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Please post short reports only, include location (Duh!)
oct 5
newmarket
sadly my first day wc hunting this year :(
3 dogs put up about a dozen flushes in one hour, some repeats I am sure. All in one very small private bush that no one hunts. 6 months old pup had great first time on wild birds.
The pup and I got our 2nd doodle of the season today. I'm only seeing local singles so far. North of Barrie
Went out twice this week, just outside of gta. First moved 3 birds in 2 hour only could shot at 1 (miss). Second time 2 birds 2 hour no shot was taken.
Moved 2 wc, took one and a grouse. Should quit while my shooting percentage is the highest it will be all season! Oct 2 kawarthas
October 5 between 4:00 and 7:00 p.m.
First outing of the year.
Hunting near Bobcaygeon in a "new-to-me" area.
4 year old GSP less than enthusiastic and I'm not sure why?!
Moved 6 grouse but had no shot. (4 seen + 2 heard)
No WC but we walked on the gravel road most of the time.
Oct 6
Newmarket
Hunted the same small bush second day in a row, 4 flushes (one repeat).
Attachment 35873
Today moved 4 birds. Got one miss one and no shot taken at the other two. The cover is to thick.
Ps. Anyone have an idea why my pic is sideway?
Well I don't know what to think of this
In the Kl district,I have been keeping journals of all my WC sightings since 2001 and up till 2014 all seemed normal.
Then the bottom fell out.
Went from sighting well over 100 local birds ( left out flight birds because to include them doesn't paint a true picture)to less than 10. Now let's talk flight birds.there are none.I've read that they are in decline approx 10% /yr.I think it is much worse.It's not the cover.I have scoured miles of the same cover,it is picture perfect.I have chased WC for 40 yrs.,It pains to finally conclude, they are gone.
From Cochrane to New Liskeard.I'm out every evening watching for birds.Nothing.
Where I would see 10-15 per evening I'm seeing 2-3 across the board,many places none.
Can anyone shed any light.We have had 2 consecutive cold wet springs.It is the only variable,but is it enough to have this much of a negative affect.I've seen a drop in grouse which has been attributed to a poor hatch last two yrs but nowhere near as drastic as the drop in WC.Not even close.
ive noticed a healthy number this year :)
5 flushes in a short, mosquito-plagued Hullett hunt this am.
Re decline in wc, Bird Studies Canada shows gradual decline in Ontario population, not 10% per year.
Habitat *is* a big consideration. WC don't just need the classic cover hunters look for. They need singing fields adjacent to that cover. And lots of those singing fields, because males are territorial and don't share their fields.
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October 8.
Went back to my "new" area again but lots of dirt bikes and ATVs there today. (WMU60)
No WC.
Just one ruffie seen late in the day: on the way out by the gravel road, gun safely resting in the back.
I am not an avid WC hunter. I gladly take them while grouse hunting.
Analyzing their numbers is not an easy task IMO because the variables are numerous and we don't necessarily understand the pattern in full.
I hope their decline in numbers - as observed by Couliewalker - is temporary, and I sure hope to see lots of them around for many years to come. Same wishes for grouse! :)
I'm heading out today once this rain dissipates. Primary focus is grouse but I'm not one to discriminate.
I went north (say close to Timmins), also stopeed on the way (south of Sudbury).
No wc in either place, the woods are dry too. So no migration and the local birds are not in the usual places.
I also stopped on the way back around Barrie to watch if any wc would fly at dusk, nothing.
Was out today a little south of London pheasant hunting and was surprised my dog found three woodcock. With the hot temps we have had around here lately didn't expect that yet in that area.
When its time its time always the first to leave but ya with this weather bit of a trickle. Bet those were all femalesQuote:
Originally Posted by fishhawk
Looks like some colder weather and North winds coming...let's hope for the best!
Hunting in the north bay area. Tues afternoon. 2 flushes. Wed - 23. Includes both morning and afternoon hunts. Thursday was the best day. 13 in the morning and then 28 in the afternoon! Hunted again this morning before leaving camp. Only 1 woodcock. Hunted different spots everyday. Never the same trail/bush area.
This is great news, PE5000!
3 dogs and I flushed 3 wc in one hour in GTA today, usually there's more in that area...
Newmarkey today
1 hour 3 wc flushes
Two flushes in short order early this morning, but I wasn't really able to hunt my favorite WC spot because someone decided to make me move by running his dog right over me. Getting sick of these a-holes.
