Wood ducks are a brightly colored and popular game duck found throughout much of the United States. They get their name from their tendency to perch and nest in trees and woodland habitats near water sources like rivers, streams, ponds, and swamps. Many duck hunters enjoy hunting wood ducks for their beautiful plumage and wariness. But an important question arises – do wood ducks actually respond to hunters’ calls and decoys? Let’s explore what the experts and research say.
Quick Answer
Yes, wood ducks can and do respond to certain duck calls and decoys when properly set up. However, they are generally quite wary birds that are challenging to draw in compared to other ducks. Using realistic hen wood duck decoys and certain feed call styles can help draw wood ducks within range. But hunters should not expect the same level of response as ducks like mallards. Proper concealment and patience are key.
Do Wood Ducks Respond to Duck Calls?
Wood ducks do respond to certain types of duck calls, but typically not as strongly or readily as some other duck species. Their wariness makes them more difficult to draw in with calling alone. However, certain call types can attract wood ducks when used properly.
Wood ducks have a wide vocabulary of vocalizations, including various quacks, squeals, and whistles. The male’s distinctive vocalization is often written as “hoo-w-et, hoo-w-et, hoo-w-et”. This squeaky call is used in courtship and communicating with other wood ducks.
Here are some of the most effective calling strategies for wood ducks:
- Feed calls – These imitate the sound of ducks feeding contentedly. Feed calls with murmurs, clucks, and bill smacks can get a wood duck’s attention.
- Hen quacks – Loud, repetitive hen quacks can attract males looking for females during the breeding season.
- Drake calls – A drake “hoo-w-et” call can sometimes provoke a territorial response from other males.
- Whistles – Wood ducks make various whistles, which can attract their interest at times.
- Soft quacks and Comeback calls – Subtle, realistic calls delivered sparingly may work better than constant loud calling.
In general, hunters should use calling judiciously and strategically when hunting wood ducks. Pay attention to the ducks’ vocalizations and mimic natural sounds. Avoid overly aggressive calling. Sometimes less is more with these wary birds.
How to Use Decoys for Wood Ducks
Proper decoy setups can definitely help draw more wood ducks within shotgun range. Here are some tips for using decoys effectively on wood ducks:
- Use hen decoys – Hens will be more convincing than drakes to attract wood ducks looking to pair up.
- Try decoys of other species – Since wood ducks often mix with other ducks, a mixed spread can help. Teal, ring-necked ducks, hooded mergansers work well.
- Add confidence decoys – Decoys like geese and swan add realism and make the spread seem safer.
- Use motion – Add flipping wings or spinning decoy bodies to mimic landing ducks.
- Avoid overdoing it – 10-12 decoys is often most effective, rather than dozens.
- Set decoys in cover – Place some decoys in dense brush, logs, etc. to mimic wood duck habitat.
Making the decoys look natural and content is the goal. Ensuring the wood ducks can land in the cover just like the decoys is also extremely important. A mix ofdecoys and careful placement to mimic wood duck behavior is key.
Where to Hunt Wood Ducks
Wood ducks reside in wooded wetlands throughout most of the eastern and central U.S. Here are the best habitat types to focus on:
- Flooded timber – Trees and shrubs around flooded fields or swamplands hold lots of wood ducks.
- Rivers and streams – Look for areas with downed trees, branches, and dense brush along the banks.
- Forest ponds – Small water bodies within wooded areas are attractive, especially if there are trees overhanging the water.
- Reservoirs – Wood ducks raft up on protected coves with brushy banks or dead trees.
- Beaver ponds – The dense shoreline cover is ideal habitat for wood ducks.
- Wooded wetlands – Bottomland swamps, backwater sloughs, and forested marshes hold wood ducks.
The more cover on the water and banks, the better the wood duck habitat. Hunt sites with lots of flooded timber, logs, brush, and overhanging branches to be where the ducks want to be.
Best Times of Day to Hunt Wood Ducks
Wood ducks can be hunted throughout the day, but some times are generally better than others. Here are the optimal times to target wood ducks:
- Early morning – From dawn through the first few hours of light when ducks are most actively feeding and moving.
- Late afternoon – An evening hunt as wood ducks return to feed before roosting for the night.
- All day during migration – On migration hotspots wood ducks may be on the move all day long.
- Mid-day lulls – Wood ducks often rest in dense cover midday – focus on other ducks at this time.
The most productive way to hunt wood ducks is to catch them during the active feeding periods in the morning and evening. But also be ready for new ducks to arrive or pass through during the middle of the day during peak migration.
Wood Duck Migration Patterns
Wood duck migration follows a fairly predictable pattern each year as the birds move between their breeding grounds and wintering habitat. Here are the key aspects of wood duck migration:
- Early migration – Wood ducks are one of the earliest ducks to migrate south in fall, starting as early as September.
- Northward migration – They begin moving north again by late winter, usually February in the southern U.S.
- Short migration – Many wood ducks only migrate relatively short distances compared to other ducks.
- Freeze line – Extended freezing temps in the north push additional birds south in late fall/early winter.
- Stopovers – Wood ducks pause at productive feeding habitats along migration corridors.
- Young ducks go farther – Juvenile wood ducks tend to migrate farther distances than older birds.
Following the migration patterns and timing helps hunters know when to target wood ducks in different regions. Local wood duck numbers also increase during migration as northern birds arrive from up north. Setting up near prime feeding areas along their migration paths improves success.
