woodcock in pheasant cover

L

Little Brit

New member
Went out today to a place where pheasants are released once the season starts. I have seen a few woodcock their last year when the pheasant season was on so I past up on shooting. Well I went there today to check it out and it was crazy it was like hunting quail, coveys of 4 to 5 birds taking off at a time. I managed 6 birds and missed too many. All in all dog got a good work out and I had a good day out. Anyone ever come across this. Cover was a sandy area with waist high grasses and groups of pines scattered through out the property. Gonna hit the spot again once the recovers she is beat down.
 
they sleep in short grass prairie type cover in close proximity to open woodlands & wet areas they are migrating now so thats why you see so many plus they migrate at night so they were sleeping when u got on them my dad just seen the same thing in northern MN they are on the move B4 the ground freeze & there food goes BY BY worms man they cant taste any good the woodcock i mean!!!
 
It varies by State, but here in Wisconsin, you need to use non-toxic shot if you are hunting woodcock/snipe on any land owned or managed by the State because they are considered migratory birds. You'll have some explaining to do if you've got a woodcock in your gamebag and a pocket full of #6 lead.
 
you need to use non toxic to legally take any migratory game bird thats a federal law in every state & most have to be HIP certified to hunt woodcock legally many people would/could get into to trouble if there walking out of the woods with a woodcock & lead shells it is a goofy rule for woodcock most guys think they only need to use steel/non toxic for waterfowl
 
Sorry guys, but you're wrong on the lead requirement in Wisconsin, unless in a State Waterfowl Protection Area and only then because of the land you're on, not because it's a migratory bird. Not all public lands require lead, such as County, State and National forests, or private MFL lands. Go back to your hunting regs. I've won too many bets with this over the years. Lead's not required for woodcock. You do however have a requirement to plug your gun as you would with ducks and you must be HIP Certified, which is no more than answering questions on the license applications.

As for the original post, as others alluded to, they're migrating right now. This past Sunday I got into a migratory flock, good lesson for the young pup. He got so excited and would not hold point. Jumped in to flush at least 6 before he held tight on one, which I then killed for him.

Go back to the same spot the next day and they'll be gone. You'll go in to find their droppings and scent everywhere, but no birds.

Prime habitat for woodcock are tag alder/aspen edges, not open prairie. They require a dense overstory in young alder/aspen that shades out ground plants in moist soils, giving them easy walking when probing for worms. I also see them during migrations under young pines with sparse grass, such as you described. Alder/aspen/pine overstory provides protection from raptors and owls.

Woodcock populations here are declining due to the loss of early successional habitat. The beaver used to create a lot of tag alder, but DNR's war on beavers has stopped that. Most of my favorite tag/aspen spots are now overmature and no longer hold woodcock. The Ruffed Grouse Society has been clear cutting overmature alder stands, which provides good woodcock habitat in 4-5 years. But they can only treat a limited number of acres each winter.

A few years ago we went from a daily limit of 5 to 3. You shot 6 in Ontario? I wonder that the daily bag limit is there?

Some people, like my wife and daughters, don't like the taste, as they taste like liver. I, however, really enjoy the little buggers. Both shooting and eating.

I make an appetizer called Rumaki. One half of a breast and water chestnut wrapped with bacon. Salt and Pepper the meat. Wrap and secure with a toothpick. Let marinate in soy sauce. Brown sugar over the top. 15 minutes at 350* uncovered, then broil to brown for a few minutes before serving. I've also done them on the grill or over the fire. Even people who claim to not eat or like wild game will gobble them up.
 
I know that here in Texas hunting dove ,which is a migratory game bird, does not require the use of non toxic shot. You do have to be HIP certified but lead is still legal.

But of course all waterfowl can only be taken with non toxic shot.
 
Thank heaven, I thought I was going to turn my 9-10# lead into target loads! Probably only, California, which has no woodcock, it would be illegal to shoot lead shot at anything. Eating is an adventure, in England, they "draw" them for days, then saute', with tail-in,( this means their guts are in side), they are a high item on the dinner table. They have a lot of guts, their birds are bigger than ours!
 
small munsterlander owner said:
you need to use non toxic to legally take any migratory game bird thats a federal law in every state & most have to be HIP certified to hunt woodcock legally many people would/could get into to trouble if there walking out of the woods with a woodcock & lead shells it is a goofy rule for woodcock most guys think they only need to use steel/non toxic for waterfowl
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Lead shot is legal for woodcock.
Non-tox may be required in certain areas but the area drives the requirement, not the woodcock itself.

The woodcock's trail is traditionally spread on toast...I will never know how it tastes.
Woodcock breast, cooked rare, is fine fare tho.
 
The woodcock's trail is traditionally spread on toast...I will never know how it tastes.
Woodcock breast, cooked rare, is fine fare tho.[/QUOTE]

I have a buddy, originally from Switzerland, lives in Massachusetts, who plucks the woodcock and roasts them intact, makes a pate' out of the trail and spreads it on toast. Loves it. I've never had the "guts" to try it, though.
 
oldandnew said:
Thank heaven, I thought I was going to turn my 9-10# lead into target loads! Probably only, California, which has no woodcock, it would be illegal to shoot lead shot at anything. Eating is an adventure, in England, they "draw" them for days, then saute', with tail-in,( this means their guts are in side), they are a high item on the dinner table. They have a lot of guts, their birds are bigger than ours!
Click to expand...

Nope, even we can still use lead on upland game birds, even migratory ones (dove, ban tailed pigeons, etc.) We don't have any wood cock but they are replaced by snipe in our pheasant coverts. I imagine they are very close to woodcock in flavor.:cheers:
 
quail hound said:
Nope, even we can still use lead on upland game birds, even migratory ones (dove, ban tailed pigeons, etc.) We don't have any wood cock but they are replaced by snipe in our pheasant coverts. I imagine they are very close to woodcock in flavor.:cheers:
Click to expand...

I just enjoyed a little jacksnipe and sora rail hunt. Dog loved it, bounding around in the swamp. Now I can't use lead with snipe or rails. Don't expect you can either.
 
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