Woodcock flights

[Big D]

I grew up in scrapple country, and finally have found a source for it here in Flatland Country (in fact, had some for breakfast today). I never heard the mudbat term.

I remember my dad talking in the duck blind about "Helldivers" and "Blue Peters" to describe grebes and coots . Don't remember which is which

[Big D]

YES!

[Dean Romig]

I'm heading to Vermont for the weekend hoping to catch a lingering flight of Gypsydoodles.

Missed going up this weekend because of promises and prior commitments - hope I didn't miss it.





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[SXS OHIO]

I hunted Felch Mi last week....I did not move any cock but my buddy did kill two and moved a couple more in the wet areas. I had a great time enjoying the woods, it only rained two days but we hunted anyway. Grouse hunting was very good about 6 flushes per hour in good cover. Birds were not holding very well and have been pressured pretty hard everyday. The ones I gunned had been eating clover....now I have a couple meals of organic grouse in the freezer...yummy No porkies , one leg hold my friends Visla found. SXS Ohio

[Dean Romig]

Is your friend’s Visla okay?

What do you suppose that trap was out there for? To the best of my knowledge trapping season for fur bearers is not open this early....




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[Jean Swanson]

My friend Dr. John Sinclair hunted in Nebraska for pheasant a few years back & along a ditch line his Brit got her head caught in a coyote snare, lucky he had a pair of wire cutters in his hack pack or would have lost his Brit.

Always be prepared !!!
Allan

[SXS OHIO]

Dean....pup did not have any lasting issues. That trap was set in National forest land on the edge of the walking trail not far from the cabin we stay in. The trap had no name on it, my friend took the trap and left a note for the person who owned it. My setter Ruby has been in two leg holds in Potter county P.A. Both times I was the one bleeding not the dog. The first time Ruby latched on to my left hand and would not let go. I got both hands in her mouth to keep her from really hearting me while my friend un-trapped her. Soon as her paw was free she stopped chomping on me. The second time I was alone, I put my hunting vest over her head and used one hand to press the one lever and my knee to press the other, it opened just a little and she got free. Just in the nick of time as her head got out through the arm opening right next to my face. I had one small cut from something? I also found a big conibear trap in Kansas in a fence row on dry land, it was re-least when I found it but my whole boot fit in that one. It took some work but its now in my shed. We found out later that a nabor boy had set it, but it was not on his land. Nothing was ever said about the issue to avoid conflict. A dog could be killed outright by a trap like that. I have made ropes to open them but its still really hard job that can't be done fast or easy. Stay away from beaver ponds and buckets that have them type of traps. Don't let your dog wade in the water. I bought a 4 1/2" cordless grinder to cut the steel hoops, they are about 3/8 spring steel and even a grinder takes time that the dog does not have! Its heavy to carry but the rope deal is too slow, dog will be dead. I wish we knew if traps were in a area so we could avoid them. SXS Ohio

[Louis Rotelli]

I am also planning on going to VT this weekend. I'll report back on the woodcock numbers encountered as well as the grouse.

[Dean Romig]

Wow! That’s very upsetting. I never even considered the danger of traps as legal trapping seasons in the Northeast don’t begin until later in the year. Definitely will be more prepared from now on.





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[Ed Norman]

I hunted wednesday afternoon, I had about 6 grouse and 6 woodcock points in about an hour. It was one of the best hunting days I have ever witnessed. There seemed to be more woodcock than usual in the area I hunted, either birds stacking up, or maybe some flight birds. Today, I hunted in snow and 30 mph winds, my brittany got birdy several times, but no points, I only hunted an hour or so. I did not hunt in one of my woodcock areas, I just walked 2 tracks and let the dog run. My buddy got 8 woodcock points and 2 grouse points in small evergreens this morning. He has been seeing a lot of woodcock all season. He cannot tell either if flight birds are here because of how many woodcock there are all over. Its a nice problem to have