marsh man Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 With only one more full days shooting left and already had over 20 days , this season has seen the lowest number of Woodcock I have known to have been hanging up in the game larder . What is the reason ? , there has certainly been no shortage of Woodcock on our estate , no where near one of the vintage years but not one of the worst ones neither . With putting the guns out all season I get to watch there reactions when a Woodcock come over the guns and I now find less and less guns want to shoot them , more so the older guns who like me have now got a soft spot for them and I no longer lift my gun at them and nor do a lot of the older guns who come game shooting . Maybe another reason is any thing hanging up in the game larder is charged for and guns don't want to pay a good price to shoot a Woodcock , I have nothing wrong whatsoever with anyone shooting Woodcock and good luck to them , I have never shot big numbers with only shooting a handful on a average season , so it might well be a age reason . So you game shooters out there , have you seen any reduction in the amount of people shooting Woodcock ,? or maybe the other way round with more people taking them on . Let us know your findings and feelings on the subject of shooting Woodcock . THANKS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingEgg Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 I have only ever shot one, im not an old gun or young gun, just love to watch them jink past.. Not had one shot on any shoot ive been on this season. Either they've been left, or guns not up to the challenge and miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) I never shoot more than a few a season and will let many fly on. I like to see them on a shoot day. More that's left more to breed and with luck in a few years we will see a lot more. Edited January 29, 2017 by figgy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoot and be safe Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 They are one of the best tasting game birds out there in my opinion. I love to see them fly past, but will take a shot at one if it presents itself. I would count one woodcock the same as ten driven pheasants any day. Just my thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Only shot one,mainly for the trophy pin feathers eating wise it was better than Pheasant but so is a Mc nugget lol. One of the best sporting birds out their followed by teal. Great bird to see but never raised a gun after the 1st one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wymberley Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 We leave them be. Two reasons; we don't have too many and like to see them and as our shooting is walked up only, we only see them in one particular somewhat dense wood and lifting and swinging the barrels could more than likely result in some peculiarly shaped tubes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guest1957 Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 I missed two on Saturday... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDog Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 (edited) I shoot them but in moderation nowadays. A month or so ago in the Borders there were a great many and we could have shot a bag full. We shot a few then stopped. Two of us once shot 23 in a morning. We could have shot 50 or more. Edited January 29, 2017 by JDog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walker570 Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 I think we saw more woodcock than cock pheasants on Friday on a cocks only driven day. Brought home three brace and will have a brace in the smoker in the morning after marinating over night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Heron Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 I leave them lovely bird but not worth shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scolopax Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Lots seen on Thursday, with five added to the bag. We shoot them, they are our commonest wader after all. Speaking to a fellow beater on Friday and he was on a shoot where they bagged 220+ in a day, in fact in a morning as they decided not to shoot anymore after the lunch break! This was on the coast and in recent years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted January 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Nice to see the respect given that they truly deserve I have only ever shot one, im not an old gun or young gun, just love to watch them jink past..Not had one shot on any shoot ive been on this season. Either they've been left, or guns not up to the challenge and miss. You will remember that one for a long time to come Shooting Egg. I never shoot more than a few a season and will let many fly on. I like to see them on a shoot day. More that's left more to breed and with luck in a few years we will see a lot more. Good on you figgy , the right way of thinking . They are one of the best tasting game birds out there in my opinion. I love to see them fly past, but will take a shot at one if it presents itself. I would count one woodcock the same as ten driven pheasants any day.Just my thoughts. You cant dispute there taste and sporting ability sabs , second to none. We leave them be. Two reasons; we don't have too many and like to see them and as our shooting is walked up only, we only see them in one particular somewhat dense wood and lifting and swinging the barrels could more than likely result in some peculiarly shaped tubes. We normally get our fair share and some years more than we deserve , having fir woods and a large area of bracken , we have walked them up in line with one gun , one beater and so on until a Woodcock is shot then the line stop until it is picked then carry on until the next bird is shot , we also have enough to try and drive them towards the standing guns but as you can imagine they don't always go where you want them to , that was in my old bosses day , now his son has taken over he don't like to see big bags of Woodcock being shot so those days are over and I doubt we will see them again . I missed two on Saturday... That is only to be expected with you coming from Suffolk , no I am only joking , you are not the first and you certainly wont be the last to miss . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matone Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 Seen more than normal in last 2-3 weeks locally,probably due to a kind winter up to now ! Don`t shoot them nowadays but don`t mind others doing so either.Love to watch them . