seeing one in the wild. I did kill a Old Squaw juvenile drake this last fall. Thats pretty rare. Cool Photos.

 

[Darryle]

My buddy thought I had lost my mind when I was scouting and told him that I swore I saw a Mandarin drake. A few days later we took a coworker who's taxidermist ruined his wood duck drake, of course he shot a big drake woodie and this guy. It's not a pen raised bird, it wasn't nail clipped. So it was probably a few generations in the wild of pen raised bird

 

[Andyram_18]

My buddy thought I had lost my mind when I was scouting and told him that I swore I saw a Mandarin drake. A few days later we took a coworker who's taxidermist ruined his wood duck drake, of course he shot a big drake woodie and this guy. It's not a pen raised bird, it wasn't nail clipped. So it was probably a few generations in the wild of pen raised bird

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Killed in MT? I believe it. No fences In the sky
What’s the story on those? Where is there native range? Or do they all derive from pens and just reproduce in small numbers in the wild?

 

[Darryle]

Killed in MT? I believe it. No fences In the sky
What’s the story on those? Where is there native range? Or do they all derive from pens and just reproduce in small numbers in the wild?

North Texas, generally Asia is their home, but they have been imported and pen raised here in the US.

 

[Rich M]

A hooded merganser isnt far off in coloring from a wood duck.

 

[Darryle]

A hooded merganser isnt far off in coloring from a wood duck.

If you are colorblind

 

[Rich M]

If you are colorblind

Let me guess, didn't get laid?

 

[KurtR]

while they are pretty in their own way not close to the colors of the woodie

 

[backcountry_hunter]

we shoot alot of woodrows where I live. Hunt 95% flooded timber for ducks and early in the season they're as predominant as mallards. As good if not better tasting... they're alot of fun if you're on the x.

truth be told they're the only duck I really care to shoot outside of greenheads and the occasionaly black duck each fall.

 

[Rich M]

Aww come-on! Nearly Identical!! And they both nest in trees!