Woodcock reports 2021

[Deerman]

Was out today in Flamborough. 10 birds in an hour and half. Fun to watch the dog. Found them in grassy openings inside cedar stands bordering hardwoods. Only got one. Very poor shooting. BA8C9059-1E70-429A-BADB-8D299A112420.jpeg

[vom Dufenshmirtz]

5 wc 1 grouse today, slim pickings

[Lor79]

Hasn't been a great year for me with woodcock this season, just seems as though they bypassed the places where I usually find quite a few of them. Was hoping to get the pup on some big flights, but it didn't pan out. Will try and get out later this week and see what happens - will report back but I am pretty sure they are gone for the most part where I hunt.
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[finsfurfeathers]

Hasn't been a great year for me with woodcock this season, just seems as though they bypassed the places where I usually find quite a few of them. Was hoping to get the pup on some big flights, but it didn't pan out. Will try and get out later this week and see what happens - will report back but I am pretty sure they are gone for the most part where I hunt.
IMG_9838.jpg

Ya think this year was an odd season. Started seeing birds in the 407/keele area end of Aug. Tried too convince myself they were locals as don't see 'em again till the migration is in full swing. In hind sight I believe they were on the move early this year for some unknown reason and didn't stay long in any one place.

[fishhawk]

FFF maybe a sign of a bad winter this year.

[huntervinni]

Something is definitely not normal this year. Early migration, forest fires in northern Ontario, dryer than normal in norther Ontario, no real killer frost yet and we are in November now......I can't put my finger on it.

[Lor79]

Hunted 2.5hrs today north of Barrie and put up 5 woodcock and two grouse. The pup did great with three solid points on her own, very happy with her progress. Some patches of snow here and there, great day to be out. Still a few stragglers around , so get out there !
Lorenzo

[Cratylus]

I signed up to participate in this thread—I’ve gotten some use out of the updates here and I thought I’d share my own.

Hunting in 92B, yesterday, I put up the same resident birds I’ve seen all season. Nothing seems to have moved where I am.

Thanks for the updates, they’re super helpful.

[finsfurfeathers]

I signed up to participate in this thread—I’ve gotten some use out of the updates here and I thought I’d share my own.

Hunting in 92B, yesterday, I put up the same resident birds I’ve seen all season. Nothing seems to have moved where I am.

Thanks for the updates, they’re super helpful.

Sometimes I wish they were colour coded. Wondering if the same resident birds you've seen all season are not ones that have replace the ones that moved on? Are you able to determine the ratio of males to female? The last hunt I was on most were males which some believe is an indication the bulk of the flight has passed through.

[Cratylus]

Sometimes I wish they were colour coded. Wondering if the same resident birds you've seen all season are not ones that have replace the ones that moved on? Are you able to determine the ratio of males to female? The last hunt I was on most were males which some believe is an indication the bulk of the flight has passed through.

I’m afraid I’m not good enough at sexing woodcock to tell you about what I’ve seen and I haven’t shot enough to give you a good indication anyway.

I think it would be unlikely, given the consistency of the location, number, and lack of hunting pressure that the birds I’ve been seeing are migratory. I’m also basing this on some info I’d heard this week from Michigan that their birds are staying put.
My theory has been that there have been a few a periods of activity tied with heavy frosts in Muskoka and north, but because this hasn’t been consistent, most birds are taking their time working south.

I think the picture has also been muddied by the strange/dry spring that seemed to have caused an unusual return and maybe some unusual movements after the fact?

You might be right that I’m just seeing a slow trickle passing through, but I think they’ll still be moving after Remembrance Day.

Best