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted January 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 I shoot them but in moderation nowadays. A month or so ago in the Borders there were a great many and we could have shot a bag full. We shot a few then stopped. Two of us once shot 23 in a morning. We could have shot 50 or more. Some years after a few days of hard weather we have large numbers arrive in the fir woods as the ground very rarely freeze and they can still probe there bills in the soft ground . One year when our old boss was alive he let us shoot 20 on our beaters day , with a few back guns waiting for the cocks to break back , two walking guns on the outside of the beaters and then the guns on there pegs the area was well covered , when the first Woodcock started to flush the shooting was non stop and at no time there wasn't at least one Woodcock on the wing , this ended up as the only drive of the day we shot them as we had well exceeded our allocated number. I think we saw more woodcock than cock pheasants on Friday on a cocks only driven day. Brought home three brace and will have a brace in the smoker in the morning after marinating over night. Sound lovely Walker570 , and I hope you enjoy them , with or without the inners left in . I leave them lovely bird but not worth shooting. I must admit , they are a lovely bird , your choice weather you want to shoot them or not . Lots seen on Thursday, with five added to the bag. We shoot them, they are our commonest wader after all. Speaking to a fellow beater on Friday and he was on a shoot where they bagged 220+ in a day, in fact in a morning as they decided not to shoot anymore after the lunch break! This was on the coast and in recent years. You must have big numbers to shoot over 200 in a morning scolopax , when we used to have two back to back days with a team who only shot Woodcock the best two day bag was well over 150 , but that was a one off and normally it would be around 50 a day as we thought that was more than enough to take off one place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben0850 Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 We've had a lot around us so far this year and had eight in the game cart yesterday. Most folk will have a dab at one during the day but tend to find they get left to jink past if there's already a few in the cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason_ox Posted January 29, 2017 Report Share Posted January 29, 2017 This season we have seen about 10 on our shoot, previous seasons we have seen none at all and I can't remember ever seeing them in 20 years on this farm. I don't shoot them personally it's nice to see something different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sako751sg Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 We usually see better numbers during a hard spell but even though pretty mild this season its up there with one of the best season yet. One of the best eating gamebirds and a pretty testing quarry at times and hopefully the truly big woodcock bags are in the past. Had a woodcock day early Jan and that was an eye opener for numbers that ive never seen before.We ended up with 12 in the bag but that is a drop to what showed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winnie&bezza Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 (edited) We have an organised rough shoot in an expanse of woodland a few times of year where we do fox drives and get on any other Vermin. This woodland which also has low height plantations holds a fair amount of woodcock and on our first day in December we got 5 woodcock with me getting 2. Even though I'll probably only shoot those 2 in the season, when I pick them up I think do I really want to shoot these. Magical bird. Edited January 30, 2017 by winnie&bezza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 We have a very healthy population on the shoot I keeper in suffolk, mostly big wet woods with plenty of undergrowth. We never shoot them, and don't on the few shoots I go beating on. I think part of this is because let's be honest, a driven woodcock, once it has levelled out and got out of the wood is a fairly easy shot and unsustainable bags would quickly be shot. I would happily shoot one or two on a walked up day, but only ever one or two Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norfolk dumpling Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 On our last day where beaters mix in with a bunch of youngsters connected with the 'Lord of the Manor' we were told we could shoot woodcock only if we were prepared to take them at the end of the day. Reasoning being worthless at the game dealers. I had a couple of opportunities but let them pass. There were a lot of woodcock shot and I didn't see many handed out at the end of the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WGD Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 I've shot a couple this year but the estate I do most of my beating and picking up on hasn't shot them for a couple of years now, the host syndicate guns are getting a bit older now and are as happy to see a woodcock fly on as they have been shooting them in the past. I'll shoot them now off the nose of my dog if I'm out for a walk about, other than that I'm happy to see them go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d foxxer Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 i have had one or two in the past never more than that I don't shoot them anymore but I like to watch my spangle put them up when out mooching beautifull little birds as are snipe but got nothing against those that do perhaps like one or two have said maybe its an age thing I gave up foxing last year sold the 20 tac and turned back to the shotgun my war with Charlie is over I like to see them around on my rambles with the dogs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsh man Posted January 30, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 i have had one or two in the past never more than that I don't shoot them anymore but I like to watch my spangle put them up when out mooching beautifull little birds as are snipe but got nothing against those that do perhaps like one or two have said maybe its an age thing I gave up foxing last year sold the 20 tac and turned back to the shotgun my war with Charlie is over I like to see them around on my rambles with the dogs I am sure it is mostly down to age , the ones with a few years shooting under there belts have had there fun and satisfaction with Woodcock over the years , even the ones who still shoot them will only shoot in moderation and for there own needs , and the ones that don't shoot them anymore are happy just seeing them around . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scobydog Posted January 30, 2017 Report Share Posted January 30, 2017 Seen plenty on our shoots but only 1 lad shot a couple for himself, no one else bothered as we no longer eat them and like to see them jinking around, 1 thing I have noticed is that numbers are definitely up on previous years and they do seem to look a lot fatter than before, has anyone else noticed this ? S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted January 31, 2017 Report Share Posted January 31, 2017 We've had perhaps half a dozen on rough shoot, and possibly twice that on syndicate shoot, but nephews new shoot produced a total bag of over 60 Woodcock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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