# Woodcock Flight



## Rysalka (Aug 13, 2008)

Sorry no pictures.
Punk my Springer and went on a morning hunt in one of our Grouse/Woodcock spots, walked twenty feet and flushed and killed a woodcock in heavy cover, Punk hunted dead bird and made a nice retrieve. Took ten more steps and he flushed a double, I pulled the trigger but had forgot to jack a new shell in, so no shot, another late flushed from the same area and got him, again Punk marked and made a nice retrieve. Took about twenty more steps and another flush this time a Grouse, made a luck blind shot, dog made a retrieve of the bird that I though I'd missed. 5 more steps dog works another scent and flushes another Woodcock knocked him down, dog retrieves the bird.
Walk 30 steps to the Trunk looked at my watch and we had hunted exactly 35 minutes.
I guess a day like this makes up for all the miles trudged not seeing hide nore hair of a game bird. 
Punk looked at me when I said, _I_n the truck, like I had lost my mind....whoa man? we quitting now? when the huntings good? I,m not tired or sore yet. 
So for you Southern Mich Hunter there are still flights heading your way.


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## i missed again (Sep 7, 2008)

lots of birds Thursday and Friday but after Friday nights frost did not see one on Saturday ( was hunting northern lower ) good luck down south


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

I hunted Sat night in the Lower Northern and put up 20+ woodies in under two hours of hunting; all in a 10 acre area, 2-3-4 at a time. 

Hunted same area this morning and got into them pretty thick, few solo birds and a pocket of about 8 all bunched together.

Killed a few each day.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

I am still getting reports of plenty of wc in the U.P.
No reason for them to leave with this balmy weather pattern.


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## gspscooter (Aug 17, 2009)

Went north just for the day near mio/lewiston area. No woodies but quite a few grouse. Three between me and my buddy. Probably ten flushes in an hour and half with a few repeat flushes due to poor pellet management:lol:.


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## Grayphase (May 11, 2010)

Getting new birds with each front. Couldnt ask for better weather if W/C are your thing


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Was over in the Hubbard Lake area yesterday and today. Didn't get to hunt too long yesterday, so hit a traditional woodcock flight area I know of that I usually hunt late season-nothing. Today I hunted first thing in the morning, it was awesome out there, we hunted really, really nice cover for the better part of three miles or so, including a swampy conifer area that I've never failed to put up woodcock in-but, again, I always usually hunt this area a bit later in the season. Absolutely nothing in it. Put up four grouse in three hours or so of hunting, brought one home, a red phase. First I've killed in about 10 years, so it was a good day, hoping the woodcock situation is a bit better here at home now than it was the other day-nothing here the last two times out, either. 

I have thought for a number of years now that there is a bit of a lull in between local birds moving further south and flight birds not yet arriving. Looking at the logs I send to the DNR that I keep copies of, there is a lull-sometime just a day or two, sometimes as much as a week. Depends on the weather. But the lull usually always comes quite a bit earlier than this-that's what this dry warm weather has done. I agree with Scott, I think there's still a bunch of birds further north and that we'll probably have woodcock, once a front moves through with a GOOD north wind, not these light breezes we've had, right through the end of the season. 

When does the season end this year, anyway??


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## Grayphase (May 11, 2010)

A good north wind and they will all be in OH.  Been hunting covers that tend to hold mostly flight birds also. Not getting the 20-30 flushes out of them like a normal year. More like 8-15. Which leads me to believe they are just trickling through. Been a strange year starting with late winter drumming and nesting. Bone dry fire to torrential rain and back again. Oh well out first thing in the morning now that most of the warriors have gone home  Somebody has to check covers mon thru thurs


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## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

I hunted the Northeast/east side of the UP Thursday, Friday and Saturday. First time hunting the area so we only got 3-4 hours hunting a day due to the need to scout the area and find spots. We saw 25-30 woodcock each day in that 3-4 hours of hunting. It was pretty good. Not a lot of great spots in that area, but the spots we were able to scrounge up all had good woodcock numbers.


