Woodcock Migration 2017

[BraqueFrancais115]

I am a first time woodcock hunter with a young pointer pup.

For those out there who love to hunt woodcock, what are you experiencing thus far in terms of their migration? I'm in the southern half of Wisconsin, and haven't seen a whole lot fly through just yet. Again, this is my first season hunting them, however, I'm 80% positive that I've been hunting in the right habitat (young forest, young aspen, lowland brush, swampy terrain etc) with little to no luck.

My pup and I have encountered one woodcock in mid Sept, which we ended up flushing twice. Since then, even while revisiting and exploring new woodcock habitat, I have not seen any. That's a 30+ hours of outdoors time in a span of a month.

Just wanted to hear what you guys have to say on the woodcock migration's status. All input is appreciated.

[wolski]

I hunted northern Wisc last week and appears the migration is happening since I seen weak, tired flyers some in groups. Other than those attributes I dont know how to tell a migrator from a local. Look for swampy ground with brush and small trees, creek/river bottoms which much of the northern 1/3 of wisc. has in abundance. Not sure where to hunt in the southern half of the state.

[gonehuntin']

Depends on temp. and winds in Canada, but we're getting close. Usually around the end of Oct. to 1st week November. Sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don't. They can be here and gone in a couple days. When the wind comes out of the North, look out, they won't be around long. Once it begins, pray for southerly winds.

[BraqueFrancais115]

I hunted northern Wisc last week and appears the migration is happening since I seen weak, tired flyers some in groups. Other than those attributes I dont know how to tell a migrator from a local. Look for swampy ground with brush and small trees, creek/river bottoms which much of the northern 1/3 of wisc. has in abundance. Not sure where to hunt in the southern half of the state.

Thank you for the feedback. As far as I know, the only way to tell the difference between the local population and the migrating pop is based on how they flush and how far. Also, apparently, the local birds tend to move out of the area last.

Sounds good - I shall start mapping out creek/river bottoms. For me, those are tough to map because online mapping services might show you a certain image only to find out you'd have to be the size of a pre-teen to get through the brush, not to mention, your boots are 1/3 submersed in water. Based on what I've read, woodcock arent in entirely wet areas but rather moist, worm-friendly habitat.

Depends on temp. and winds in Canada, but we're getting close. Usually around the end of Oct. to 1st week November. Sometimes you hit it, sometimes you don't. They can be here and gone in a couple days. When the wind comes out of the North, look out, they won't be around long. Once it begins, pray for southerly winds.

Interesting. I'll monitor the wind conditions and temps this year. After you mentioned it, I tried to compare 2016's vague flight data (from the ruffed grouse society site) to 2016 temps in Canada [NE and E of Lake Superior]. Couldnt find much of a correlation besides consistent 40 degree nights with a few back to back 20 degree nights from Nov 1st through the 7th.

[gonehuntin']

You'll know when it's on if you hit it. Woodcock are everywhere. Not unusual to get 20 points in an hour. There will also be white splatters all over the leaves, which you don't get when the local's are here. It's really something when you hit it but some years you really have to be lucky. When hunting is great is when they ride in on a north wind, then the wind change and come from the south. As long as the winds come from the south, the birds will stay. I'm sure you know this, but they only migrate at night.

[Sharon]

They moved through Southern Ontario last week so...........

[wolski]

they only migrate at night

Ive always been curious but never found the answer.....how do they detect where its favorable to land in the dark. I can only guess that they must have one heck of a nose to detect the difference between favorable and unfavorable areas.????

[wolski]

Youre right BF115, not directly IN the water but in moist areas, even in farm fields Ive found them. Iff your dog is young like mine it may take some time for dog to que into their smell. WC must have a lighter odor as some have agreed with me that the dog doesnt detect them as readily as other birds. Experience will teach them.

[ezzy333]

It always been my experience they detect them but many dogs are reluctant to pick them up. Evidently a completely different taste to the dog as well as us.

