What do dogs know that we do not??

[Harold Pickens]

I am dead serious here. I recently smoked a big batch of grouse(10) and pheasant(8) and 6 woodcock. This stuff never lasts long when I bring it out!
I am not overly fond of eating woodcock, and thus don't shoot very many of them, unless over young dogs. I gave each of my dogs( 3 setters) a smoked woodcock fillet, and they would not eat it, honestly. The little house dog, Huck Finn also turned up his nose at it. I left the woodcock in their bowls all day, and they just ate around them--and they would eat all the grouse and pheasant pieces that I would give them.
Very interesting.

[Harold Pickens]

I smoke all the birds as boneless fillets, with a rub very heavy on brown sugar. I then cut them into strips and vacuum seal them. I always bring a big batch to Hausmanns with me for our little group of campers and Edgars rib fest!

[mobirdhunter]

My current dogs will not do more than "mouth" a freshly shot woodcock for a second or two -- no retrieving at all. I had a friend whose dog would not point a woodcock, but was excellent on all other upland birds he hunted. My friend characterized his dog as wearing a clothespin on his nose when he hunted woodcock.

But I have had several dogs that were exceptional woodcock dogs, although I did not fix filets for them and don't know if they would eat them or not. When Elaine finds some older birds in the freezer she fixes them for the dogs in a variety of ways. She also makes jerky for the dogs from ground venison that we don't use. As my Pop would say of Elaine's work to fix special treats for the dogs, they were "eating way up on top of the hog." Harold, I'm sure he say the same for your pups, even if they are "picky" eaters.

[Ron Scott]

My lab loves to work on, flush, and retrieve woodcock. She also loves them sauteed in butter, except I get first dibs.

[10 bore]

Originally Posted by Ronald Scott

My lab loves to work on, flush, and retrieve woodcock. She also loves them sauteed in butter, except I get first dibs.

That's because labs eat anything !
Scott

[chris dawe]

Well my 15 year old Drhathaar can't turn around fast enough to eat his own crap !!!( and yes I've tried all the remedies)What he knows he's welcome to keep to himself!

[Phil C]

Originally Posted by scott kittredge

That's because labs eat anything !
Scott

Maybe the Woodcock taste a lot like a dove. One morning while shooting dove a friends lab would go retrieve a dove then lay down and preceded to lick his private parts.
After a few times of doing this I asked what’s wrong with your dog? He doesn’t seem to be very energetic today.
Oh nothing wrong with him he is just trying to get the taste of the dove out of his mouth.

[Gary Laudermilch]

Dove and woodcock should not be mentioned in the same sentence when referring to taste. I have tried woodcock about every way imaginable and they just suck, in my opinion. Don't shoot them any more but the dogs like to work them especially now that they tend to run some.

Chris, you do have a way with words.

[Opening Day]

Originally Posted by Harold Lee Pickens

I am dead serious here. I recently smoked a big batch of grouse(10) and pheasant(8) and 6 woodcock. This stuff never lasts long when I bring it out!
I am not overly fond of eating woodcock, and thus don't shoot very many of them, unless over young dogs. I gave each of my dogs( 3 setters) a smoked woodcock fillet, and they would not eat it, honestly. The little house dog, Huck Finn also turned up his nose at it. I left the woodcock in their bowls all day, and they just ate around them--and they would eat all the grouse and pheasant pieces that I would give them.
Very interesting.

Sorry Harold I don't understand, why shoot them if you are not going to eat them. I've hunted my dogs for years on woodcock great for training but I don't like them either so I don't shoot and move the dog on to the next cover. Sorry just I just don't agree

[Harold Pickens]

As I stated, I only shoot them over the young dogs when training. I am in woodcock Central for 14 days and could shoot my limit everyday. But I only shot 6 in two weeks.