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## kek25 (Jul 9, 2005)

Found lots of woodcock this weekend in the northern lower. Had a couple very unusual bird encounters that I hadn't run into before. Dog would go on point; I'd walk in for the flush and see the bird on the ground. I walked right up to these birds and they just got up and started walking around doing their little waddle with their butt in the air. After walking anywhere between 10 - 20 feet they'd take off. Truth be told I couldn't shoot those birds after they put on their little display for me. My hunting partner said he had run into the same thing the day before. Never had that happen before, and we get into a lot of woodcock year after year.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

The UP still has them
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## milmo1 (Nov 9, 2005)

Hunted several hours on Sunday mid state (about even with Saginaw Bay). Did not flush many birds: 3 grouse, and appx 8 woodcock in about 5 hours hunting (including short travel between areas). 
Maybe next weekend will bring some numbers...


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## jimmyjette14 (Aug 25, 2005)

hunted mid state last 2 week ends. have only seen 3 woodies, and maybe 6 grouse. did flush an owl though. how do they taste anyway


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

kek25 said:


> Found lots of woodcock this weekend in the northern lower. Had a couple very unusual bird encounters that I hadn't run into before. Dog would go on point; I'd walk in for the flush and see the bird on the ground. I walked right up to these birds and they just got up and started walking around doing their little waddle with their butt in the air. After walking anywhere between 10 - 20 feet they'd take off. Truth be told I couldn't shoot those birds after they put on their little display for me. My hunting partner said he had run into the same thing the day before. Never had that happen before, and we get into a lot of woodcock year after year.


Ive been told birds that act that way may well be tired flight birds...makes sense to me. I had several struggle to get up in the air also......mine on the other hand did not have a problem hit'n the ground after a diet of lead.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

jimmyjette14 said:


> hunted mid state last 2 week ends. have only seen 3 woodies, and maybe 6 grouse. did flush an owl though. how do they taste anyway


Like hawks
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## #8 shot (Aug 27, 2009)

Was told last week that they guys in Canada were still getting 40 to 80 flushes a day. Now one guys is pretty truth full guy the other is a fisherman!!


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## kek25 (Jul 9, 2005)

Rugergundog said:


> Ive been told birds that act that way may well be tired flight birds...makes sense to me. I had several struggle to get up in the air also......mine on the other hand did not have a problem hit'n the ground after a diet of lead.


Gene Hill wrote about covers where the woodcock came to rest. He wouldn't hunt them. I thought about that when I watched those birds fly.

We usually find so many woodcock each year that it isn't a problem getting limits just about every time out. Watching the tired birds fly away isn't a big deal. Great for the young dogs.


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## wirehair (Oct 16, 2007)

The NLP woodcock migration will peak the 22nd through 31st.


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## mavericarcher (Oct 12, 2010)

was hunting west of big rapids in he manistee national forest and put up some good grouse numbers but they were all flushing 20-30 yards out. got close to a couple but no down birds. Though put up a few timberdoodles nothin tight together all day dont' think the flights have landed down here yet. 

P.S. any ideas on how to keep those grouse on the ground alittle longer??


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## Rysalka (Aug 13, 2008)

P.S. any ideas on how to keep those grouse on the ground alittle longer??[/QUOTE]

Genetics & Evolution we shoot the ones that set tight, and the runners and wild flushers live to breed in the spring producing another crop of runners and wild flushers...
Quit shooting the easy ones and start killing the ones that are evolving into Road Runners.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

2ESRGR8 said:


> I am still getting reports of plenty of wc in the U.P.
> No reason for them to leave with this balmy weather pattern.


I was in the UP last week, Oct 9 to 16, Michigamme area (west of Marquette) Not many woodcock pointed, 12 total over the week, but each and every morning, just before daylight, when the dawn was upon us we would see and hear woodcock in flight or on the road(s). The morning of Oct 10 we saw at least 30 individual birds. The weather was balmy all week and the wind was non existent until Sat the 16 when it really started to blow. Moved 152 grouse and on our first day we saw none.


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## Rugergundog (May 21, 2008)

mavericarcher said:


> P.S. any ideas on how to keep those grouse on the ground alittle longer??


Be sneaky and slow moving as you approach your pointing dog. I don't know how many times the grouse flushed because i broke a branch or something that made noise.


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## mavericarcher (Oct 12, 2010)

Rugergundog said:


> Be sneaky and slow moving as you approach your pointing dog.


i got a springer/lab mix that is only a year old he is working good but even when he is only 10 feet away they were still going up 20-30 yards away, wet ground so walking was quiet. Dog will get birdy on stuff but do you want to rush in or still sneak??


