woodcock

charlie10

was talking to a lad today that was talking to a couple of hardcore hunters who have met a serious amount of woodcock the last 2 days anyone else come across them while running there dogs

It wasn't me!

Flushed some yesterday morning on a patch of ground which certainly didn't have any on friday. Good to see.

corco2000

Would the hard frost and full moon have anything to do with I wonder? I was out today and didnt come across any.What is their typical habitat, I have only seen them on edge of forest and usually early in the morning. Is that right? They are fast, good sport.

charlie10

there is suppose to be a good article on shooters digest this month about them,but i think they fly by the full moon

owelfisherman

charlie10 wrote: »

there is suppose to be a good article on shooters digest this month about them,but i think they fly by the full moon

Havent seen1 yet

ALAN.N

We are the same down our way,we flushed several in places where we never met them before, most of them didnt fly very far before landing again.Were they only resting up after their long journey ?

Stonehall9

Had 6 up this evening in about 40 mins but to be fair we always have them here in good numbers, mostly find them around holly bushes and around hazel trees, should be good sport the weekend.

Birdnuts

Noticed a few coming into to the scrub and ditches on my place in the West over the past week or so. Cold weather kicking in on the continent is pushing them West towards these islands. Hope to have a few hung, prepared and in the freezer by Christmas:)

PS: The biggest numbers I've seen tend to be in association with clearings among mixed forestry. The damper the better too

deeksofdoom

I'm looking forward to the weekend, last week it was reported that large numbers were reported on the european coastlines preparing to fly west. The full moon is a sure sign that they will be arriving in good numbers, although I did manage to flush 4 the weekend before last and shot 1.

ace86

This past week with all the moons they are migrating here and its normally the time of year the majority come here for the winter so happy shooting to all concerned. They had good weather crossing this year compared to a few years ago when alot of them got killed with rain and gales.

Dalken

charlie10 wrote: »

there is suppose to be a good article on shooters digest this month about them,but i think they fly by the full moon

A good article in the Shooters Digest is about as common as a left and right at Woodcock.

patdahat

I met my first woodcock on the first of Nov and every day I have been out the number's seem to be getting bigger met 8 on Sunday. From talking to other's in neighbouring club's they have also been meeting good number's (10/15 bird's last sunday) which hasn't been seen for many year's so early in the season and with this moon and calm night's this should be a good help for more to come. I think from previous years that this will be a bumper year for them. We are meeting them in all sort's of terrain dry ditche's, verge of forestry's, met 2 in rushy field's, in hard wood's best of all has to be a glen thick with sally's and hazel's.

greengrasscork

Yeah ive been out a good bit in last few days and have met a lot of woodcock, there will be a large influx of them by the weekend but i won't be out after them this weekend because they usually are so tired from flighting in that when the dog rises them they only fly 30-40metres and land again so just give them chance to regen and build their energy up

deerhunter1

ALAN.N wrote: »

We are the same down our way,we flushed several in places where we never met them before, most of them didnt fly very far before landing again.Were they only resting up after their long journey ?

Ya they were probably knackered after travelling, had same problem last year, met them where i never saw them before, put them up and only flew a few yards and landed, should be rested for the weekend:D

deerhunter1

greengrasscork wrote: »

Yeah ive been out a good bit in last few days and have met a lot of woodcock, there will be a large influx of them by the weekend but i won't be out after them this weekend because they usually are so tired from flighting in that when the dog rises them they only fly 30-40metres and land again so just give them chance to regen and build their energy up

+1

ALAN.N

I totally agree with you, its only fair to let them rest and build their strength up again

RICKYD

hunted a glen on the side of a hill this morn,met 6 altogether.good deep glen with plenty of hazel&sallys.they seemed a bit tired ok so il leave em be till sunday.giv meself afew days to sharpen up...

Johnny max

+1
Leave them till weekend

Dalken

Good to hear that so many fellas are as sensible to recognise that woodcock are a blessing to us Irish hunters and should be treated with respect and given a chance to settle in before hunting commences in earnest..

I hope I'm not alone in this but I really despise the fact that Coillte lands are being rented for the purpose of commercial woodcock shoots.

ah sure !

shot one last week , she did not seem tired as she took off like a rocket. Woodcock have to be one of the best game to hunt.

