anyone hunt woodcock in the cumberland state forest va?

[antitactical]

I was just wondering if anyone tried the forest for woodcock. I went up there Saturday morning with my 10 month old gsp pup. He got all wound up twice like he does on pigeons and pen raised quail but no point or even a flush. He hunted hard and stayed under 50 yards from me. I screwed up and wore some new boots that I've been breaking in and got caught up watching the dog at work and didn't even notice the 2 big blisters about the size of a fifty cent piece until they popped about 3 miles back in the woods. It was my first time really hunting with my dog and he did really well just wish we could have found a bird and I didn't have to cut the hunt short because of my ignorance. I was hunting the northern end of the forest around the swinging bridge. I've never tried to hunt woodcock before and heard the forest had them. I stayed in the river bottoms and walked muddy creek beds and covered them pretty well. Anyone got any tips for a fool with a hard charging pup?

[MATT4126]

I have hunted there extensively and always have good luck. I have been out twice in the first part of our season and the woodies simply haven't migrated south yet. I did find a couple of holdover/resident birds and shot one of them. I'm going back out tomorrow but wouldn't expect to find good numbers until December. Cumberland State forest has some great woodcock areas its just too early (make sure you buy a state forest permit as I have run into several game wardens there over the years).

[woodsman]

I just wanted to chime in as another Virginia boy. I spend ALOT of time in forested wetland areas (its my job) and was seeing a few residents around here and there prior to the storm that came through last weekend. Today, I was in an area that I always kick up birds in and saw nothing. There were a few chalk marks around but no birds. Like Matt said, I think we can hang up chasing doodles until December.

[antitactical]

Thanks for the help. I've got my stamp. I will wait it out for a while then.

[MATT4126]

3.5 awesome hours this afternoon hitting the sweetest of honey holes for 2 unproductive rock solid points. 30 days it will be a different story......