Hunting season 2009

First woodcock this spring

First woodcock observation on April 27 at 13.08. It was a double

I'm quite happy to see more of scolopax minor, especially after a winter that wouldn't end. They're finally here and soon I will be able to watch woodcock courtship and breeding activity. Anouk worked really well and was obedient even though she was in heat.
                                                

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April 3rd.

This morning I went out on one of my banding sites. As I moved in, I disturbed a woodcock that was feeding. As I got closer to the area, I found a worm a foot away from where it took flight. Also, the worm had some blood on it; I presume that if the woodcock had squeezed a little more, it would've caused it to bleed out. This is a first for me.

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Regarding my website, it is dedicated specifically to the American Woodcock and also in parts to the European woodcock . I think I'm the only one on the Internet who devotes as much time to this bird. Here are two representative tables of how many people visited my website from January 17, 2009 and December 31, 2009: 

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Hunting season 2009

Summary of my 2009 hunting season.

These hunting days are only brief summaries.

I went out hunting 42 times this past fall. All this time spent out with my dogs, I only took my shotgun with me 5 times. The rest of the time was spent with digital camera in hand. To watch my dogs work was a feast to my eyes. Rare are those who understand the thrill of pressing on a camera aperture instead of pulling the trigger on a gun. I derive much pleasure just watching them do their job so flawlessly. Furthermore, being out there with them in nature is much more appreciated than taking down a woodcock. Time and age made me realize that being one with Mother Nature is much better than a limit of woodcock in the bag.

I'm out there with woodcocks 8 months out the year, what more do I need!

Four hunting journal, describeing 38 hunting seasons from 1971 to 2009.

It's a a lot of hunting seasons. What I witnessed was accurately reported in my hunting journals.

Also, I added pictures of almost every one of my hunting days.

Twenty-two CDs and twenty-two hunting seasons from 1987 to 2009.  These hunting days bring back good memories. If I have a long car drive ahead of me, I pick a random CD of my hunting days with my dogs and it all floods back in.

This year as opposed to others, I will have more pictures than write-ups. The reason for this is simple; I have more outings hunting with my camera than my shotgun. While walking in the woods in the spring, there's a lot to see.

  Chalk.                                                                  Anouk nailing a woodcock.

Nice place early spring for Scolopax minor.

Anouk and Diva on point "woodcock"

     Mammal skull. .                                                        No ruffed grouse in this area?

                    Beaver building site.                                             This training ground one day will disappear.

Diva and Canada goose.                                                        Equation: pond equals black ducks.

                                                      Too much wind uprooted this tree.                                                      For old times' sake.

A morel.

These photos were take in August.

In this same period, I check my hunting spot. Also I do scouting.

These Canada goose found a good place to feed.                  These ones were "banded".

Caterpillars nests.

These two pictures have their individual charm.

                                          This picture is one of nature.  .                                           This one is of man made pollution.

                                                 This garbage can is for Geo cashing.                                            Inside a lot of small objects. 

Equation: Crab-apple tree and woodcock?

My woodcock spot is on the left at the end of this road..

These photos were taken during hunting season.

                                                              Canada goose flight.                                                                  Wasps nest.

Woodcock runs more?

How to explain this tendency woodcock runs more? On one side the have adepts from the theory of Lamarck (active auto -adaptation) that would say birds learned to survive they are better not to flush and run. There would be adepts of Darwin's theory, on the other hand that is more plausible theory of evolution, natural selection. That would explain by the fact that those that have genes of flusheurs always made themselves more shot that those who have more genes of runners. Therefore the genetic pool of runners becomes more and more important in relation to the one of flusheurses. In other words' runners continue to reproduce and flusher get kill.

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                                                                   ???????                                                                Diva point on sly woodcock.

 "Boss", I found this woodcock for you. .                                         No ruffed grouse near this tree?

                                                                 Old license place.                                                                   Deer print.

            Bug.                                                                              Wasps nest..

                                                               Crows.                                                                          Diva: nailing a woodcock.

