Do Wood ducks decoy?

[strait-meat]

I have never had a wood duck respond or come into my decoys. Whenever I get them it is usually pass shooting and never cupped up with feet down. Besides being on the "X" where they want to land anyways, have you guys ever have them respond to calling? I don't have a wood duck call or wood duck decoys so maybe that is it but most of the other puddle ducks will react to a hen mallard call and mallard decoys.

What is your experience?

[jentz]

If you have the right call they will decoy.They dont quack.Ever heard them?

[water rat]

Woodies are dumb when it comes to a spinner!

[onthefly]

Nah, they don't decoy!

Actually never tried the whole combo of call and dekes. But, was on a pond this wknd that was 50% lined w/hardwood trees and about 50-100 wood ducks. Observed that they seemed to line the whole circumference of it, staying out of the wind. Didn't even land where live wood ducks were already on the water. Makes me think success with species-specific decoys and a call would be marginal. Scratched a few, but that was just being where I knew they wanted to be.

I'm no wood duck expert though.

[bemidjibasser]

I have found they respond well to a jerk string. I have seen several times that they flare from a spinning wing decoy and no longer use them when targeting woodies. A simple whistle call will get their attention and can get them to give you a look most days. The biggest thing, like most ducks, is being where the ducks want to be.

[tracker x-2]

We have decoyed woodies field hunting, although we usually will find a field they have been working, (the magic x spot). I have to say they are incredibly fun to field hunt, they dive bomb right in.

[Gordie]

I have had them decoy in diver spreads and on river spreads so to answer your question Yes they will decoy. You can call for them but I think the calls they make are a location to each other.

[booger]

This is interesting to me. I've never had a woodie decoy. They always buzz right past about 10 yards away. And I have wood duck decoys and a call that I use.

Actually now that I think about it one hen woodie was coming into land and I shot her and another would've decoyed also but I moved and flared it. But this, to me is the exception, not the rule.

[fishuhalik]

You guys are making me miss MN! Very few woodies out here in my part of NoDak. I haven't seen one this year. My favorite hunt is sitting waist deep in a beaver pond & getting buzzed by woodies at last light. IMHO the prettiest duck there is. I'll take a big drake woodie over a big pin or redhead any day!!

[Musky Buck]

On water somewhat they buzz in and swim off. I have been eating wood ducks like crazy this year and here's my trick. 2 goose decoys in chopped corn and it's good night Irene. Been doing this for 30 years now, it just pinpoints where you want them to land, had them at 15 feet last night with 10 minutes to spare. They looked the entire field over and as soon as they saw the goose decoys they came in and landing gear was down immediately. Also can pull in a loner or pair or small batch of geese.

[fishadb]

During early goose I always have them landing, then when duck hunting opens not so much.

[otterman91105]

For wood ducks spinners are the ticket.

[Dorkfish]

I have had all my wood ducks land next to a jerk string. Don't use a wood duck call because woodies only call when taking off from somewhere they aren't comfortable

[fishhound2013]

I have hunted down in texas a couple times and had woodies decoy just like puddle ducks. It was pretty crazy to see them coming in in groups of 8 or 9 at a time.