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Was hunting in Huron county today, went 4-6 on woodcock with a bonus grouse. There definitely moving.
I was out near Exeter and didn't move one woodcock. Bumped two grouse though. Now, admittedly my dogs are not exactly great at finding woodcock, but I thought the weather last night would have blown in a bunch.
Went out Yesterday afternoon no birds at all close to Barrie.
Newmarket today
5 flushes
Lambton county had 12 flushes today. Dog won't point them tho. Run em right over almost.
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It will come just let the dog run as many as you can. No shooting tho.
Jozsef
I'm worried that a cold blast will bush woodcock through in a short period.... seems like they stick around for a day or two.... I miss those cool September mornings.... Is it just me, or does it feel like woodock hunting is moving more towards being a November hunt?
Fully agree with you. back in the day Thanksgiving weekend usually marked the beginning and the end. Now a days it seems to be a slow trickle form the beginning to the end of November. Up side get more time in the bush.Quote:
Originally Posted by uplandgamer
Ya I haven't brought the gun along. She seems to be able to find them just not going on point. With planted birds she licks upQuote:
Originally Posted by Jnyiri
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19 flushes today in under 2 hours around Newmarket.
Too many leaves, too hot.
c'mon people, post your reports or I won't bother either.
Didn't even bother today! Hit the cover and the mosquitos were beyond stupid so I called it a morning and hunted pheasants instead.
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21 flushes this morning. 2 dogs. 2.5 hours. Dogs got hot quick. North of london.
Wow, nice! We had 10 flushes today over a GSP, North of Barrie. Yes, bloody hot :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Pigeoneater5000
Well I can't shoot anymore so no nice pics of the dog and woodcock. I could put up one of the dog and me if you like. :)....not.Quote:
Originally Posted by vom Dufenshmirtz
We are still finding woodcock along the Thames near London where I normally have gone.
So a lot of talk about flushes......no one shooting any :confused:?
4 in the vest, now entering my tummy ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
Had four flushes today with one down. What type of habitat are you getting them out of. Mine is real grassy with small sections of trees. Extremely thick around the trees...what's yours look like?https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a8052bd029.jpg
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Went out Wednesday 5-6 flushes got 2.
Jozsef
Well, D. the point of this thread is to follow the migration and help others down south time their 'sick days' as you call them.Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
Today northern GTA I checked my local park wich always ALWAYS holds wc in October, we found nothing.
It's a weird year, first half of the summer was really wet, the second was dry.
In some of the usual covers the ground cover is too thick for wc.
The birds I shot were pretty skinny.
Yesterday I found most of the birds around cedars, which is unusual. They were skittish too.
I'll post a pic and maybe a vid on my daily hunting report threadQuote:
Originally Posted by Eddy22
Where would I find this thread?
My puddlepointer (Sage) and I have been logging some good time in the bush, but don't really know what we're looking for.
We are in Fenwick (Niagara).
Anyone had any luck in Niagara this year?
Sage will point a planted pigeon or chucker, but we've never found a wild bird.
Your pic looks like an aspen growth which is what they like. ... especially young aspen. I find them where it is wet, thick but not swampy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddy22
I got out this morning for a hunt in Huron county. Numerous woodcock where found and I manged to put 5 in the bag and a bonus grouse. Had the Browning 20ga out this morning, made in 69 and still does the trick. Happy hunting everyone.Attachment 35987Attachment 35988Attachment 35989
Good workQuote:
Originally Posted by fishhawk
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Nice! Good ol Huron County :goodstuff:
Newmarket today
7 flushes in 1.5 hours
10 flushes, 3 hours. 1 in the bag, was mostly trying to get my wife her first bird. All birds were in one section of cover, other good spots were empty. Only 1 grouse flush. Oct 23 kawarthas
Got out this morning, nice and cool. Was able to find 10 woodcock and managed to put 6 in the bag and another bonus grouse. Was hunting a bit north of London, seems to still be plenty of woodcock around. Had the 28 gauge out today and it worked perfectly, seems the 28 is just the right gauge for grouse and woodcock.Attachment 36013Attachment 36014Attachment 36015
Nice job fishhawk
Great pictures fishhawk. I managed a grouse today but once my DD retrieved it, it wasn't really worth posing with.... :(
Dilly sorry to hear about your grouse, is your dratharr chewing it up on the retrieve?