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Weather Come Woodcock Go

A Pennsylvania study has provided insight into woodcock fall migration habits. Nine radio-marked birds began migrating between November 30 and December 9 one year, and between November 18 and 29 the following year. Departures coincided with high-pressure centers approaching from the north and west, or low-pressure center retreating to north and east. Eight of nine woodcocks departed 2.5 or more hours after sunset, and at least seven of the nine left before midnight. Two birds ware tracked by air craft 125 miles ssw of the study are during two nights. Air speed of the birds was 22 and 28 m.p.h. The bird flew only at night, and followed a river system extending south into Maryland and Virginia Local birds were among the last to leave; most woodcock from more northely regions had already migrated from the area. Temperatures at or near freezing, accompanied by favorable winds, appeared to stimulate migratory flights.

Woodcock in San Bernardino County, California.

Click here: http://fog.ccsf.cc.ca.us/~jmorlan/American_Woodcock.html

The American Woodcock's Spring Display.

Click here: http://bird-watching.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_american_woodcocks_spring_display

Mysteries of Woodcock Revealed.

Click here: http://www.ontariooutofdoors.com/hunting/Upland/?ID=101&a=read

How to Hunt Woodcock.

Click here: http://www.ehow.com/how_2099565_hunt-woodcock.html

Walk Like An Egyptian.

Click here: http://iwishicouldfly.com/iwishicouldfly/journal/html/072209.html

What do you consider "doing everything you can" when trying to find a crippled bird? Ive been wrestling hard with this idea all day and would like to know what others think. Up untill this morning I had never lost a wounded woodcock and ive got a feeling this one's going to haunt me for a while.

Heres the story: I had been hunting all weekend in NY's southern tier with my Dad, and was having a really nice couple days of gunning in peak foliage. I brought my brit Buddy in hopes of finding woodcock, but instead of 'cock we ran into grouse and were blessed with a couple of very nice points- points that were all the more sweet becasue the last time I had the dog on grouse was about three years ago when his slashing range and bird bumping abilities made us decide to reserve him for his real lifes work - Pheasants and Woodcock. So my dog may just be figuring out the game, something that makes my father and I estatic. We even got to really scare a couple of those pointed birds, though none had the good sense to fall . Still- a great weekend.

Early this morning my dad had to leave camp, but since I didnt have to be back to school untill this evening I decided I would stick around and hunt a certain old logging road up in the hills that is almost always good for at least a partridge or two. While creeping and pausing along the old road in what is now my second nature jumpshooting rhythem, a woodcock takes flight to my right and at the sound of my shot comes down in an angled decent, teetering back and forth along the way. I hurry to what i percieve is the place of impact but find no trace of woodcock, The area the bird landed is a new slashing where the state had done cutting earlier in the year. There is an "open" logging road covered with leaves and a few piles of cut pine logs and boughes. Not seeing the bird or feathers I place my hat where I think the bird landed and do the typical trick of searching around that point further and further. Nothing. I proceed up the logging road thinking the bird might have glided. Nothing.

I search for 40 minutes and then break down and call my dad who is speeding home with my dog in the back of his truck. Knowing the anxiety of lost game he turns around and drives the distance back. We unleash my pup, a proven retriever and have him search the area for close to another 45 minutes- we have him smell the brush piles carefully and he checks what probabaly equalls an acre around where I think the bird fell. He winds nothing. Finally my dad has to leave due to work and I go back and search more, disasembling two of the brush piles completely ( these were not small piles) and looking round and round for what was probably another 40 minutes. Disheartened, I finally gave up the search and with a bad taste in my mouth, give up my hunting for the day.

My Question- What do you consider "doing all you can" to retrieve a crippled bird? I have just recently begun to hunt woodcock selectively- What will wounded woodcock usually do (from your experience)? Sit tight at the point of impact or scurry for cover? Would they use the brush piles? Ive never seen a bird decend like that before- what kind of hit might the angled teeter-tauter indicate? I hate this part of gunning. Up till today i had never lost a grouse or woodcock and it really does put a sick feeling in your stomach. I have been a dedicated jumpshooter of grouse since i began hunting and In that time have killed a couple incidental woodcock while out alone without the dog, all of which were found very easily. After today one thing is for sure- I will not be shooting at any 'cock I accidently bump while hunting for grouse without the pup at hand.

Sorry for the long, bland post- this just really bugs me and I mean to make the most of it by trying to learn from it. Thanks for any help!

