Prince of the woods

[Willie T]

I haven’t been posting many of my hunts this year but the little timber rockets are my favorites of all the birds I hunt. As much as Cricket likes to hunt for my son Tyler’s gun, as usual, he is not impressed by picture taking after the fact.
(Tap photo for full image)

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[RowdyGSP]

Those birds have always seemed like they'd be a ton of fun to me. Cool pictures and yes I know how the picture-hating dog thing goes. How long do the doodles stay in your area?

[Willie T]

Those birds have always seemed like they'd be a ton of fun to me. Cool pictures and yes I know how the picture-hating dog thing goes. How long do the doodles stay in your area?

Merry Christmas Rowdy,
We have them all winter. But can only hunt them mid December through January. Most of the upland birds I hunt make for relatively simple wing shooting once pointed. Woodcock put pressure on my wing shooting skills. They have a lot of juke and where I hunt them, it happens in tight quarters. I love hunting most any wild game birds I have tried but for me, they are special. By profession I am a forester which puts this little bird right in my wheel house.
Willie

[AverageGuy]

I too can relate to photo shy dogs.

Your favorite bird is the one I and my dogs have the least amount of experience with. I am sure I would enjoy it assuming I could ever hit one. I am not in the right part of the country to have much of a window to hunt them.

Merry Christmas!

[Drahthaar1108]

Willie, another great woodcock hunt, I hunted several days while I was at home, only found 4 woodcock, talked with another guy who has been all over N.C. and found little to none , I think they came threw early and migrated on. Forrest

[Willie T]

Thank you Forrest. Cricket has had to work at it to find them. We got out over Christmas and explored some new coverts. Things here may pick up, we are getting sleet and snow to the north today.
Willie

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[Drahthaar1108]

Willie, he's a good dog, hope that it picks up for all of you. Forrest

[jarbo03]

Looks like a blast, would like to give them a go one of these days.

[JONOV]

Those birds have always seemed like they'd be a ton of fun to me. Cool pictures and yes I know how the picture-hating dog thing goes. How long do the doodles stay in your area?

Can't speak for Willie but in the Carolina's I'm of the tailgate biologist opinion that there are some that are here year round. I think they're like ducks. Some are calendar migrators, some migrate as far as they have to with the weather.

[Willie T]

Looks like a blast, would like to give them a go one of these days.

They are a fun bird jarbo03. There are some game birds that from to time just flat out beat the dog. That’s not how the Woodcock beats you. The dog will peg them and they will hold. A staunch dog that will flush on command is a plus but even when you find the most advantageous crease in the cover, plenty of birds will still beat the shooter. They are a ball! Louisiana is where the bulk of them winter. I am on the western fringe of their wintering habitat.

Those birds have always seemed like they'd be a ton of fun to me. Cool pictures and yes I know how the picture-hating dog thing goes. How long do the doodles stay in your area?

Can't speak for Willie but in the Carolina's I'm of the tailgate biologist opinion that there are some that are here year round. I think they're like ducks. Some are calendar migrators, some migrate as far as they have to with the weather.

Jonov, we do have a few birds that nest here but they all seem to leave by late spring. I have found their nests on numerous occasions but have never seen a bird after spring or before the end of September.

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[Drahthaar1108]

Willie, that picture of the chick is awesome , good eye.

Jonov , I am from eastern N.C. lake Mattamuskeet what part of N.C. do you live in. Forrest

[JONOV]

Willie, that picture of the chick is awesome , good eye.

Jonov , I am from eastern N.C. lake Mattamuskeet what part of N.C. do you live in. Forrest

I’m in Raleigh. Hyde is a good spot for ducks! Shame mattamuskeet isn’t what it was.

[Drahthaar1108]

JONOV, no its not what it used to be ,miss the Canada geese, duck hunting is still good and snow geese.
The days of 25 coveys of quail are long gone, that's what I miss the most.
And plenty of bear and RED WOLVES. Forrest

[Sooty42]

I shot a prince of the marsh (Wilson snipe) last month. This weekend I’m gonna try a grouse spot that I’ve found snipe in before. It will probably be as close as I ever get to woodcock hunting. It’s weird in the woods my dog will point snipe, but in the marsh where the usually are he hasn’t figured it out yet.

[reader4]

Curious to know how you prep the snipe. I found a soggy farm field this year that had many snipe in the grasses near cattail ponds. Took one out of curiosity. So little meat in there... decided it wasn't worth the effort of taking more.

Incidentally, my young pup didn't pick up on the snipe either. I attributed it to lack of exposure / experience, but I also wondered how much the scent of the rotting marsh masks the birds? They get dug in pretty deep there...