[BraqueFrancais115]

You'll know when it's on if you hit it. Woodcock are everywhere. Not unusual to get 20 points in an hour. There will also be white splatters all over the leaves, which you don't get when the local's are here. It's really something when you hit it but some years you really have to be lucky. When hunting is great is when they ride in on a north wind, then the wind change and come from the south. As long as the winds come from the south, the birds will stay. I'm sure you know this, but they only migrate at night.

I cant wait!!! I've read all about it but have yet to experience it. 20 points an hour - or even a quarter of that number - would be amazing to experience. I've seen the white splatters, however, I can't differentiate their "chalky" droppings from other small birds'. Fingers crossed that we get that north wind before the end of the season (Nov 6th).

They moved through Southern Ontario last week so...........

Really? I'm surprised to hear this given the abnormally warm weather so far. I hope this doesnt mean that we've missed some of the action here in WI...

Ive always been curious but never found the answer.....how do they detect where its favorable to land in the dark. I can only guess that they must have one heck of a nose to detect the difference between favorable and unfavorable areas.????

According to wiki:
It is believed that woodcock orient visually using major physiographic features such as coastlines and broad river valleys.

To add, apparently, they visit the very same habitat every year [assuming no habitat changes].

Youre right BF115, not directly IN the water but in moist areas, even in farm fields Ive found them. Iff your dog is young like mine it may take some time for dog to que into their smell. WC must have a lighter odor as some have agreed with me that the dog doesnt detect them as readily as other birds. Experience will teach them.

Agreed - they're also small birds, which minimizes the total amount of scent they give off. Also, they don't typically eat where they roost. According to a WC bander, WC don't typically walk much where they roost - to feed, they walk a few feet then take flight, essentially leaving very little scent on the way in or out of their roosting area. They then fly to a moist habitat nearby to feed on worms.

[gonehuntin']

I was up in Rhinelander one year and hit the migration smack on. They were everywhere. From a tag alder swamp one of my setters began a mournful howl. I called him but he wouldn't come. I sent a young lad (friend's son) I was hunting with up a big pine to see if he could see him. He spotted him and said he was just standing in one spot howling. I immediately thought "trap". Mark stayed up the tree and directed me and I walked into the tag alders to rescue the dog. Woodcock were everywhere. Every dry hummock had 2-3 woodcock running around on it. I got to the dog and two tag alders had caught in the feathering of his tail, crossed in an X and locked him there as staunchly as any trap. Funny as heck. I have never before or since seen that many woodcock in one spot at one time. There were hundred's in there.

[SHaRPS]

The only other experience I have had with WC is that the flight birds tend to bust early whereas the local birds hold tight.

[Sharon]

They moved through Southern Ontario last week so...........

Really? I'm surprised to hear this given the abnormally warm weather so far. I hope this doesnt mean that we've missed some of the action here in WI..." quote BF
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

They haven't left yet . Still finding birds here , but we have had some cold blasts through here.

[wolski]

Well, if you want cool weather then next week its forecasted to be in the 40s in norther wisc. Birds or no birds I and my dog will be busting brush.

[BraqueFrancais115]

I was up in Rhinelander one year and hit the migration smack on. They were everywhere. From a tag alder swamp one of my setters began a mournful howl. I called him but he wouldn't come. I sent a young lad (friend's son) I was hunting with up a big pine to see if he could see him. He spotted him and said he was just standing in one spot howling. I immediately thought "trap". Mark stayed up the tree and directed me and I walked into the tag alders to rescue the dog. Woodcock were everywhere. Every dry hummock had 2-3 woodcock running around on it. I got to the dog and two tag alders had caught in the feathering of his tail, crossed in an X and locked him there as staunchly as any trap. Funny as heck. I have never before or since seen that many woodcock in one spot at one time. There were hundred's in there.

Thats spectacular. Nature sure knows how to blow one's mind. I hope to come across that type of an experience with my young dog in N. WI in the near future - within the next year or two.

