I love Wood Ducks....

Geoff Vine

Geoff Vine

Active member
Wisconsin has a huge population of Wood Ducks. They have been a great success story over the years and provide for a big portion of our opening day enjoyment. Some years openers are slower than others, but if you stick it out all day, chances are you will be rewarded with a few Wood Ducks just before shooting time. What a beautiful species...and a godsend when you are hoping for your son to get a little action that will help him get hooked.

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Geoff,
Beautiful job. I enjoyed what you said about seeing woodies "before" shooting time. So true! Love the workmanship and the marvelous painting of those blocks.
Any time you respect the game that you are after as much as that, Geoff, it always makes a better hunt!
Al
 
Al, Do you remember when you might as well shoot an eagle as a wood duck, the Minnesota closed the deer season and there were no turkeys in Minnesota. Oh yeah and if someone shot a goose there would be a picture on the front page of the Independent! That would be pre LacLaParle.
 
Al, Do you remember when you might as well shoot an eagle as a wood duck, the Minnesota closed the deer season and there were no turkeys in Minnesota. Oh yeah and if someone shot a goose there would be a picture on the front page of the Independent! That would be pre LacLaParle.
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Tom,
Only too well. As a kid running through the bottomlands of the Minnesota River I remember one day sneaking up on a pair of wood ducks. They were the only ones I ever saw in the 50s. The deer hadn't moved that far south and west yet but were getting closer. As for geese, I had my picture in the Ortonville Independent two weeks in a row in either the fall of 59 or 60. Lem took the pictures. The first weekend I shot snow geese and the second weekend got into some Hutchinsons. Those were the only geese I ever shot while I lived and hunted in my home town area.
Al
 
Beautiful decoy Geoff, a favorite of those you've posted for sure. We have quite a few about in our neck of the woods at the beginning of the season as well. I have some good decoys, but ironically I've noticed my best wood duck decoy is a goose decoy. Inspirational work, thanks for sharing it.
 
Super work as usual Geoff.
I started carving a drake woodie several years ago and quit when it was time to paint. After seeing yours and being at the seminar I may have to give it a try.
Thanks for the inspiration, John
 
Wow Geoff!! I love your decoys. I enjoyed your seminar. When I started carving I tried painting with oils and was not at all happy with the rusults, so I switched to acrylics. I've always wanted to get back to oils. You make it look so easy. With what I picked up at your seminar, I am going to tackle a decoy in oils. I too have a pair of wood ducks that have been sitting on the shelf for well over a year. Started painting the one and totally hated it, so I reprimed it and haven't touched it sence. I guess it is time to bite the bullet and give it another try.
 
Geoff - Can't wait to see what that decoy looks like after 4-5 seasons, and notations on the bottom, of how your son, and you did on those hunts............
 
Thanks for the great comments guys. If I have inspired any of you to paint, carve, or think about great memories hunting Wood Ducks, I would say my "decoy" is already doing it's job.

Just trying to be an advocate for what someone so aptly coined as "This Movement" back to traditional style decoys...
 
Hi Geoff - Your skill and style of carving and painting is some of the finest I have seen. It must be a lot of fun to be able to make that happen.
Thanks for posting !
sarge
 
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