Woodcock Thread

Finally got a chance to get out there and hunt them with Jenny. She did great - her Daddy, not so much.

Yesterday's hunt: 8 points, 11 birds (one point got up three!), 5 shots, 2 birds to bag. They were the two biggest birds I have ever taken - guess I can only hit the slow, fat ones.



Jenny's "There's a bird in there but if you want him you'll have to get him yourself" point.

This morning's quick hour and a half hunt: 4 points, 4 birds, 2 shots, 1 bird to bag.



Jenny's "Whoa! There's one right here I almost ran by!" point:

Great pictures, beautiful dog, cool birds. I have got to hunt them someday. 'Doubt I can hit any, but want to at least see 'em.

Great pictures. Great looking dog.

Were these birds found in Corsicana? Or close to that area? I have a place down there that's wooded, but majority is under water.

No Catch Dog, these were at my place in Houston county. Corsicana area does get some birds in the wooded areas, but not near the numbers as east TX on average. This was by far the best December hunt I have had - I assume the cold front and moist conditions are the reasons.

Thank you for the kind words for Jenny guys - she has been a real blessing to me and I have sure enjoyed her.

Are they good eating?

To me, they taste just like a dove. I breast them out and eat them the same way - they are just larger.

(Technically, woodcock threads should be in the migratory bird section since they are in fact migratory birds, but traditionally they have long been considered upland game by most.)

I am gonna play 20 questions on this one. Do they hold pretty tight when dogs are working?

Mostly, yes. Very tight. Sometimes one will run/move a little ways but that is the exception rather than the rule. They will usually get up only when you approach very close. The thicker the cover the tighter they hold. The first one I killed in the picture held about 1-2 feet off the end of Jenny's nose. I'm pretty sure I could have stomped him to death if I had wanted to.

Their breasts are a darker color compared to other game birds I have eaten. I have read that they are not one of the better tasting game birds on the dinner plate, and I think some people are grossed out because they eat a lot of worms. Nonetheless, I prepare mine wrapped in bacon and find them delicious!

NP: Are you finding them in any particular cover this year (any trends different from other years?), or the is it the same scenario "they are were you find them" (or however the quote goes...)

Mostly in the thick stuff (primarily yaupon) on those two hunts. It could be different when I go back this weekend.

A couple more just for fun.

"Can't we go hunting already, Daddy?"



Tuckered out on the ride home.

Awesome pics NP, sharp looking 4 legged friend you got there and the food looks excellent!

Onion, bacon, soak in Italian dressing overnight, grill and OH MY! Please save us a few for their return trip north in the spring. Great birds for a young dog to learn on, strong scent and they hold well.

Chas here is a video of one that stayed behind in Michigan celebrating the new year:

I've watched them do this in the spring. Funny AND fantastic at the same time.

Got his groove on.

Where does the good looking shorthair come from. Beautiful bird dog!!

I got lucky. That's it. I kept jumping woodcock at my farm and thought "How cool it would be to hunt them." I have never hunted birds or had a bird dog in my life. A nice guy posted a litter of GSP puppies for sale in the classifieds on here and a little female caught my eye. So I bought her.

I had no idea how to train a bird dog. Bought a couple of books and gave her some rudimentary training as a pup. Took her out at a year old and she just had the instinct. At first she flushed and chased any bird she saw. When it happened to be a woodcock I would praise her. After a couple of trips she knew what we were after, would hold a point and I finally scratched one down - it fell in sight and she retrieved it and brought it to hand. I don't think I have ever been so excited.

By the end of the season that first year she was working cover beautifully, locking down on points, steady at the shot, finding birds, and retrieving them to hand. She is 5 now and a joy to watch. I still don't know the first thing about bird dogs - but I do know the Good Lord has blessed me with this one.

I ran Setters in grouse and woodcock trials for a couple of decades and even towards the end I had young dogs that would "train" me more than I trained them. When you get dogs like that all you can do is look up and SMILE.

Sounds like a good one. They have several NSTRA trials in your area each year. You should run her in one of them and extend your season.

A great day today. 4 points, 4 shots, 3 birds.

That's 75 percent shooting. Greatness.

Thanks Bill.

It was one of those rare days when all 4 points were in fairly open stuff. That almost never happens. The third shot centered a pine sapling or I may have had a 3/3/3 day. Which I would like to have one of before I'm gone but don't expect to.....

Woodcock legs are the choicest prize for the table, imo. The legs are whiter than the breast, but not nearly dry-arsed white.

While grilling the breast I have the legs in a little aluminum foil pan with butter in it cooking beside the breast. The "chefs" reward for cooking. In other words the legs are MINE ALL MINE!

its been said the good ones train them selves, found that to be true, just show them the basics

Weird day today. Took almost an hour to strike the first point. Started out in misting rain but when sun came out and a slight breeze kicked up Jenny hit her stride. Got our limit in short order after that.

Dang, Nog. You and Jenny getting to be stone cold snipe killers

Lots of birds this year poisonivie. It sure helps when you get several chances.

Another good day. Beautiful weather, lots of chances - took 9 shots to get these 3 birds, Bill. So we're back to normal on the shooting.

I finally made it out this year and hunted woodcock yesterday in E. Texas pineywoods. Found 3 birds, got 1 shot and bagged 0 birds. 2 birds were in the smallest thicket I have ever found them - almost walked right by it. Overall, great day to be in the woods! Wish I could go out again but schedule not looking the best for the rest of the month- but you never know....

Great pics I hunt A series of terraces in the middle of a open grassland in years when the terraces hold the water and the cat tails grow that is some fantastic snipe and Woodcock hunting. They are super fun to hunt and hard to hit.

My wife went with us today and made some photos I will treasure.

Shaking one out - I rarely kill one when I use this tactic.



Taking a break.



Locked in.

Love that second pic of Jenny in your lap.

Good hunt Saturday. Jenny did well and got 3 birds pretty quickly. 5 shots. Was beginning to feel like we had this deal down pretty well.

Then came yesterday. I started out missing and it didn't get any better from there. Jenny was having her troubles also. Wind was high and I want to make excuses for her because of that - justified or not IDK. She was having real trouble pinpointing the birds - she would point and "creep", point and "creep". Constantly resetting. Saying "I know there is one around here somewhere but I'm not sure where." Lots of times the birds would flush 10-20 feet away as I would walk up.

I finally figured out I was walking in too soon and let her keep on searching until she got better established. Several times she never did, and the bird would get up a little ways away from us.....

The only two "solid" points she had was in thick thick stuff.

Just killed one bird.

Jenny is a pretty dog. Reminds me of Amos, which is quite sweet

Thank you. Yes they do favor. Amos is a handsome boy.

Jenny is sweet to me to the point of being plumb ridiculous sometimes - she wants attention and loves on me all the time. Now strangers, not so much. In fact, having anyone else but family around really seems to bother/distract her quite a bit.

We are in the midst of a sophomore slump. We have all of 4 woodcock in the freezer. Have stumbled onto a snipe hotspot and have several of those.

Get after em, AB

Hang in there buddy. They are very unpredictable birds. I hope to find me a snipe spot someday.....