[BraqueFrancais115]

According to the migration map tracker on the RGS website, some folks reported heavy and peak activity in northern WI last week (Oct 15 & 17th).

http://www.ruffedgrousesociety.org/Migr ... e4bw2hSyUk

Also, it's starting to look like habitat surrounding Lake Superior (southern Ontario, UP) will see temps dive into the low 40's to mid 30's by mid-week (Oct 25th) with temps in the high 20's directly north (Marathon, Canada). Let's see if WC start working their way south this week as we wrap up the last 14 days of the season in WI.

Keep the updates flowing, folks, and don't hesitate to update your findings on the Ruffed Grouse Society woodcock migration map!

[gonehuntin']

I think N. Wi. Is within a week of peak. Migration is definitely underwear but I THINK we are on the leading edge. Hunted Fri-Sat-Sun and moved birds, but not in quantity. There were not many splashes in the covers and we were in some very good covers.

[BraqueFrancais115]

I think N. Wi. Is within a week of peak. Migration is definitely underwear but I THINK we are on the leading edge. Hunted Fri-Sat-Sun and moved birds, but not in quantity. There were not many splashes in the covers and we were in some very good covers.

I hope you're right. Temps are definitely dropping north of us and winds are ideal for a flight south.
In regards to your observation of fewer birds in ideal covers - could it be that given a dry summer/fall, birds are holding up elsewhere? If they follow worm populations, assuming prolonged streaks of dry weather, those worm populations essentially die off. It isn't as simple as getting a nice rainy weekend for worms to "migrate" back to rich soils - those populations of worms would essentially dry out forcing woodcock to move to new habitat in order to probe for food... in the spots considered wet rather than moist. If the lack of precipitation is momentary, worms may survive by going deeper in the soil - in this case, yes, a little rain restores ideal soil conditions and woodcock may move back to "ideal" habitat. Does this make sense to you?

I'm simply using logic that I've learned from keeping a worm bin and gardening/micro-habitat creation practices.

PS:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Marquette MI
1129 AM EDT Tue Oct 24 2017[/url]

...STRONG WINDS WILL CONTINUE INTO THIS EVENING...

HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...

Hazardous Weather:

* The strongest north winds will occur through 3:00 pm this
afternoon. The strongest gusts of 55 to 65 mph are expected
along Lake Superior. Elsewhere, the strongest winds will be 40
to 50 mph. Winds will gradually diminish late this afternoon
into this evening.

How would the woodcock be affected by severe winds? My guess is they'd ride it down south although not sure about the wind + rain combo.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Some snow expected way up north. See pic.

Winter is coming - as well as the woodcock, maybe.

weather 10.24.PNG

[Featherfinder]

I was just hunting between Sudbury and "The Soo" Ontario. We got into quite a few woodcock - one day we found just over 20 in an hour. It isn't what I would call having hit a "flight" where the birds are both numerous and tired allowing for birds to be pointed by just about any dog. The birds were very skittish and although the dogs did their job, the birds ran quite a bit and then flushed some distance away through dense understory.
It made shooting VERY difficult...almost impossible. That's my story and I'm sticking to it or I'd have to admit that I haven't shot that poorly since I first took up this sport!
I believe that snow or icy conditions in the north prime woodcock to move on. Subsequently, a decent north wind helps them with their southerly flights to warmer climbs.
Weather this year has been....unusual therefore there is some delay in their need to fly south. I expect most folk to see woodcock starting this week into next.

[Featherfinder]

My setter pointing another woodcock. Friend looking on. Yup, I missed this one too! Good thing dogs can't speak!!

[Featherfinder]

Grouse!! And yes....I missed it too.

[BraqueFrancais115]

I was just hunting between Sudbury and "The Soo" Ontario. We got into quite a few woodcock - one day we found just over 20 in an hour. It isn't what I would call having hit a "flight" where the birds are both numerous and tired allowing for birds to be pointed by just about any dog. The birds were very skittish and although the dogs did their job, the birds ran quite a bit and then flushed some distance away through dense understory.
It made shooting VERY difficult...almost impossible. That's my story and I'm sticking to it or I'd have to admit that I haven't shot that poorly since I first took up this sport!
I believe that snow or icy conditions in the north prime woodcock to move on. Subsequently, a decent north wind helps them with their southerly flights to warmer climbs.
Weather this year has been....unusual therefore there is some delay in their need to fly south. I expect most folk to see woodcock starting this week into next.