Do Wood Ducks Fly High When Migrating?
Wood ducks typically fly low and fast when migrating between their breeding and wintering grounds. Here are some key facts about wood duck migration flights:
- Fly below treetop level – Wood ducks hug terrain and stay low, often just over the treetops.
- Fast direct flight – They fly quickly and directly without gaining excessive altitude.
- Get low after shooting breaks – Hunting pressure keeps them lower.
- Short flights between rest stops – Migration occurs in multiple short daily flights instead of nonstop marathons.
- Flock up at rest stops – Large rafts form as they rest and feed in migration stopover areas.
The wood duck’s low, fast migration flight allows them to efficiently travel while still finding food and shelter. Only after being shot at will wood ducks gain altitude, and even then they stay low compared to species like mallards and pintails. Their flight style reflects their forest-dwelling nature.
Do Wood Ducks Migrate at Night?
Wood ducks perform the majority of their actual migration flights during daylight hours. However, here are some aspects of how nighttime factors into their migration:
- Launch at dawn – They typically depart from nocturnal roost sites early after first light.
- Feed heavily late afternoon – Wood ducks feed aggressively to fuel up for overnight fasting.
- Short flights in dark – Wood ducks can migrate short distances after sunset.
- Roost in wetlands – Excellent nighttime roosting sites are used along migration routes.
- Bad weather triggers night flight – Poor visibility or high winds may prompt after-dark migrations.
While wood ducks strongly prefer migrating when they can see terrain details and perching spots, night flights do occasionally occur. This is especially true when poor weather motivates them to push on after dark. But most long distance migration still happens during daylight hours when possible.
How Far North do Wood Ducks Migrate?
The wood duck breeding range reaches across much of the northern U.S. and Canada. However, individual wood ducks show a high degree of variation in how far north they migrate each spring. A few key patterns exist:
- Across southern Canada – They breed as far as southern British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.
- Expanding northward – Warmer climate has allowed wood duck expansion farther north in recent decades.
- Shorter distance in East – Migration distance is lower in the eastern portion of their range.
- Farther in mid-continent – Central and western ducks migrate farthest north through the plains and western mountains.
- Age and sex differences – Adult males tend to migrate farthest north, while females and young remain farther south.
The combination of short migrations by some individuals and very long trips by others leads to wood ducks occupying suitable habitat from northern Mexico all the way into central Canada each summer. Their range continues to increase northward over time.
How Far South do Wood Ducks Migrate?
The southern extent of the wood duck’s winter range reaches into Mexico and Central America. However, Migration distance varies greatly among populations, with some hardly migrating at all. Here are key patterns:
- Short southern migration – Eastern and Gulf Coast wood ducks move only short distances south.
- Farther from prairies – Central plains wood ducks migrate farther south into Texas, Mexico, and beyond.
- West Coast goes southwest – Pacific Flyway ducks tend to migrate southwest into California and Mexico.
- Mild winters allow residency – Increasing numbers now winter as far north as Oregon and Virginia during warm winters.
- Freezing drives southward push – Early cold snaps quickly push wood ducks from the northern plains and Midwest southward.
The combination of short and long-distance migrants again leads to a broad wintering distribution. Wood ducks can be found throughout their breeding range anywhere that unfrozen water persists through winter. But most birds reside from the southern U.S. into Mexico during the coldest months.
Do Wood Duck Migrate Together in Flocks?
Wood ducks are highly social birds, but they show flexible flocking behavior related to the population density in their habitat. Here is how flocking tendency changes through the seasons:
- Spring dispersal – Pairs and small groups move north to nesting sites.
- Solitary nesting – Individual breeding pairs spread out across available habitat.
- Fall flocking – Large flocks form up at favored feeding wetlands during migration.
- Loose winter flocks – Smaller flocks are more common through much of the winter range.
- Early and late migration – Largest mixed flocks occur at the start and end of migration.
The seasonal cycle of dispersal and concentration means wood duck flock sizes are highly variable. A few pairs may be all that’s present in an area during nesting season. But dozens or even hundreds can concentrate together during peak fall migration.
What Do Wood Ducks Eat During Migration?
Taking advantage of plentiful food sources along their migration routes allows wood ducks to fuel up for long journeys. Here are some of the wood duck’s most important migration foods:
- Acorns and nut crops – Abundant calories from acorns and other forest tree seeds/nuts.
- Wild rice – An excellent source of carbohydrates where it occurs.
- Corn – High-energy grains from harvested agricultural fields.
- Moist-soil plant seeds – Seeds from wetland plants in shallowly flooded areas.
- Insects and larvae – Aquatic and terrestrial insects from diverse habitats.
- Waste grain – Spilled grains from farms provide easy foraging.
Wood ducks are opportunistic and flexible in their feeding habits. This allows them to take advantage of locally abundant food sources wherever they occur along the migration route to build energy stores for long flights.
Conclusion
In summary, wood ducks do respond positively to duck calls and decoys in the hands of a knowledgeable hunter. Their wariness means hunters should use great care in concealment and realistic spreads. The birds’ specialized habitat preferences also dictate focusing efforts on forested wetlands. Timing the hunt to coincide with migration patterns and peak feeding periods improves success. With excellent woodworking habitat and skillful calling, decoying, and concealment, wood ducks can offer exciting late season waterfowling opportunities.