Old School Woodies

[shoreman]

I took this nice drake this AM with my old Savage model 775A. It was produced between 1950-1965 and works on the long-recoil system; the barrel recoils and moves with the bolt.



I should have dropped a second drake, but my reflexes were a little off. The warm and humid conditions made it horrible, and I was drenched with sweat under my waders. I didn't have to lug around a bag of dekes, as I was where the woodies wanted to be, and I needed only to position myself near an opening in the trees by the only area on the pond free of water lillies.

Simple and enjoyable hunting.

[ncboman]

Wood ducks are my favorite waterfowl, to hunt and to eat.

and I thought I was the only one with that Savage made on the John Browning patent. ;D

[ARO]

congrats on the woodies!! the area i hunt is loaded with water because of all the rain we have been getting. there are literally 50 wood ducks around me every time i hunt there, whistling, splashing, landing, it gets frustrating sometimes trying to listen for deer.

how long do they hang around for here in maryland? because in the winter i hardly see any.

[shoreman]

Wood ducks are my favorite waterfowl, to hunt and to eat.

and I thought I was the only one with that Savage made on the John Browning patent. ;D

Ah, the beauty of the Browning auto...

My Savage has acid-etched hunting scenes on the receiver:



It's a really nice, old gun - serial #238314. I reach for it a lot these days, even in preference to my O/U.

[shoreman]

how long do they hang around for here in maryland? because in the winter i hardly see any.

Woodies will stick around even if it's very cold. I've broken ice and killed them. They'll fly down to the open areas of the south shore or Virginia if it gets really cold and everything freezes over. I've killed woodies in January!