Woodcock...

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Can't say as I've ever hunted them gonna do some research on them anyone kill any in mtns?
I’ve jumped them at 4000’ in December before.........

But generally they are gonna be in the same country you’d find a rabbit. Wetter the better, without having actual standing water, lol.

Funny little birds.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
be in the same country you’d find a rabbit. Wetter the better, without having actual standing water,


man knows what he speaketh of,,,,that's where I find them,,in fact so far, my best woodcock dog is still my beagle Max!!
 

dpoutdoor

Ten Pointer
If anyone within an hour of me (rougemont) wouldn’t mind me going with them pm me. I don’t even need to carry a gun, just wanna see how it’s done.
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
This thread brings back memories. I used to wood cock hunt every day during the season. Haven't had a bird dog in about 8 years but used to have a setter that had a nose for wood cock like I've never seen. Nothing quite like hunting those dudes in thick cover in a Creek or River bottom. We used to have tons of them here in the Piedmont.....I haven't seen much sign or heard them late in the evenings over the last couple years. Hope they're still healthy in numbers like they were when I stopped hunting them.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
They are here. I’ve been hearing a couple every evening here at the house, mostly over on the neighbors’. Haven’t had a good opportunity to hunt them yet. It’s been wet and nasty and I’ve been cleaning up trees.

Just like other small game, they shift their locations as the cover matures. I like mid-successional hardwoods when the ground cover just starts to thin out a little.
 

Soilman

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I saw and heard a good number of them on my mom's land near Clarkton while sitting on a deer stand this past Tuesday. Wish I'd had my boykin and a shotgun, because I didn't see any deer.
Now, if it will just quit raining every freakin weekend I might try for them around the Croatan.
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
I jumped 2 the other day on the way to my deer stand.
They were close together, <10feet, and sitting in some open spots in the snow where it had melted due to being wet underneath.
I hope there are alot of them moving into the northern Piedmont, I have always loved hunting them.
 

Soilman

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I walked all over a low bottom in a game land yesterday with my boykin and we didn't flush a single bird. I was "killing 2 birds with one stone" by getting in a long walk for exercise and scouting for woodcock. Unfortunately, one of the "birds" wasn't there to be "killed", both figuratively and literally.
 

NC Quailhunter

Six Pointer
I got into a couple of them yesterday hunting Camp Lejeune. A couple of nice points from my Setter and sub par shooting on my part left me with an empty bag. Looking forward to getting after them again in a few days.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Spent a couple hours this morning looking for them with the dog and the boys. Flushed one and missed in thick cover. Definitely not here like they were last year this time. Much of their favorite spots have been under water some in the past month though.
 

Loganwayne

Ten Pointer
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Buddy sent me this from tonight while he was coon hunting looks like the o/u is getting packed for when I go down after Christmas to finish off deer season, we will have to spend some time finding some woodcock and maybe quail


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Spent a couple hours this morning looking for them with the dog and the boys. Flushed one and missed in thick cover. Definitely not here like they were last year this time. Much of their favorite spots have been under water some in the past month though.
I don't think they have had the cold to run them down here yet. Last year this time it had been brutally cold.
 

JONOV

Old Mossy Horns
If anyone within an hour of me (rougemont) wouldn’t mind me going with them pm me. I don’t even need to carry a gun, just wanna see how it’s done.
I'll send you a DM if I get up that way. I've walked all over Falls game land and never moved one though so typically I've looked opposite your direction from me. Mostly its a walk in the woods around soft bottomland.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I don't think they have had the cold to run them down here yet. Last year this time it had been brutally cold.

That's what I was thinking too. Last year it was cold, and really cold AFTER Christmas, but they were here long before that. In fact, they were here in good numbers by the end of November. We always have one or two by November, but traditionally they don't show up until mid-December. I haven't been paying attention to what kind of weather they are getting further north.
 

mullet dredge

Six Pointer
It is so cool the variety of places woodcocks can be found. I jumped a handful on a marshy spoil island on the Intracoastal Waterway yesterday.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
It is so cool the variety of places woodcocks can be found. I jumped a handful on a marshy spoil island on the Intracoastal Waterway yesterday.
Cool little birds. For sure. Tasty too.

Can’t wait for the woods to be empty after deer season and me and the dog can have some fun!
 

Duckmauler dhc

Old Mossy Horns
Back when I hunted them they were always here thick by mid October. I would run my dog on them once a week and would be all in them. Never could understand the season in NC. They were here from October through early turkey season. I would always jump the walking through the bottom first thing in the morning while turkey hunting.
 

NC Quailhunter

Six Pointer
I actually was able to get out on Christmas eve and found a couple. Was only able to get one in the bag in the hour I was out. So I consider it a success. getting out again soon.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
We goin in the morning.
Why’s everyone else seeing?

Was hoping that blizzard up north last week pushed some birds down.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
All this rain isn't helping in all the normal spots for them. Many of the normal spots are flooded or muck. Too wet for the worms and insects they forage for.
Got my mind on some of them piney tips that fall off into the river. Edge of the soupy stuff is usually my starting point.
 

wncdeerhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Had a solid point and flush on one tinberdoodle this year - on a Sunday at that. Just had to watch him go.....too wet and warm for them in numbers I think
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
Never hunted em. Know a place I've kicked up a pile while turkey hunting, may have to go for a walkabout...
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Put 8 miles down through the prettiest ground we could find this morning.

One point. Perfect hold. Perfect flush.
Imperfect shooting by us in the privet.

I’m fairly certain we didn’t “miss” any birds.
Dog had her head in the game all day.

We didn’t even jump the occasional wild flush away from the dog.

Gonna try again Wednesday morning, then again Saturday. Hopefully some birds will push through.
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I went this morning. Flushed 3 in a couple hours. Never fired a shot.

The first two, I was just covered up in the thick stuff when they got up. The last one was sitting next to the logging road on the way back to the truck. I let the dog venture on up about 75 yards and he flushed going away.

I agree that most of the better cover they are normally in is under water.
 

OnTheEdge

Button Buck
I went through creek bottoms at Sandhills with a young dog for a few hours on Monday without seeing any. Thinking about trying some areas in Jordan but worried it's too wet.
 
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