wondering about woodies

[brksey]

I have been duck and goose hunting for a few years in the lower mainland and fraservalley, and have never even seen a wood duck. Does anybody know if we have them here, and if we do when and how is the best way to go after them. thanks

[Upearly]

There are wood ducks around here but not too many. They are quite shy birds and whenever I see them it is usually one or two birds on a quiet corner pool in some slow moving stream in the woods. Other than jump shooting them there, I think it is lucky if you get a shot at one elsewhere.

[Chuck]

I don't know if it's just BS or not but around here they used to be more common - not anymore, so I asked one Biologist just that question and he told me that the Woodies are being out-competed by Mergansers especially due to what he said was a shift in climate. This causes an overlap in the breeding season and nest sites are all occupied. More vacant nest sites are needed when the rush is on for them. Sounded logical to me!

[Bow Walker]

Go to Stanley Park and shoot them with a camera. They're one beautiful bird.

[Dirty]

Why would you want to go after Wood Ducks? There is barely any meat on them. Even if I did know where there were wood ducks I wouldn't tell you.

[Iron-Head]

Why would you want to go after Wood Ducks? There is barely any meat on them. Even if I did know where there were wood ducks I wouldn't tell you. Then there is really no reason for you to reply to this thread.
Its all legal and they are a damn tasty bird, allot of people will only shoot one or 2 in order to get a mount done.

Symon.

[Dano]

Ditto, Symon.

There are some all around the lower mainland but a lot are in smaller pond, stream areas. The bigger marshes and forshore aren't their favourite haunts (a lot of the ones I see are in sloughs and ditches and they come out from under thick cover like blackberries).
Ian bagged a nice one last year on opening day (at the Pitt Marsh). We saw a few the first few weeks of the season and maybe one more the rest of the year.
Dan

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/woody.JPG

[Mattimoose]

Woodies are the best tasting duck. I never saw them in ontario much when I was a kid, but a lot of people helped-out by building nesting boxes, and they have made a fantastic comeback! I just wish the blackducks came back, as they are being bread-out, and since DDT left, man are there ever a lot of geese! Who ordered them?

[Mattimoose]

Then there is really no reason for you to reply to this thread.
Its all legal and they are a damn tasty bird, allot of people will only shoot one or 2 in order to get a mount done.

Symon.

Hallelujah, that comment did not belong on a hunting thread. They are not endangered, and the hens taste even better, and they look very plain. Meat% is pointless to mention as Wood**** and Buffleheads are even smaller and more delectable still! I can taste them right now! Ggggaaahhh.

[slyfox]

Maybe he wants one to mount and there is not much meet on teals and there good to eat if you dont want to tell him dont right on his thread.I shot one years ago in richmond the only one i ever got but do now there are some in mapleride and do see them in squamish when im deer and bear hunting.

[spock]

I've hunted Ducks in the Fraser Valley for the last twenty years and missed an opening morning only once. In that time I've shot about 3 or 4 wood ducks including a drake in full colors last year, all were shot on opening morning. I think the main problem with wood ducks is that we are at the northern end of their range and they migrate south very quickly. In the spring and summer I see lots around where I work they even come right into the silo to eat spilled corn but seem to disapear along with the cinamon teal quite early in the fall. If you want to get a would duck I would suggest focusing your efforts around opening weekend along a watercourse that has plenty of trees.

[ruger#1]

Lots of wood ducks here, but it is a no shooting zone, my neighbor has a couple in his pond, I watch them whistle by once in a while. If you want to see lots of them, There is a pond by the Mission Drag strip. I mostly see them in backwoods ponds.

[Ian F.]

Tons of woodies in the LM/FV, I estimated between 200-400 last year during a dyke walk at Pitt before opener.

Hunting them is fun, and eating them is the best! They are hands down my favorite duck to eat... In Ontario they were our #2 duck we shot.

They have some teal qualities in that they do decoy to other species, and either just appear in your dekes, or buzz you. Don't ever wait for a second pass with woodrows, as it rarely comes!

The secret is finding where they want to be as you will not pull them over like mallards and others. A few woodie decoys help, but not necessary. If you have a chance to jump shoot while paddling a canoe there are few things more enjoyable in waterfowling!

Get out and scout, last year they where here till about the end of October, but then all gone.

Very best,

Ian

[Crazy_Farmer]

We always get a couple pairs about a month and a half before the season starts who stick around but then leave a a couple weeks before opening morning. Plan on shooting one to mount it if I ever get the chance. But we always get about a dozen of them come back in the spring time and nest on a pond on our property. Another farmer close by has about a dozen hen boxes and they do quite good there every year but already this year we've seen a few mothers with chicks swimming around in our pond. Beautiful birds for sure.