Wood ducks in coastal NC
 

This past weekend in NC Oct 25-26 was pre-season opener for ducks, I've never had an opportunity to hunt ducks and I don't know hardly anything about them but I've always had a drake wood duck on my bucket list.

I think they might be the best looking North American duck species and I've always admired the vibrant patterns and colors they have.

So my two hunting buddies and I headed out to some public land in the area around camp lejuene and after not many birds decoying in our original spot we decided to scout some land none of us had been to.
I was point man as we hiked through the pine tree savannah to reach some ponds and just as I made it over a hill to shooting distance of the pond I jumped 8 wood ducks and managed to pick a drake out from the group.
My friends are both avid duck hunters who have never shot one and always wanted to so they were very excited but also a little jealous that it was my first haha.

hope everyone else is having a good season and managing to find some birds.

Here’s the picture.

Good for you-Wood Ducks are incredibly beautiful and fine trophy. We are lucky to have 'Woodies' on our ranch and take a few each year. They are becoming more common in California, which is weird for me, since they were protected when I was in college 50 years ago.

A bucket list check-off! And it included a nice Parker. Congratulations.

congrats on your first Wood Duck. My first (and only) was taken over 25 years ago in California back when we were living in Sac. I hadnt duck hunted prior to this, and got the duck hunting bug bad afterwards. By the way, to me the Wood duck is the most tasty with Green- heads second. Thanks Matt k

I highly recommend Tea Smoked Wood Duck breasts : ) Made these last year, a keeper recipe for sure.