Thank you for sharing your story! Detailed encounters with the timberdoodle helps us "young" (or should I say inexperienced) hunters gauge where we are in the fall flight, note what ideal habitat looks like, not to mention build anticipation for our own days afield. What does a running woodcock look like - are they actually fast? Do they flap their wings? The only woodcock I've ever encountered flushed 2ce and we went in for a re-reflush but the 3rd time, I experienced what seemed like a running mammal. My pup and I looked at each other and I decided not to pursue just in case it was something with real claws. Not sure if it was a runner or not..

Also, lovely looking setter! I especially like the pic of him pointing grouse.

[Featherfinder]

Thank you for the compliments on my dog. You know the old saying, "Say what you want about my wife but don't even think about insulting me about my dog!" Can you tell my lovely wife is not a member here?
Woodcock 35 years ago were a bit like fish in a barrel. Once your dog had one stabbed, you could take pics before the flush. I guess all those ones that sat there got shot because the modern woodcock has evolved. Most veterans can tell whether their dog is on a grouse vs woodcock by the dog's head/style on point. While grouse always have and continue to run, the savvy grouse dog knows to lock up on the very edge of a high vapor scent cone, hence head high. Anything less (or a slow methodical dog) usually means a bump/wild flush. A dog can get away with tracking a woodcock to an extent but will often do so with a lower head. Try that with a grouse and your dog will often crash! Dogs know the difference between species.
Today's woodcock run like rats....then run some more....then run again. At first - many years ago - I swore we had a grouse on the run. It was shocking to produce a woodcock after a series of relocations. So-much-so, that I thought our pursuit of a running grouse somehow crossed the path of a woodcock! It wasn't long before I realized that woodcock have learned to increase their odds of survival by running - evolution. They don't run like a ditch parrot but they still run. Because of the typically dense habitat, it can sway the odds in their favor, exponentially. As mentioned, a recently landed flight will host birds that may be literally exhausted. These birds will hold more like those of yesteryear.
I've found woodcock to be easy for even the marginal canine athlete but grouse is still king and requires a VERY capable bird dog.
Now, to be honest, I missed some pretty good opportunities on both woodcock and grouse. I'm still dealing with that.....STILL. Oh well, at least the dog-work was stellar!

[gonehuntin']

Woodcock don't so much run, as scurry. They ain't no pheasant. The flight birds will drive a young dog and you crazy. They are so tired that when you flush them they may only flutter up 5' off the ground, go 10' and set again. Young dog's go berserk.

Your observations about dry ground and worms is correct, which is why tag alders will continually hold woodcock; the alders are continually wet. A sleeper is a heavy maple woods. They shed their leaves so prfusely and in such a thick layer that there is always moisture under them for the worms. You will find them in two types of maple wood; one, a woods with a lot of 1" maple. Two, a maple woods with a lot of low evergreen for them to roost UNDER. This means small evergreen. The shooting can be spectacular and too easy because the woods are so open. Every year is I can't find them in what I term "traditional" cover, I head for the maple.

I hope they're still around. Supposed to snow and rain all weekend and we just had 30-60mph winds with 30' waves on Superior. May go out this afternoon and see if any got blown in here over nite.

[Sharon]

Gentlemen: Great posts but unless my vision is slipping, I can't see much of anything. Important to use the edit feature on the pics you are posting. 800 by 600 is ideal. Thanks.

[Featherfinder]

Sorry Sharon...not too good at that stuff but now that you gave me some parameters, I will try for that.
Thank you kindly.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Gentlemen: Great posts but unless my vision is slipping, I can't see much of anything. Important to use the edit feature on the pics you are posting. 800 by 600 is ideal. Thanks.

Thank you for joining the conversation, Sharon =^p !

How are the woodcock holding up in your neck of the north woods?