Little bit...he is pretty "enthusiastic" and I find grouse more fragile than the pheasants he is used to bringing in. I watched him swallow an entire woodcock once....before he was force fetched...Quote:
Originally Posted by fishhawk
meat was all good.
They are delicious....;)
How did you get it back?Quote:
Originally Posted by dilly
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Lol...meat was fine on the grouse...I didn't get the woodcock back.Quote:
Originally Posted by welsh
What if it was banded, did you check the next day? :)Quote:
Originally Posted by dilly
Didn't bother...LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by vom Dufenshmirtz
Newmarket today
11 flushes in 1.5 hours
They were pretty scattered.
10-15 cm of snow is forecasted in Timmins and full moon is in about one week, so I think the next week will be the last for wc hunting, around here anyways.
Kawarthas today. 2.5 hours 10 wc flushes, 2 grouse flushes 2 wc in the bag. My shooting was poor for some reason today. Also missed a
cottontail that i would have really liked for the frying pan!
South of 401 this morning, slow going with 5 birds flushed. Disappointing as I normally expect lots of birds in last week of Oct.
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Don't worry they are on their way......and so am I. Figure 1 more hunt before I have to head south. Last year a push came through right in the middle of the control hunt and had to sit it out.Quote:
Originally Posted by welsh
I can remember hunting deer in November controlled hunt sitting on a crp field watching and all of a sudden a flight woodcock must have been 15 or 20 of thrm landed around me.just at dark.pretty cool to see
I was out after puddle ducks on the Rideau yesterday afternoon...my son and I counted 9 woodcock flying in singles over space of an hour or so....heading south of the river above Burritts Rapids
Excellent weekend action. Saturday had 2 dogs and 3 gunners out. We stopped counting after 20 flushes. Today just 2 guys and 2 dogs and we had 13 flushes. Hunting west of Stratford area. Woodcock for dinner every night!!
4 inches of snow on the ground yesterday and I'm still seeing a few woodcock here and there
Was out and about around Mount Forest ,Palmerston - Priceville and flushed 7 or 8 without a dog. ( we were not targeting woodcock ) . May go back next weekend and try for some.
Better sooner than later as don't think they'll stick around. Hope you get after them with a dog as for me nothing better than that.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hunter John
I know it would be a blast but I don't have a bird dog, Someday maybe.Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
Ah just get rid of that pup you found. Or I am sure you can burrow one as long you don't mind the handler to tag alongQuote:
Originally Posted by Hunter John
Bounced one off my van windshield this morning on Hwy 26 near Wasaga Beach pulled over but couldn't find it
You mean you didn't get a picture of it? LOL
Nope I was hoping to try one never got one in my hunting daysQuote:
Originally Posted by Sharon
I got pic's of some
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4287/...caf55e19_o.jpg
LOL.......
You'll have to work on getting that van to point them. Not just go in for the kill
Hunted south of the 401 today, found 10 woodcock and put 6 in the bag. Birds seemed very tired with short flight. After the first flush If I missed I would just leave it alone.
Moved four around Stratford this afternoon along with a couple grouse. Probably would have seen/shot more if my dogs were slow and methodical. They are fast and loud.
S of 401, 9 flushes on the morning with only one shooting opportunity. So my shooting was perfect. :)
The one bird shot was a hen with plenty of fat.
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a little late with this post but sounds like most people found birds this weekend. We hunted saturday in the stratford area with 2 dogs and 3 gunners. We had 24 bird flushes and brought home 14. Birds were all super fatty and most were large hens. Now off to Pelee! Maybe find some woodcock down there too while chasing pheasants:)
4 finds on pelee island late last week. All tired low flyers.
Congrats everyone on a decent season. Farewell little suckers ;) see you in March
Never lasts long enough!
Now its grouse time!
yep. big game ends up here tomorrow, all grouse and bunnies from here on out
Went out small game hunting Wednesday morning south of the 401 and got one straggler woodcock. So there might still be a few around the deep south of Ontario.Attachment 36164
I find I usually see stragglers right through to early December.
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Took a stab at one last hunt. Stella found one, I left it untouched. Hope too see it back next year.
May have to team up with them bow hunters to move the control hunt 1 week later.
Yes. I was out yesterday and saw scat here and there.Quote:
Originally Posted by welsh