What's the word on the migration status? Anyone seeing good numbers yet?
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What's the word on the migration status? Anyone seeing good numbers yet?
Couldn't say. Seems like a delayed season. Most of the birds taken so far still haven't fully feathered out much less developed their saddle bags. With this weather expect a push though not a clue where. Looks like going to poke around west Barrie tommorrow.
The next week is looking warm. Brutal.
may not be bad for some. Should stall the migration and with a south wind hold 'em up. 401 corridor may be the tickect.
had a number drop in last week--where I hunt near Bruce county--then everything shut down with the warmer temps--guys are still getting them way up north--I think with the next cold spell good numbers should be on the move.
I spent about ten hours roaming the wilderness north-east of North Bay yesterday. My GSP is not the greatest but we did not see a single WC.
Moved 9 in Niagara on Saturday. All isolated finds, leading me to think local birds.
As it happens it was such a pretty morning yesterday, I took my little cocker into the woods behind my house in south Brant. It is not a very high percentage spot and only affords about an hour's walk. However, he put up five and I got two. As a bonus he also flushed a grouse. I did not even think of shooting as I have not seen one back there in a couple of years. I hope my little foray would indicate Woodcook are on the move and grouse on the rebound.
Guess I'll have to try to get into a couple on Saturday before heading into deer camp
My daughter was walking her brittany this morning before work, in town, just south of Huntsville. They hit a flight of a couple dozen!
I had a buddy hunt near hullett on Wednesday (Nov 2nd) Said he put up 24. he said dog got hot real fast and kept bumping birds. I was out Sunday and moved 22. Hunting Huron County area as well.
Was out Sunday in prime cover . Not a bird to be found. I know people who hunted near Sudbury this weekend and only saw 1 bird in two days. Say what you want , but the dry bushes may have caused birds to shift their migration routes. Global warming is affecting them good.
Reading reports out of Michigan , hunters have had a fantastic year . Leads me to think birds are moving in that location.
For me Global warming has been a good thing when it comes to woodcock hunting. In Dad's day woodcock was done by Thanskgiving and sure there where days of incredible numbers it was a fleeting thing. I much perfer these days that from from Sept 25 (earlier if you don't mine the pin feathers) too mid november you can find a steady stream of birds comming down.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank16
I definitely had a weird and poor season. No birds where I always find them until mid-October and then very slow and very skinny birds.Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank16
I don't think they had a good year. Let's not forget, the weather in the spring when the little ones need to feed and grow is crucial to the clutch survival. I've seen dry bush before, but this year, it was dry for a long time. Even looking at soy beans harvest, it was early.
Hope we get better season on 2023.
Problem is deer hunting season ruins it for many! My area has steady deer hunters and the farmers won't let me hunt till after the shotgun deer season. And many times the birds are gone!Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
Agree with you there. We should petition to move the deer season forward 1 week. Stuck at work today thinking full moon, cold front moving through next couple of days should have the birds stacked in the southwest like cord wood. Will all be gone by MondayQuote:
Originally Posted by Frank16
Tomorrow hitting what I call the gold mine! But with deer hunting pressure this week and weather changing fast these birds have probably moved on. Last year this time I went to this spot and found chalk everywhere ! Had I been there the day before, which was the last day of deer season, the woodcock would have been stacked on top of each other!
Have not seen much of a large migration...A few here and there, but starting to see the males which from my understanding migrate later than the hens..
Waiting on the update feast or famine, happy dogs or see ya next year?Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank16
Unlike for most things "It ain't over till the fat lady sings" when it comes to woodcock when them little males show up its pretty much over.Quote:
Originally Posted by BDH
Hit the gold mine today and the mine was dried up! NOTHING! Not even chalk marks!! I am convinced birds changed migration routes. The hound did find a couple hares tho! I thought I would see something for sure as the property butts up against a swamp. NOTHING! ZIPPO!