# woody



## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

Well my son final got his first wood ducks. He couldn't be happier!
He's telling me that he wants to get them both mounted together.
I guess time to save up some money.


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## richard rouleau (Apr 12, 2008)

Congrats on wood ducks


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## JuniorPre 360 (Feb 22, 2012)

Congrats! Post some pics once they're done. I've seen a few fly through on some public refuges just a few weeks ago. They're out there!


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## Mountain Time (Sep 24, 2007)

That's awesome. Beautiful birds


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## LostLouisianian (Oct 11, 2010)

Congrats, pretty birds. I can still remember my first woodduck that was bagged over 40 years ago. I can picture that scene still in my mind, the duck coming from the back, standing in my boat and a shot with my 870 wingmaster magnum as it flew over me from behind me to the front and folding it with one shot. There are just some shots you never forget and I hope your son remembers that day when he got his first woodducks as I remember mine ....very awesome!


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## dadams41 (Jul 9, 2013)

This is awesome!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

That's cooler than the other side of the pillow.

.


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## Raptor1 (Feb 1, 2015)

Never seen one in Utah except up on the base where they are safe. Congrats, if it was me that would be a couple going on the wall!


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

There's a gentleman that lives on the west side of Logan that has bred and raised wood ducks for years. He used to run the Willow Park zoo for Logan City before he retired and was instrumental in procuring the wide variety of waterfowl the park has on display. He sells about half his wood duck broods every year and lets the other half fly wild. I'm guessing the majority of wood ducks in northern Utah can be traced back to him. He is a hunter too and reason he does what he does is to see smiles on the faces of kids like your son. I know he'd be proud. Congrats.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

Kevin D said:


> There's a gentleman that lives on the west side of Logan that has bred and raised wood ducks for years. He used to run the Willow Park zoo for Logan City before he retired and was instrumental in procuring the wide variety of waterfowl the park has on display. He sells about half his wood duck broods every year and lets the other half fly wild. I'm guessing the majority of wood ducks in northern Utah can be traced back to him. He is a hunter too and reason he does what he does is to see smiles on the faces of kids like your son. I know he'd be proud. Congrats.


That is awesome! Hats off the gentlemen like that. It seems like the wood duck population has really increased over the years. I hope once life stabilizes out a little better, I can do things like that. I am hoping to raise some pheasants next year and let a bunch of youth around the area have a good hunt. Hopefully I can make it happen.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Kevin D said:


> There's a gentleman that lives on the west side of Logan that has bred and raised wood ducks for years. He used to run the Willow Park zoo for Logan City before he retired and was instrumental in procuring the wide variety of waterfowl the park has on display. He sells about half his wood duck broods every year and lets the other half fly wild. I'm guessing the majority of wood ducks in northern Utah can be traced back to him. He is a hunter too and reason he does what he does is to see smiles on the faces of kids like your son. I know he'd be proud. Congrats.


That is cool. Was he part of the Wild Over Wood Ducks (WOW) program? They are big in the Utah wood duck nesting program. A number of the WOW guys were UWN members and posted threads here.

USU and the Utah DNR were actively involved in raising wood ducks too.

This is interesting. This morning a friend of mine sent me a picture of a drake woody he shot recently on the Bear River north of Evanston. I've heard of a few woodies being sighted over here but don't recall hearing about one being shot. I'd like to get a Woody sighted on the river here during our Christmas Bird Count in a couple weeks.

.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Here's some old WOW posts:

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/16-waterfowl/104226-wow-program-nesting-boxes.html

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/16-waterfowl/13535-weber-county-wild-over-wood-ducks-opportunity.html

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/16-waterfowl/13111-wood-duck-work-day.html

http://utahwildlife.net/forum/16-waterfowl/37525-cache-valley-wood-duck-hunters.html

Does anyone know if WOW is still active? The last post on their blog was in 2012.
http://www.wildoverwoodducks.org/

.


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm not sure what's going on with the WOW program right now Goob, I haven't heard much about it in the past 2 or 3 years. I met some of my best hunting buddies through the WOW program, there are over 200 boxes up in Cache Valley that are still being used thanks to WOW volunteers. Hopefully the program isn't dead! That's awesome that you are getting them over your way-they seem to pop up in the weirdest places-I once saw one on a desert spring out in the middle of the West Desert, miles and miles from the nearest tree.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Pumpgunner said:


> I'm not sure what's going on with the WOW program right now Goob, I haven't heard much about it in the past 2 or 3 years. I met some of my best hunting buddies through the WOW program, there are over 200 boxes up in Cache Valley that are still being used thanks to WOW volunteers. Hopefully the program isn't dead! That's awesome that you are getting them over your way-they seem to pop up in the weirdest places-I once saw one on a desert spring out in the middle of the West Desert, miles and miles from the nearest tree.


