Gun Dog Forum

I hunt a variety of birds but the woodcock is my favorite of them all. By profession I am a forester which puts this little bird right in my wheelhouse. Their flush is similar to a quail but they put more pressure on my wing shooting than any bird I hunt due to the cover I hunt them in. Their erratic flight and innate ability to rub you off on the trees make them a challenge and a barrel of fun. Being it is the last weekend of season I was not going to let it get past me. I loaded the truck in the dark this morning and with cricket riding shotgun cranked up some CCR and hit the road. CCR seems to be mood music for my dog and amps him up. We were treated to a gorgeous blue bird morning. 30 degrees and a light but steady S.E. Breeze. I put the Crickets gps collar and my vest on, and cast cricket out across the wind. With just the dog and me today I was relaxed and took the time to snap a few pics of the pudelpointer pointing his birds.

First point of the morning. The woods are dry and a silent approach is not in the cards. The dog has this birds number and has relocated three times as I approached. Skating across the wind and sticking with it. It was nice work. I stopped and got a pic twice before flushing the bird. Second point was nice! When I got there the dog looked like he was pointing a tree. The bird was moving on the dog but straight up wind and easy picking for the dog. Then it gave me an up your pants leg flush straight in the open for a lay up. More to come.

Third point was spectacular viewing. The dog is looking at this bird. He is quivering nose to tail and his eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head. The dog holds his water and I really want to kill this one for him. Limit is three birds and my dog is not impressed by photo sessions or stopping hunting. I am blessed!

You sure are. Beautiful pics.

Love it! Have to be able to read the dog, including pregame. Nice work.

Garrison

Great stuff, thanks for posting the pics~

Willie T,

Great pictures. Glad to hear someone else likes hunting Doodles. I have hunted them in the upper Midwest, but would like to hunt them in Louisiana or Mississippi.

Grouseman wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 31, 2022 2:59 pm

Willie T,

Great pictures. Glad to hear someone else likes hunting Doodles. I have hunted them in the upper Midwest, but would like to hunt them in Louisiana or Mississippi.

Exploring new country with a good dog scratches an itch that nothing else scratches Grouseman. Good luck to you and your dog(s).

Willie T. Well said. What part of the country do you hunt Woodcock ?