Woodcock 2019-2020

[Beagle Stace]

Nice pic Gil and you def. Found the WC this season. Been a very informative post for all. Tks

 

[GLS]

I did a two hour "armed" walk in the woods this morning before the rain started. I was where I had 11 flushes of doodles last weekend while hunting quail. No flushes from doodles or rises from quail. Spring is springing although officially 5 weeks away. The yellow flowers of Carolina Jasmine were everywhere and the tiny bell shaped blossoms of huckleberries are ringing in the spring.
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[trad bow]

I woke up to rain and it has lasted all day. I hope to get a dry day or part of a day this week. Spring is definitely headed our way quickly. Just hope it’s not to quick and frost bites everything.

 

[GLS]

I learned of this video from another forum. For the life of me I can't believe a serious woodcock hunter would take a camera crew into one of his hunting spots and have it publicized on TV. Anyhow, it's 600 miles from here. The hunter will pay the price for disclosing it next year when he sees dog boxes and trucks in his spot. However, the habitat the hunt takes place is instructional as to the type of habitat we often find birds. There is more to woodcock habitat than rivercane and privet. For the MuttPak, Gil
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[trad bow]

Interesting in as our season ended and I swapped my focus to quail, I actually started finding woodcock in that type of cover.
As with you I can’t believe he revealed where he was hunting. He made a good video aside from that to me, a grievous error in naming his hunting spot.

 

[coachdoug87]

You are right that it doesn't have to be privet or cane, just overhead cover and soft ground. There are a lot of areas where privet or cane are the only cover.

 

[BBond]

That's a Video produced by the state of Mississippi. In affect they are educating hunters, as well as advertising that WMA to hunters. We've done some of that to a degree in GA as well for other species.

 

[GLS]

Bobby, the road to heck is paved with good intentions. "Hotspotting' has unintended consequences and can ruin a spot for all. It rewards the lazy and undermines those who have put in the time and effort. Your efforts in doing the woodcock research are appreciated. I know of one former WMA superintendent that you'd have to torture to get game info from and I still think he wouldn't fully disclose. Gil

 

[BBond]

Oh I don't disagree.

What's problematic for myself is that as a Biologist my job is to inform the public of areas to hunt.
On the other hand I'm a hunter and I too have been bitten several times with information getting out on my hot spots.

Man what a tight rope to walk.

I've lost too many ducks holes, turkey spots, etc. for sure. Especially when an outdoor magazine runs an article on a hot spot of mine. I've seen areas you could go hunt almost anytime without worrying if your 1st, 2nd or 3rd spot is taken to the point I never hunt some WMAs anymore because of how popular they've become for some species.

Honestly, I have a couple of sweet turkey spots that I won't give up. I may educate someone about a particular WMA I hunt, just without giving them all the education.

 

[trad bow]

So much cyber scouting goes on nowadays that most of our discussions are on methods and habitat other than where we hunt. I’m so paranoid that I don’t take pictures and post them on sites anymore of the places I’m hunting. Last person I took bird hunting with me posted results and locations where we hunted. Those spots were hammered. I usually hunt by myself now especially since most of my hunting is now on public land.

 

[coveyrise]

I took a guy woodcock hunting one time to a honey hole with the agreement that he not come back. He
not only came back but shot the place clean. Same for my grouper holes. Live and learn.
The birds deserve better than to disclose the location of them on the internet.

 

[GLS]

grouper holes. Live and learn.
The birds deserve better than to disclose the location of them on the internet.

That goes from snipe to turkey and all types in between. I cringe when I see WMA's mentioned by name on the turkey forum even though I'd never hunt them. Somebody does and has put the bootleather into getting to know it and with the stroke of the keyboard the cat is let out of the bag to the detriment of all. Gil

 

[tom turkey 2x2]

Question! I get a post from Woodcock la. On facebook. Today someone posted 3 pictures of game and fish in Alabama netting Woodcock in al. They were in a cotton field, comment was they were surprised at how many Woodcock were in the cotton field. My question is would there be that many earthworms in a cottonfield? One place I hunt is surrounded by huge cotton fields. I had thought because of all the chemicals put on cotton that earthworms be scarce. Makes me wonder if I am wrong on this. What is others thoughts on this? Evidently Woodcock do go to cottonfields?

 

[trad bow]

Don’t know, no cotton fields around here. But if they do then uncut corn fields may hold some also.

 

[GLS]

i have zero farming experience, but about 5 minutes on the net I read that continuous cotton growing will harm earthworm populations, but crop rotation with corn or soybeans will provide nutrients for the worms. Only certain insecticides harm the worms with mostly Sevin or its generic equivalents being harmful. Gil

 

[coachdoug87]

Everybody notice the Woodcock season is set for December 5 through January 18 next year? It will be interesting to see whether they will be here at the beginning of the season. It will depend on the weather in the Northeast.

 

[trad bow]

It would be better in my part of state to come in later but I believe the coast gets their birds early and they stay late.

 

[coachdoug87]

The last few years it seems like the early part was better here, but that is not always the case. I would love to try the coastal area sometime.

 

[GLS]

There is no point leaving birds to find birds. The grass is not always greener and we are always looking for new territory as old coverts don't always produce from year to year. We don't find them behind every tree. We start looking for birds as soon as temps turn cold and we can legally have dogs on the ground in quail season before and after WC season in overlap habitat. Here's why we like cold temps and early mornings for hunting doodle. The subject matter beginning at 5 minutes, 40 seconds is all the encouragement we need to keep an eye on temps. According to the videographer, the morning started at 32 degrees in S. Ga., but they were in shirtsleeves in the balmy afternoon.
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[GLS]

I stretched out bird dog season as long as I could. Ended today looking for more habitat and found some good looking spots where we've never been until today. No quail found, but dogs pointed a doodle. Time now to wash their vests, get Willa's repaired, and stow their equipment where I can find it next year. It was a great year following my MuttPak and Floyd's Sadie and Pop. Gil