Cool. Thanks for the update. A lot of people worked hard on the Wood Duck population in Northern Utah.

I love Woodies. We had them on the farm. One nest hole, in a hickory tree of all places, was low to the ground and I could reach it when I was a young boy. I stuck my hand in it a time or two during the nesting season. :-?


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## waterfowlwhacker (Aug 13, 2016)

I'd love to build and put up some boxes. I know an area that used to have quite a de but with hunting pressure I stopped seeing them. Where do you guys recommend putting them where they will be used? Also when about is the latest to put them up and expect use?


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## captain68 (Dec 20, 2016)

I was heavily involved in the WOW program in Cache and Box Elder County. I can tell you that the WOW program is virtually nonexistent right now, but with that being said, I know that individuals that helped with the WOW program are still actively involved in helping to maintain a few nesting boxes. I continue to maintain around 40-50 boxes a year depending on how much time I have. It has been very difficult to find the time that I once had with my young family, but my kids are getting old enough they can actually come out and help. 

The Willard Chapter of Delta Waterfowl has stepped up and offered to help pick up the slack where needed, and have been a big asset over the past two years. I also heard through the grape vine that USU was able to receive another grant this year that will really help boost the nesting box efforts in Cache Valley.

Over the past ten years I can tell you that the boxes have helped. I can see results every year in the fall if I am able to go out and maintain my boxes verses the years that I just don't have time. I was able to do alot of work this past spring on the boxes and have seen more wood ducks than I have in years. I saw one flock of 40-50 birds a couple of weeks ago.

One thing that you need to be aware of if you are going to put wood duck boxes up is that it is not a one and done deal. Once the boxes get put up they need to be cleaned out every year. It is a substantial time commitment. If you are not willing to put that kind of time into them I would not recommend doing it.

However, if you are willing to put a dozen boxes up and maintain them the way they should be, it is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a waterfowler. I love cleaning out a box in the spring that had been used successfully the year before knowing that 12 little ducklings jumped out of that box as a result of my hard work. That is 144 ducklings if you had 12 boxes. Even if only 24-36 of those ducklings reach adulthood. That is still 24-36 wood ducks that would have never been born if it weren't for your efforts.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

captain68 said:


> I was heavily involved in the WOW program in Cache and Box Elder County. I can tell you that the WOW program is virtually nonexistent right now, but with that being said, I know that individuals that helped with the WOW program are still actively involved in helping to maintain a few nesting boxes. I continue to maintain around 40-50 boxes a year depending on how much time I have. It has been very difficult to find the time that I once had with my young family, but my kids are getting old enough they can actually come out and help.
> 
> The Willard Chapter of Delta Waterfowl has stepped up and offered to help pick up the slack where needed, and have been a big asset over the past two years. I also heard through the grape vine that USU was able to receive another grant this year that will really help boost the nesting box efforts in Cache Valley.
> 
> ...


What a success story!

Thanks to you and your pals for all the hard work and dedication and welcome to the Forum.

.


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## hunting777 (May 3, 2009)

Captain68, first of all welcome to the forum. Thanks for all your help with the WOW program. I honestly can say, that we are seeing more woodies each year. When we were able to harvest these, I bet there was 30 - 40 in the flock. I couldn't believe it. My son asked when we are going again for the woodies and I told him next year. I really don't want to be greedy with them. I personally feel that, he has met is quoted for the year. Now let someone else have a turn or let them repopulate. Beautiful birds!


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## captain68 (Dec 20, 2016)

Thanks guys. I've actually been on the forum for years (previously captain), but my login got screwed up somehow, and just created a new profile.


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## F.A.L. (Nov 4, 2016)

Excellent!! A pair of woodies and time spent with family, priceless!!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*get old account back*



captain68 said:


> Thanks guys. I've actually been on the forum for years (previously captain), but my login got screwed up somehow, and just created a new profile.


If you want to merge accounts and get your old one back let me know.

.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

captain68 said:


> Thanks guys. I've actually been on the forum for years (previously captain), but my login got screwed up somehow, and just created a new profile.


Joel Draxler was active in WOW for awhile and posted up here quite a bit a few years ago. Haven't seen any posts from him in years.

Goob, I'm sending you a PM re: my account.


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## paddler (Jul 17, 2009)

Testing, testing, 1-2-3

Jon

Post up, I want to see if your avatar is correct.

If you want your username to start with a capital "P" let me know.

Goob


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