first woodcock

bruce w

Well-Known Member
my pointer gave me a spectacular point from great speed to a classic hold the g force lifted his hind legs ,i walked 100 yards or so to him placed my hand on his back ,and up the first woodcock ,i will have to remember to take the gun next time
 
Very early on the mainland if they are visitors, I would suggest they are home bred birds. Saw first very large flock of fieldfares today.
 
4 today they dont stay long with us very clear sky this evening and a bright waning moon so there will be more about in the morning
 
I shot my first one last year. I didn't even know what it was it got up so fast and someone shouted shoot it so I did. Felt a touch guilty as I licked it up. Beautiful little thing never seen one before. Tasted bloody good though.
 
Very early on the mainland if they are visitors, I would suggest they are home bred birds. Saw first very large flock of fieldfares today.

The GWCT have a good fact sheet on woodcock populations and this page is also worth a read. They prudently steer clear of advising a moratorium on the shooting of woodcock from local populations, but with arrivals from more robust populations likely within a few weeks, I'm happy to wait and see what kind of a "fall" we get in the woods on our shoot and decide with my fellow guns how sparingly to shoot thereafter.

We had our first day last Friday and also saw a good flock of fieldfares, plus one small brown woodcock, which flew unmolested along the gun line before disappearing back into the trees.
 
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woodcock arrived in good numbers last night i put up over 20 counted whilst putting out grit several would have presented a good double ,and more later on a small area near a waterfall ,i often find they fall in near running water , as the moon wanes most will leave us ,so it looks as if they have done well this year ,hope they dont get too hard shot
 
Seen my first one yesterday when out with the dog, almost stood on it before it rose from cover. Not sure who was more startled me or the dog! Beautiful birds.
 
The GWP had two good points on woodcock yesterday not far from Carsphairn, Dumfries and Galloway.

Quite early this year I thought.
 
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Shooting today out Methlick way, put up a few woodcock, but they're resident population, with the migrant birds not expected until this coming full moon. Let them all go unsaluted.
 
It seems to have been a good breeding year for woodcock in Sweden as I've seen more than usual. This last 10 days we have had snow and -c temperatures in the whole of Sweden so they should be showing in good numbers on the other side of the north sea now.
 
Seen plenty over the last week in East Lothian with my gsp. Shooting on Wednesday in the snow we saw 4 or 5 in every wood we went through, although they were only flying forward for a short distance so I suspect that they were recent arrivals & tired. Pleased to say that none were shot, or shot at.
 
my pointer gave me a spectacular point from great speed to a classic hold the g force lifted his hind legs ,i walked 100 yards or so to him placed my hand on his back ,and up the first woodcock ,i will have to remember to take the gun next time

Two good words there to me 'Pointer' and 'Woodcock' nice work team only to be let down by the weaker part of the team... if a dog could TUT
 
Last Saturdays shoot I only saw 1 but today I personally saw 9 flushed, seems to have been a good fall during the last few days in west wales.
 
Saw four myself plus today on the shoot in Leicestershire, and others reported the same number the other end of the gun line, so are these birds come in or resident birds? None two weeks ago on the same land.
 
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