Woodcock - saw plenty today

We have been seeing a few now when we are out lampin the bunnies sitting on stubble such a handsome bird we have not seen that many on shoot days so far but the guns are told if they don't want it don't shoot it
 
bagged one today they are in very good condition and well feathered plucking clean with no penns ,Woodcock dont stay long with us ,on passage to the dry sunny south of England !! saw the weather forecast for you folks in Wales and south ,not good
 
I took a brace today - hopefully it will taste better than the last I did, definitely did something wrong!
 
I was looking for a fox I'd just shot in long reeds the other night, and with more or less every step I took one or two flew up! :)
 
raised 3 in one wee rough shooting morning last saturday, just me and the dogs, sadly they went forwards not backwards over the gun (me)! good day though, took an old cockbird and a henbird and the dogs had a tremendous time, only the 2nd shoot for the new pup from Mark at Bunwell and he's really learning the tricks from the old lab, he's even out picking up the birds and training wings, and bringing them back (most of the way - work in progress), but he's only just 9 months so all looking good. This weekend I'm hoping to get him a taste of duck and woodcock,,,they're here,,but can I hit them is the question :)
 
They don't need any hanging, I eat them right away. They're a perfect, delicious one-person meal. I just season them, spread some butter on them, roast on a high temperature for 20m, then leave them to rest for 15 before serving. If you like, you can leave the guts in and spoon them into a pan where you mash them into a sort of paté with cream, red wine and a splash of Calvados. They essentially crap themselves on take-off so it's fine, but not everyone's thing.
 
On Arran, they are as common as our house sparrows.:eek:

Thats true, not just Arran but most of the western Isles, the harder the weather on the mainland the better the numbers on the islands, not been for a look yet but the big numbers usually arrive on the November moon so should be arriving now.
 
They don't need any hanging, I eat them right away. They're a perfect, delicious one-person meal. I just season them, spread some butter on them, roast on a high temperature for 20m, then leave them to rest for 15 before serving. If you like, you can leave the guts in and spoon them into a pan where you mash them into a sort of paté with cream, red wine and a splash of Calvados. They essentially crap themselves on take-off so it's fine, but not everyone's thing.

this is making me hungry!
 
I was out stalking roe on saturday nr the scottish borders, the dog pointed 6 nice birds in mixed woodland, I suppose thats the down side of a dual purpose dog.
Sinbad
 
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