Jump to content

Woodcock-nice to see them back


Recommended Posts


  • Replies 197
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

That’s not my experience. All the birds we shoot and that are shot on estates local to me are processed by game dealers. A lot of them are exported to the continent. Any that are too badly damaged hav

Young lads first timberdick shot on my keepers day last week ...he has had another since ....we started off with decent numbers in December but have dwindled away in my area ....saw a few with the the

Posted Images

Had two days up on the west coast chasing woodcock.  Some good numbers about and between three of us we managed to bag twenty, a record for us.  That was split between walked up in the day and a couple of evenings flighting them.

woody1.JPG

woody2.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites
On 25/11/2019 at 16:43, bell said:

Had two days up on the west coast chasing woodcock.  Some good numbers about and between three of us we managed to bag twenty, a record for us.  That was split between walked up in the day and a couple of evenings flighting them.

:good: fantastic stuff mate.

Do you think it's going to be a good year for them?

 

I got out early doors this morning for a much needed mooch about (gunless) in the forest and the cocker flushed the first I've seen this year. Magical birds!

Link to post
Share on other sites
35 minutes ago, Born Hunter said:

:good: fantastic stuff mate.

Do you think it's going to be a good year for them?

 

I got out early doors this morning for a much needed mooch about (gunless) in the forest and the cocker flushed the first I've seen this year. Magical birds!

Seems to be good numbers about but there was last year at this time and then they disappeared in January when we had another few days at them.  The lads in Ireland are reporting good numbers.  Ive kept all the wings and when i get a chance will check them to see if adult or juvenile, should get an idea if it was descent breeding season for them........like you say magical birds !

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Sausagedog said:

Looks like it was cold for you!

Seen more this weekend thank goodness.

Evening flights are the best for excitement I think.

Yes, my mate knocked down 5 on one flight....good sport...

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
18 hours ago, jwed said:

Lads when woodcock stop off in Ireland and UK in migration do the same birds stop off every year or different birds each time?

I mean do birds repeat visit year on year or is it random?

There was a study done and I think some did revisit the same area but I don't truly remember.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
19 hours ago, jwed said:

Lads when woodcock stop off in Ireland and UK in migration do the same birds stop off every year or different birds each time?

I mean do birds repeat visit year on year or is it random?

Yes mate , a lot of the birds are true to the same patch year on year, the same bush or base of a tree believe it or not.  Some of the ringing lads recapture the same birds year after year on the same field.......have a look at the ‘woodcock network’ on Fb.......interesting....

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

If anybody could catch them on film carrying their young (which they are supposed to do) I would love to see it. They always strike me as kind of weird, supernatural birds ( their drumming is something else) but whether they would have the knowhow to carry their young away from danger I would personally doubt. Has anybody on here witnessed it?

Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, jukel123 said:

If anybody could catch them on film carrying their young (which they are supposed to do) I would love to see it. They always strike me as kind of weird, supernatural birds ( their drumming is something else) but whether they would have the knowhow to carry their young away from danger I would personally doubt. Has anybody on here witnessed it?

An old keeper friend of mine witnessed it and I would never doubt his word on it.

He even showed me where it happened.

 

Once I was waiting for a fox in heavy snow fall. I was stood next to a stream in a wood. As the snow got heavy the woodcock started to arrive and waid in the stream. I was only a few yards away and watched their inter actions with each other, a mix of mild aggression and courtship. A magical moment. 

The fox turned up and the following gun shot shattered the show for me.

  • Like 1
  • Sad 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I wonder if a wildlife film crew has ever tried to engineer a situation where the bird carries its young? I've read that fire will make them carry their chicks to safety. Ethical problems in artificially creating danger would be a problem, but ethics don't usually stop wildlife film crews.?

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...

Had a good day Woodcock shooting in Cheshire on 16th December. Six of us turned up for a days walked up shooting over spaniels and a pointer . Great dog work and plenty of woodcock. We ended the day on 35 woodcock and 15 pheasant. They taste great too .

0AF75EC7-BDEA-438B-BE35-F9A2DEAC3B2C.jpeg

3C07E056-AAAB-4B54-9659-74A88D6CE255.jpeg

Edited by shovel leaner
  • Like 5
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    No registered users viewing this page.


×
×
  • Create New...