Ps I resized the image attached in a previous post.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Woodcock don't so much run, as scurry. They ain't no pheasant. The flight birds will drive a young dog and you crazy. They are so tired that when you flush them they may only flutter up 5' off the ground, go 10' and set again. Young dog's go berserk.

Your observations about dry ground and worms is correct, which is why tag alders will continually hold woodcock; the alders are continually wet. A sleeper is a heavy maple woods. They shed their leaves so prfusely and in such a thick layer that there is always moisture under them for the worms. You will find them in two types of maple wood; one, a woods with a lot of 1" maple. Two, a maple woods with a lot of low evergreen for them to roost UNDER. This means small evergreen. The shooting can be spectacular and too easy because the woods are so open. Every year is I can't find them in what I term "traditional" cover, I head for the maple.

I hope they're still around. Supposed to snow and rain all weekend and we just had 30-60mph winds with 30' waves on Superior. May go out this afternoon and see if any got blown in here over nite.

I had never thought of the woodcock making their way into wooded areas with maples. I'll begin to scout those types of maple wood habitat as well.

[Sharon]

Gentlemen: Great posts but unless my vision is slipping, I can't see much of anything. Important to use the edit feature on the pics you are posting. 800 by 600 is ideal. Thanks.

Thank you for joining the conversation, Sharon =^p !

How are the woodcock holding up in your neck of the north woods?

Ps I resized the image attached in a previous post.

.....................................

Thank you gentlemen - you two aren't the only ones.

LOts of woodcock here according to my friends. I'm waiting on knee surgery so not getting out much. Below zero tonight so things may change. .. ( birds not the knee)
(Southern Ontario has the same longitude as Northern California .)

What does this mean Braque? = ^p!.... I'm afraid to ask.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Thank you for the compliments on my dog. You know the old saying, "Say what you want about my wife but don't even think about insulting me about my dog!" Can you tell my lovely wife is not a member here?
Woodcock 35 years ago were a bit like fish in a barrel. Once your dog had one stabbed, you could take pics before the flush. I guess all those ones that sat there got shot because the modern woodcock has evolved. Most veterans can tell whether their dog is on a grouse vs woodcock by the dog's head/style on point. While grouse always have and continue to run, the savvy grouse dog knows to lock up on the very edge of a high vapor scent cone, hence head high. Anything less (or a slow methodical dog) usually means a bump/wild flush. A dog can get away with tracking a woodcock to an extent but will often do so with a lower head. Try that with a grouse and your dog will often crash! Dogs know the difference between species.
Today's woodcock run like rats....then run some more....then run again. At first - many years ago - I swore we had a grouse on the run. It was shocking to produce a woodcock after a series of relocations. So-much-so, that I thought our pursuit of a running grouse somehow crossed the path of a woodcock! It wasn't long before I realized that woodcock have learned to increase their odds of survival by running - evolution. They don't run like a ditch parrot but they still run. Because of the typically dense habitat, it can sway the odds in their favor, exponentially. As mentioned, a recently landed flight will host birds that may be literally exhausted. These birds will hold more like those of yesteryear.
I've found woodcock to be easy for even the marginal canine athlete but grouse is still king and requires a VERY capable bird dog.
Now, to be honest, I missed some pretty good opportunities on both woodcock and grouse. I'm still dealing with that.....STILL. Oh well, at least the dog-work was stellar!

Definitely clarifies a few things I've noticed while my dog is [flash] pointing. Makes a lot of sense - when he's approaching a bird, he'll come in with a low head and will eventually flush it. (He's under a year old and has caught about 5 birds unfortunately hence his need to continue flushing/chasing.) This weekend however, while working with pigeons+launcher, he pointed with his head high from a safe 7 yard distance much like your setter.

I agree - given the habitat, running sure increases their odds of survival. Such a minor behavior modification/evolutionary trait yet a significant one. Hopefully, I'm able to get my pup on enough woodcock in the coming week to make up for his lack of wild bird contacts.

No worries, we all miss seemingly easy shots once in a while! I completely missed 2 launched pigeons this weekend from about 10 yards away. Pretty sure it turned its head while flying to mock me.

