Decoys for Woodies???

Cayne90

Button Buck
I have about 2 dozen mallard decoys but no wood duck decoys. Should I bother going and getting 1/2 dozen wood duck decoys to set out around the swamp? Would just using Mallards be fine? How about mixing them up? My buddy who is from near the area says they dont really use decoys when hunting woodies. Just looking for some insight on this thing they call duck hunting.
 
For a swamp, I like a few decoys with movement. I think the ripples from moving decoys do more "attracting" than the species of decoy. Woodies don't traditionally decoy like other puddle ducks, but I do think the movement helps get them into shotgun range if they are circling around looking for a spot to land.

Lots of times, Woodies like to land in seclusion and then swim to where they want to be. They do tend to have a certain flight path they like to take when flying around or up and down a swamp. That strategy works pretty good if the place doesn't get over hunted. They can be "pass shot" in pinch points along a swamp run, year after year if they don't get over hunted.
 
Usually the only time I use decoys for woodies is the first part of season. I take them in the swamp the first hunt and leave them in there all season tied to a tree. If I want to use them they’re already there and I don’t have to tote them in and out the swamp.
 
I don’t carry anything I don’t need to. If a buddy wants to drag a bag of deeks through the swamp.. I’m not going to argue with them, I’m not sure it’s ever changed the outcome of a hunt.
 
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As some others have opined, woodie decoys are not needed. Any decoy will suffice if you’re where they want to be. That is key…where they want to be. And honestly, if you’re on that sot, decoys in general are probably not needed albeit won’t hurt. Woodies just don’t act and decoy like other ducks.
 
Get where they want to be and use the decoys to give them a target in range to focus on. A call doesn’t hurt, but try to make the sounds they make on the water, not what they make when they’re flying or alarmed (which is what most people make - including myself at times 😂)
 
We use wood duck and mallard decoys, six of each and a spinner, in a small hole About 50 yards diameter. They seem to be able to see the spinner from a great distance and will often vary their flight path to pass over it. About half the time they will dip in lower or make a circle back. Several times a year we will have them land on top of us. This year we're adding a paddler mallard hen decoy and are very excited to try it. The decoys add a lot of fun to our hunts and certainly a few bird to our bag. We leave the regular decoys in a tote in our blind and cart the expensive mojo dekes in and out. It's worth it to us.
 
Cayne90 said:
I have about 2 dozen mallard decoys but no wood duck decoys. Should I bother going and getting 1/2 dozen wood duck decoys to set out around the swamp? Would just using Mallards be fine? How about mixing them up? My buddy who is from near the area says they dont really use decoys when hunting woodies. Just looking for some insight on this thing they call duck hunting.
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Be where they want to be. Last November I watched hundreds fly by the hole we've always hunted. Swamp changed and birds wanted to be in the shallow moving water.
 
I usually target strictly woodies in the early October season on a local river. My sure fire set up is 3 decoys in the current zig zagging back and forth with a woodie mojo, then 3 more set off to the side about 15 yards upriver. Been a pretty effective strategy for me.
 
Cayne90 said:
I have about 2 dozen mallard decoys but no wood duck decoys. Should I bother going and getting 1/2 dozen wood duck decoys to set out around the swamp? Would just using Mallards be fine? How about mixing them up? My buddy who is from near the area says they dont really use decoys when hunting woodies. Just looking for some insight on this thing they call duck hunting.
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If you see wood ducks then use wood duck decoys. I match the area I hunt. Wood ducks can be called and decoyed but it's completely situational and maybe a little lucky. Either way it wont hurt you
 
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