re: Do any other ducks follow sloughs and creeks like wood ducks do?

I've never hunted ducks, but I'll say that I'll bet most ducks do this. It's an evolutionary thing. When airborne, a duck's only real predator (besides a guy with a shotgun) is falcons and hawks. If one is around, ducks will immediately dump into the water, or, if they're already there, hold tight and refuse to budge. Falcons can't get them out of the water, and hawks such as goshawks can't either, unless they're close to a bank. Ducks do the opposite if a large eagle is around. They out-fly those.