Rick

Location: Canadaigua NY

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Shooting Woodcock?

So I have hunted Woodcock with my father since I was young (now 38) but never very heavily. He has always owned an English setter and hunted as much as he could but I would only go once or twice a year and until two years ago had not gone in about 15 years. I only hit one in my younger days and did not put in the time to get good.

Two seasons ago I decided to try it again and got three the first time out! Well I started to go more and did very well the last two years. This season was no different and we hunted as much as we could. I did notice that this year I had a little more of an issue with what I would consider easier shots. One of the last time's out this year I had two shots one flying strait away from me down a two track and the other flying left too right in an open field both clean misses. Then the next three birds were in thick poplar I had to lean around a tree for one and all were tough shots and all three went down first barrel?? So any idea's or advice on what I am doing wrong? This was not just this day but seems to happen all season I would hit birds I thought were tough shots and miss the easy ones.

Thanks

Jeff

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AM turkey and late morning woodcock.

Decided I needed to put an end to cabin fever, since Sept. 1st is the last time I had hunted. Had a bird gobble at my calls a little after daybreak and a hen respond soon after. Only waited 'til about 9:00 to walk around and survey the situation. Jumped 10 wood ducks off a pond, had 3 deer walk within 15 feet of me (before the lead doe busted me) and jumped a feeding woodcock. Was an easy going away shot, but not for the 10 gauge. Called a buddy that wanted to woodcock hunt today (he said for fresh training wings, but I know he really just wanted to get out) and we met up at 10:30.

I've always said I'd never give up bird hunting. Well if I had to hunt without a dog it would be an easy sacrifice. Saw woodcock chalk at the first 3 areas we hunted and nary a bird. At the next location we found an area that apparently is a heavy feeding area, but we couldn't produce a bird. Finally, as I was bending under some brush, a woodcock flushed and gave me enough time to miss with one shot. Figuring the birds loafing area was elsewhere we tried one more spot. Pat walked past a female that got nervous when he stopped and she flushed behind him. I heard the bird go up and saw it go down. He didn't even know he hit her. As we walked a little further, Pat had a rarity as 2 woodcock came up at the same time, but he shot and missed as they flew across the property line.

It was a great day with the earlier sights and sounds, but hunting without a dog stinks on so many counts. We obviously had to cover more ground than usual and my body feels it. At least we got some fresh wings for Stormy.

Uplandchessies

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Southern Woodcock Story, The Noble Bird.

I have been a member here for a short while, love the site and the info ,BUT.

I seem to get the feeling that we, upland bird hunters of the south, are looked down upon by most members of this Site.Do not know why or have any idea what we did to put us in the bad light that seems to shine down on us.

We have the same passion for the sport as ya'll but we seem to fall way short in the pecking order .I have tried to share with the members here the paradise that I live in here, and the love and care we bestow on the WC as they winter here.

Could it be the idea that we are less than those that live well north of my zip code.We use the same dogs and possibly better guns and our hunting ethics are at least as good or better than those that flow South to embrace the "hunt" or better said as harvesting .

Bird hunters in Louisiana have dropped to less than 400 for the state, down from 4000 10 years ago.Yesterday, Sunday made a hunt on public land,100,000 acres of prime Woodcock turf, I was the only hunter there with a dog box and a shotgun.

Deer hunters still trying to stock the freezer. What a joy it would be to meet other bird guys and share the hunt after.I sit in the middle of the central flyway,birds are plentiful, and shells are cheap.Why do I judge a great day afield by the number of points and flushes vs the dead birds in my bag.

I sit here now trying to justify this post.Why should I even care about how "ya'll" veiw us.After all we are a bunch of "crackers" with no education nor love for this sport.

Over the last 25 years I have had a lot of non resident hunters share my favorite spots, some have gotten an invite back , most have not.I do not have to invite politics into my little private world, set your own limit, shoot the gun you are comfortable with and by all means bring your best dog.At 55 years, I have not found a good bird dog I would not take home to supper, while their owners I would leave in the truck.

This will possibly be my last post here,no fun for the newbies, and my opinion or posts not needed...Have a good day.............

Billy

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Designers: Michel and Geneviève Gélinas
My E-mail: michel.glinas2@sympatico.ca
Last Update: January 26, 2010