EastTyrone

What is the best cover to find them in? like wh8ins bushes, brambles etc? or is there any cover too heavy?

greengrasscork

Ditches or cover with sally trees as they feed near the sally trees for the minerals in the ground

nowwerehurlin

Dalken wrote: »

Good to hear that so many fellas are as sensible to recognise that woodcock are a blessing to us Irish hunters and should be treated with respect and given a chance to settle in before hunting commences in earnest..

I hope I'm not alone in this but I really despise the fact that Coillte lands are being rented for the purpose of commercial woodcock shoots.

i wasnt aware this was happenning ? where does this go on ??

greengrasscork

In many parts of the country it happens in kenmare co. Kerry many French shooters come in November December for the woodcock shooting heard of a guy that represented France in clay shooting in olympics before that shot 21/22 woodcock one afternoon in kenmare. Guys like him aren't too worried about leaving few birds for the locals

Dalken

I know of a shoot in Sligo where it goes on, also I was asked a few years ago if I'd beat spaniels up in Roscommon for a crowd that were at it. Ive nothing against commercial Pheasant or Mallard shoots where a few wild birds get into the bag, but shoots put on specifically aimed at wild birds imo is completely wrong.

nowwerehurlin

Thats sickening to hear.. This kibd of shooting should be prohibited against wild game

ace86

nowwerehurlin wrote: »

i wasnt aware this was happenning ? where does this go on ??

Happens around my own place too we have foresrty rented for shooting for the club and there is guys who bring french and english around 4-5 guys waiting for a woodcock to fly out and fire away and the same for snipe and maybe any other specie they get a liking to too. Our club completely opposes this and its very hard for working guys to watch our grounds during the week when were all working but farmers landowners are sick of them because these guys calling everyday to ground w here they don't know the owner and jump inside every ditch given the chance.they do no vermin control at all and when the woodcock and snipe comes in and there's €€€€ they don't care only work away.

deeksofdoom

NARGC are totally against shooting migratory species such as woodcock for money.

Sika98k

Dalken wrote: »

A good article in the Shooters Digest is about as common as a left and right at Woodcock.

Funny post and how so true.

johnny3

just getting into woodcock shooting this year what i mean is i never went out just after woodcock id b mainly a pheasant man but thats going to change had a bit of crig this after noon shot 3 had an chance at a left and right twice in about 5 min a mate told me that probly wont happen again for a very long time ha

FieldandStream

Woodcock shooting should be about quality & not quantity. My brother & I hunted a small piece of ground todaywith our springer, out of 6 birds flushed we managed to get two. I would safely say we got as much enjoyment from those two woodcock as anyone who shoots huge numbers in one outing.

Hunter21

Where are ye lads meeting woodcock so far?
on my permissions myself and a buddie have not met any yet we hunt groves of trees in valleys and also higher ground with gorse and lots of hedgerows.

garv123

Was out lamping last night and lost count after 32 woodcock got up to the lamp over the few hours we were out, never met so many before.. met 8 during the day too, fast feckers didn't seem too tired.

They were all out in boggy fields with rushes.

deerhunter1

garv123 wrote: »

Was out lamping last night and lost count after 32 woodcock got up to the lamp over the few hours we were out, never met so many before.. met 8 during the day too, fast feckers didn't seem too tired.

They were all out in boggy fields with rushes.

Ya that is where I met some this morning, out in the rushes, still seemed a bit tired

charlie10

flushed two from a rushy field about ten yards from a ditch today springer nearly stood on them he was going so fast! also met a few in light ditchs saying that i hunted a serious block of sallys and not one to be seen which i thought was very odd unless it had been shot already yesterday

deerhunter1

charlie10 wrote: »

flushed two from a rushy field about ten yards from a ditch today springer nearly stood on them he was going so fast! also met a few in light ditchs saying that i hunted a serious block of sallys and not one to be seen which i thought was very odd unless it had been shot already yesterday

I think what the problem is the ditches are too wet from all the rain, they do not like rain drops dripping off the leaves and branches on top of them,

charlie10

that makes sense i suppose. ya i heard the dryer the drain the better ,which are few and far between.

FieldandStream

Hunter21 wrote: »

Where are ye lads meeting woodcock so far?
on my permissions myself and a buddie have not met any yet we hunt groves of trees in valleys and also higher ground with gorse and lots of hedgerows.

Flushed ours from wooded area surrounding bogland.