[BraqueFrancais115]

What does this mean Braque? = ^p!.... I'm afraid to ask.

=^p is simply a smiling "emoji" with its tongue out. Notice the eyes = nose ^ and tongue p. ! is just an exclamation point, ha.

[gonehuntin']

Went out here between rain showers Sat. And North on Sunday and never moved a woodcock. Local birds seem to be gone. I still don't think the N. Birds are here. I hope.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Went out here between rain showers Sat. And North on Sunday and never moved a woodcock. Local birds seem to be gone. I still don't think the N. Birds are here. I hope.

I sure hope you're right about the northern birds still lingering before migrating - after spending around 12 hrs in young forest and boggy woodlands, I happened to accidentally flush ONE woodcock. Talk about frustrating! And let me tell you, the terrain made me work for it. With no actual trails, moving branches away from my face was as necessary as putting the next foot forward.

Sat: Even more frustrating was the fact that my young pointer failed to scent the darn thing after trotting past it from about a foot away. As I stepped with my right foot, I flushed the woodcock and it flew to my far right, over the canopy of a half dozen young aspen just 20 yards away. Given that 5 or so branches stood in front of me at eye level - and being a right handed shooter - I stepped backwards with my right foot, crouched under the branches, and squeezed one shot only to realize that I gave the long bill absolutely zero lead. Premature shot without a follow-up . The doodle disappeared into the thick brush and we were unable to re-flush. We were then lost for about an hour before finally finding my way to the car just before sundown.

Sun: Returned to the same area and searched within a ~200 yd radius - no luck.

[Sharon]

Just enjoyed reading The American Field mag for this week. A week or so ago at the Michigan Woodcock Championship( near record setting number of participants), they were averaging 10 woodcock + 10 grouse over a 7 hour period daily.

cite David Fletcher report

[gonehuntin']

So, are you saying only about 1.3 woodcock and grouse per hour per dog? If so, that's miserable.

[Sharon]

" 10 woodcock and ten grouse on the 7 - one hour courses each day" quote

My math isn't great , but I thought that sounded pretty good. Maybe I said it incorrectly in my original post.

[gonehuntin']

,,," 10 woodcock and ten grouse on the 7 - one hour courses each day" quote

My math isn't great , but I thought that sounded pretty good. Maybe I said it incorrectly in my original post.

I'm still not sure what you're saying; 17 birds per hour? That is phenomenal.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Sounds like:
20 birds per 7 hr day per participant or
2.86 birds/hour per participant (1.43 woodcock/hr).

It's all about the number of birds per participant - if we can determine the birds per participant from previous years (or woodcock per participant), we can draw other conclusions ie migrant flights.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Alternatively, if we know the 2016 and 2017 number of participants, and respective average per hour, we can outright determine the TOTAL number of birds.

[Grange]

I was in NE WI all last week hunting hard with my hunting partners. Lot's of rain made it difficult so I cut wood in the National Forest and rested the dogs during the worst rains. I found some woodcock the first weekend (Oct. 21 and 22), but they seemed more like local birds than flight birds. By Wednesday, Oct. 25 it changed and we started seeing a lot of flight birds. On Saturday, Oct. 28, I was actually getting frustrated because I kept hoping my setter's points would lead to a grouse, but they were almost always woodcock. I tried multiple habitats in hopes of finding grouse, but almost every time they were woodcock. I would say that the peak migration in NE WI was likely this past weekend. I may try to get out closer the Green Bay area to see if they have moved south. So if you're in southern WI I would guess the weather is moving they down and they will be there shortly. I took a lot of videos of my setter and here is a typical point on a flight woodcock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzZG3p3eRP8

I don't care for woodcock so I don't really shoot them. I forgot my blank pistol and don't like using a live gun in it's place so I didn't fire the gun.

