Any grouse/woodcock hunters here?

[Tucker943]

Ran Molly on spring migrating woodcock this morning. We moved around 19 of them in a bit over an hour.

 

[stig]

We have them migrating here, right now as well.
I usually scare one ot wo up going up my driveway in the morning.

Interesting birds, but less so than their close cousin, the guttersnipe.

 

[Tucker943]

Im not familiar with guttersnipe.

 

[stig]

Thats because you are a country boy.
They are a big city thing, mostly.

I'm funning with you, Chris:http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guttersnipe

It is not often I get one over on the native english speakers

 

[brendonv]

So thats what they are called, Woodcocks.

I have two hanging out under some fallen trees the arborist hasn't cleaned up yet along my border. didn't know what the hell they were

 

[Tucker943]

They may be nesting there.

Today we worked on migrating woodcock again. Molly on left, look closely on right on top of snow in front of the ditch. This is a tough moment to capture but I am thrilled to have gotten it.

 

[stig]

Good picture.
If it hadn't been for the snow, it would have been near invisible. Except for some grouse, I don't know any birds that blend into their surroundings so well.

 

[Jssmith1227]

Guttersnipe is smaller bird than the woodcock? Im asking because we dont have much around here I have shot a couple but the one I shot last year looked smaller and a little different than the other ones I shot

 

[stig]

Jeez, what did I start here.

I made a linguistic birdwatcher joke, is all.

Look at the link I posted.

 

[Arborkeith]

I hunt dove, quail , ducks and geese. Never seen woodcock. Dad said when he was in high school they had more woodcock around. Same with snipe, they are fun when you can find them

 

[Hobby Climber]

Did some one mention Grouse Hunting???

This past September & good friend & I went up north bird hunting outside of Wawa Ontario for Ruffed Grouse.

Spent a week at rented cabin & drove a lot of roads not to mention long walks where vehicles could not go.

Shot lots of birds with a Flintlock Blunderbus I recently built. What can I say...that things quite the BLAST to shoot. lol

Besides, who dosn't like "Bush Chicken" !!!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Welcome back, Bob! Still making those cool bags???

 

[Hobby Climber]

I'm no longer building the bags Butch, I sent the patterns to WesSpur Tree Equipment in Washington State. They now make & sell both the HC & HC-Mesh Rope Bages including a longer version of the Mesh Bage that holds 300' of 1/2" line.

...But in keeping with this Thread, that new Mesh Bag should hold about 20 to 25 Ruffed Grouse! LOL

 

[Tucker943]

Were they dumb up where you hunted? As in could you walk up and shoot them on the ground?

 

[Hobby Climber]

It was the second week of Bird Season when we were there so it wasn't to bad. But there was a lot of hunting pressure on the weekends from the locals.

Average distance before they flushed was around 15-20 yards. Hunting at the crack of dawn and at dusk proved to be rewarding if road hunting with vehicle otherwise on foot is the best.