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I treated my self to some woodcock hunting this afternoon, it was not easy!
Three hours for these two!
I was in an area that holds them well, the last time I was there some weeks ago I was tripping over them but not shooting them. Today however they were scarce and I walked and walked trying to get them to rise by me, the ones that did didn't offer a good shot.
About to give up I deployed the dog! I set about sending her in thick cover doing her spaniel thing and that soon had birds over me. Missed one then got two and that was me done
Andrew wrote:Good deal; two are way better than nothing. Doesn't look like there is a lot to eat on one though.
Hi Andrew, hunting these little fellows more than makes up for their size. Their sitting tight and making you jump out ya skin and their chinking flight. They ain't easy to take and thus satisfying when you do connect. They deserve to be ate no matter how small. These could of come from Russia even! (Should fit right in here then )
Hobie wrote:My dad used to hunt woodcock in West Virginia... You NEED a dog!
That is true Hobie, funny though is some dogs won't retrieve them! Some will even try to bury them there and then!
They must give of a wierd smell but I can't detect it!
Tia has no such worries but she is very cautious with crows.
Today Tia was marking stuff for me , pheasants and rabbits. She steps forward and stares up wind looking at me to get my attention. It is fun.
Woodcock, and Ruffed Grouse are the big 2 for me up here in Wisconsin. I have never seen any Timber Doodles with snow on the ground though. Sounds like a fun day, wish I were there.
Bigahh wrote:Woodcock, and Ruffed Grouse are the big 2 for me up here in Wisconsin. I have never seen any Timber Doodles with snow on the ground though. Sounds like a fun day, wish I were there.
Bigahh, there is something in what you say, since we have snow I have been seeing these birds near any soft ground or running waters and maybe thats why they are not so thick in this wood anymore.
How do the woodcock taste? I have tried pheasant and duck. I really like pheasant.
D. Brian Casady
Quid Llatine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur.
Advanced is being able to do the basics while your leg is on fire---Bill Jeans
Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up---Robert Frost
Nath, My favorite Bird too. Then Quail, then grouse, then dove. They taste great with bacon otherwise they resemble what they eat in the taste department - worms.
Mike Johnson,
"Only those who will risk going too far, can possibly find out how far one can go." T.S. Eliot
The best way I can describe their taste is cross between Duck, and liver. I never freeze them, but we usually eat all the birds we harvest at the end of the weekend.
Bigahh wrote:The best way I can describe their taste is cross between Duck, and liver. I never freeze them, but we usually eat all the birds we harvest at the end of the weekend.
Thats it, but I have noticed and it comes as no surprise really that if you get a bird that has bleed out alot it does tast better!
Wow does that bring back memories!! Had a lot of Alder patches around my place when i lived in Maine. I was into black powder at the time, but, heard of a old gunsmith who was turning out smooth bores down in New Hampshire, for my 50 Hawkens that I was hunting with at the time. TheyN.H. had a smooth bore/shotgun hunting restriction back then, I assume it is still the same. So the BP boys were buying up these aftermarket barrels to hunt with. So, I drove down and picked one up. Shot well,... grouse, pheasant, and woodcocks soon filled my need for fresh bird.
Woodcock for me was great at breakfast with eggs,... yup, the breast (only part you could eat) was very similar to a liver like taste, almost dark purple colored meat. GOOD STUFF!!
game keeper wrote:Good shootin' Nath. Do you keep the pin feathers?
No as a general rule but these two were hard work and yep I think I will get them and stick them in my hat
76/444 wrote:Wow does that bring back memories!! Had a lot of Alder patches around my place when i lived in Maine. I was into black powder at the time, but, heard of a old gunsmith who was turning out smooth bores down in New Hampshire, for my 50 Hawkens that I was hunting with at the time. TheyN.H. had a smooth bore/shotgun hunting restriction back then, I assume it is still the same. So the BP boys were buying up these aftermarket barrels to hunt with. So, I drove down and picked one up. Shot well,... grouse, pheasant, and woodcocks soon filled my need for fresh bird.
Woodcock for me was great at breakfast with eggs,... yup, the breast (only part you could eat) was very similar to a liver like taste, almost dark purple colored meat. GOOD STUFF!!
I have had a few with a ML shotgun myself, now they do taste good
)
otherwise they resemble what they eat in the taste department - worms. 