[BraqueFrancais115]

I was in NE WI all last week hunting hard with my hunting partners. Lot's of rain made it difficult so I cut wood in the National Forest and rested the dogs during the worst rains. I found some woodcock the first weekend (Oct. 21 and 22), but they seemed more like local birds than flight birds. By Wednesday, Oct. 25 it changed and we started seeing a lot of flight birds. On Saturday, Oct. 28, I was actually getting frustrated because I kept hoping my setter's points would lead to a grouse, but they were almost always woodcock. I tried multiple habitats in hopes of finding grouse, but almost every time they were woodcock. I would say that the peak migration in NE WI was likely this past weekend. I may try to get out closer the Green Bay area to see if they have moved south. So if you're in southern WI I would guess the weather is moving they down and they will be there shortly. I took a lot of videos of my setter and here is a typical point on a flight woodcock.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzZG3p3eRP8

I don't care for woodcock so I don't really shoot them. I forgot my blank pistol and don't like using a live gun in it's place so I didn't fire the gun.

This kind of late October 'report' is exactly what I've been hoping for. Thank you for the detailed input on your experiences. A man's valued game bird is another man's nuisance - I only wish to have had the type of frustration you experienced with your dog pointing so many woodcock. I can't wait to get out this week to witness my first ever flight. As I made my way to work this morning, I witnessed a pedestrian flush a woodcock in downtown Milwaukee, which landed shortly after in a parking lot with manicured bushes. If I only had this luck while in the coverts...

Keep us updated - let us know if they're still flying through your area or Green Bay, if you make your way south. Beautiful dog and a stellar point.

[wolski]

Lot of wind and snow in north wisconsin past weekend. Cant imagine why a woodcock would stay around for that if it had the option of migrating south. I hunted Iron county yesterday (monday) and did flush one WC (strong flyer) in a high ground forest. Dog ran right past it, never pointed. And thats the only WC I found after the storm.
Last Thursday in a Iron county alder swamp. Dog made several good points on WC and grouse but I was never able to get a shot in that thick stuff. Those woodcock were strong flyers but were bunched up together, so not sure if those were migrators or not but I would guess they were well rested migrators.

Thats my hunting report, nothing to brag about especially shooting a grouse that flew up into a maple tree. Had to put my sporting pride aside just to let the dog know she was doing a great job in difficult conditions.

[Devilscreekw]

I was seeing lots on my own farm (SE Manitoba) the week of Oct. 16- 21, and couldn't even walk my dog to the mailbox without getting one pointed. On the 16th spotted 10 over 5 clean points in an hour on my back 40. Most I've seen in a few years.

[BraqueFrancais115]

Went out here between rain showers Sat. And North on Sunday and never moved a woodcock. Local birds seem to be gone. I still don't think the N. Birds are here. I hope.

Have you had any luck connecting with doodles late this week?

[BraqueFrancais115]

Lot of wind and snow in north wisconsin past weekend. Cant imagine why a woodcock would stay around for that if it had the option of migrating south. I hunted Iron county yesterday (monday) and did flush one WC (strong flyer) in a high ground forest. Dog ran right past it, never pointed. And thats the only WC I found after the storm.
Last Thursday in a Iron county alder swamp. Dog made several good points on WC and grouse but I was never able to get a shot in that thick stuff. Those woodcock were strong flyers but were bunched up together, so not sure if those were migrators or not but I would guess they were well rested migrators.

Thats my hunting report, nothing to brag about especially shooting a grouse that flew up into a maple tree. Had to put my sporting pride aside just to let the dog know she was doing a great job in difficult conditions.

Yeah that thick stuff will humble your hunting efforts in no time. Part of the game, I suppose - as is making said shots on grouse... for the dog.

I was seeing lots on my own farm (SE Manitoba) the week of Oct. 16- 21, and couldn't even walk my dog to the mailbox without getting one pointed. On the 16th spotted 10 over 5 clean points in an hour on my back 40. Most I've seen in a few years.

You guys sure get some of the best woodcock hunting experience in the continent. I'm openly jealous.

[setterpoint]

got into birds for one day hear in michigan next week they were all gone that was 3 or 4 weeks ago have got a few hear and there but not in any numbers just that one day a lot of people ask when are the woodcock going to be hear i tell them you done missedit season ends today