Ollin Magnetic Digiscoping System

Virginia Woodies

brownbear932008

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Well this weekend was a first for me I purchased my duck stamps and decided to take a 5 mile kayak float to look for woodies on a local stream I always wanted to try. This hunt has always been in the back of my mind but it seems deer season gets in the way every year.

I began my float at daybreak and thought I'd have a good day when 6 woodies buzzed me while putting my kayak in the water. I began my float and jumped around 15 woodies and realized they were flushing wild out of gun range. So new plan spot and stalk went into effect at that point.

I came around bend in the river to see a flock of a dozen or so around the corner. I then pulled onto the bank and began a stalk from the high bank. I stalked within 10 yards of the birds and jumped up. Swung on the first drake dropped him and then two more after that one hit the water. Think I may mount the best drake of the bunch he was a beauty. The other two where juvenile drakes. So that fast limited out with my three birds. Saw about 40 total before my takeout location. Highly impressed with the numbers for my area.IMG_20161009_115435_714.jpg
 
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That is a fun, all day hunt!
I put bungee cord across the front of my kayak and cut small limbs and attached using the cords. I also try to not paddle going around bends.
Nice woodies by the way. Some very good eating and beautiful birds to mount!
 
That looks like fun. I have a woody mounted on my TV, that I shot right north of my house years ago. They are cool little ducks and don't eat too badly, either.
 
That is a fun, all day hunt!
I put bungee cord across the front of my kayak and cut small limbs and attached using the cords. I also try to not paddle going around bends.
Nice woodies by the way. Some very good eating and beautiful birds to mount!

Yes sir I found out quickly I will need to do a camo job on my kayak before my next trip. I did however find they would let you get fairly close just floating down river tucked low and no paddling. Guess they haven't seen any pressure yet.
 
Very cool. GET IT MOUNTED. I had one like that years ago. It was perfect. I cleaned it instead and i havent got one that looks that good since. Needless to say ive been kicking myself.
 
They are pretty birds! A few years ago I shot one up here which is strange because they aren't supposed to be this far north.
 
Very cool. GET IT MOUNTED. I had one like that years ago. It was perfect. I cleaned it instead and i havent got one that looks that good since. Needless to say ive been kicking myself.

I have decided I am going to do that thinking on some type of standing pose instead of flying. I couldn't even tell where I hit this bird think I gave him a heart attack so no damage at all for the taxi.
 
Awesome hunt! The best float hunts I have had are when the temps drop and swamps freeze up. You will often see big ducks when thats the case. Enjoy the tasty meat and hopefully a pretty mount!

I really like dead mounts with woodies, but standing and preening are also one of my favorites. If you have never checked it out, look at www.birdmanstudios.com for ideas. My mom does taxidermy and will often suggest folks check out that site for ideas.
 
I use to kill them quit often, but never mounted any, so when my daughter killed a pretty wood duck a few years ago, and after her constantly mentioning that she wanted to mount something for her room, she decided to mount it. She took it to a highly qualified waterfowl taxidermist here in NC, paid the extra for that quality, and she now has a beautiful standing wood duck mount.
 
Awesome hunt! The best float hunts I have had are when the temps drop and swamps freeze up. You will often see big ducks when that's the case.

My favorite time too when the Chesapeake region flat water freezes over and drives the big ducks further South.

I grew up floating crooked slower moving streams mostly for woodies, and never tire of it nor have I grown out of it. Kinda hard to do any good when you're alone and trying to control a pirogue, get the gun mounted and get a shot or two off as these sneaky swamp weasels take off through the trees.
 
Yes sir I found out quickly I will need to do a camo job on my kayak before my next trip. I did however find they would let you get fairly close just floating down river tucked low and no paddling. Guess they haven't seen any pressure yet.

Very often if they flush out of range and head upstream it pays to spin your boat around and watch upriver for one or more of them to come smoking back through the trees to check you out. Have killed a lot of woodies using that technique but late in the season where I float for them they get pressured all season and should be drawing combat pay.
 
Very often if they flush out of range and head upstream it pays to spin your boat around and watch upriver for one or more of them to come smoking back through the trees to check you out. Have killed a lot of woodies using that technique but late in the season where I float for them they get pressured all season and should be drawing combat pay.

I had read this over the weekend in an article and I actually did have one flock do this. I guess they really like their resting/feeding spots and come right back to them. I had an absolute blast and hope to get back out during the next season in November. I was surprised I didn't see any mallards only one small flock. Guess they come in later. I could only hunt woodies and be perfectly happy though.
 
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