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## Grouseman2 (Dec 28, 2001)

Bobby said:


> I was in the UP last week, Oct 9 to 16, Michigamme area (west of Marquette) Not many woodcock pointed, 12 total over the week, but each and every morning, just before daylight, when the dawn was upon us we would see and hear woodcock in flight or on the road(s). The morning of Oct 10 we saw at least 30 individual birds. The weather was balmy all week and the wind was non existent until Sat the 16 when it really started to blow. Moved 152 grouse and on our first day we saw none.


Bobby- how many hunters and dogs on the ground at a time?

Scott- In the same area as Bobby we moved maybe 20 some woodcock in 5days. Ran into some guys that said they moved 40 woodcock a day and others that moved 20 some. 

Mike


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

Grouseman2 said:


> Bobby- how many hunters and dogs on the ground at a time?
> 
> Scott- In the same area as Bobby we moved maybe 20 some woodcock in 5days. Ran into some guys that said they moved 40 woodcock a day and others that moved 20 some.
> 
> Mike


2 hunters and one dog per run, 3 dogs total. I'm done running more than a dog at any one time.

Most of the covers we hunt haven't held woodcock in the past. We don't go looking for 'em. There is plenty of woodcock specific cover and these are the areas where we would see the birds prior to sunrise on the road and in the air. We will take woodcock but they aren't a target species when we are in the UP, especially when we are seeing grouse every time we stop the truck. I think we had only 2 dry runs the entire week, a dry run being a run without a bird.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

Some photos

The old Girl still has it. 11.5 years, only on the ground for 20 minutes at a time. Also got the middle of the day. But she still produced, nearly every time down and considering she hasn't been in the woods or on birds since last season (I never take her trianing any more) she stuck her birds and was dead broke on nearly every flush, shot and fall (or miss).










Mr. McNut, the young one. Finished the week sticking 2 separate grouse at the end of a 1.5 hour run. Slammed 'em hard and stood like a champ while we found him and flushed. Missed both, but he did retrieve this bird that we flushed from the trail as he awas working deeper in the woods.











The Virgin Mary Cover. Had a road bird in this spot. Parked, let the old gal out and pinned the bird. Flush, shoot, miss, chase and deeper in the woods find Mother Mary. We hit this cover every other morning the rest of the week and never saw that bird again.









Woodcock on the grille


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## kek25 (Jul 9, 2005)

Looks like you had a great week, Bob. Good to see the old girl can still find them. She looks like she's in excellent shape. Your young male is looking good too. From the photo he looks like a big well built boy.


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

Bobby I am glad you took someone along to shoot some birds for your dogs.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

kek25 said:


> Looks like you had a great week, Bob. Good to see the old girl can still find them. She looks like she's in excellent shape. Your young male is looking good too. From the photo he looks like a big well built boy.


Tugger or Tugnut or Mr. McNut is a young one, good looking too, even thru my kennel blindness. I'm looking forward to the future with him. He likes his birds and when he picked up that first one and delivered it to hand (without any previous lesson) it was a wonderful. Wish I caught it on film. But the way he stuck the 2 separate grouse at the end of a long run was even better. It made my week.



2ESRGR8 said:


> Bobby I am glad you took someone along to shoot some birds for your dogs.


I did hit 3 woodcock, out of 4 I shot at, but only a single grouse out of 10 we bagged. And it was actually in flight 

The rest of the season the dogs are screwed on the shooter.


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## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

This morning I was deer hunting along a creek in Eaton Rapids. Just as the day was beginning to break, I was buzzed by three woodcock -- one after another within a span of about a minute. They all put down in the same clump of dogwoods on the other side of the creek. Have to imagine those were flight birds.


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## Randle (Nov 6, 2000)

Bobby, Nice dog/bird pictures. Whats up with the beeper around the waist of the dog? Never seen that before.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

Randle said:


> Bobby, Nice dog/bird pictures. Whats up with the beeper around the waist of the dog? Never seen that before.


He's still in training.
It's a belly band/training E collar. I use the neck collar for handling, the belly collar for whoa/stop chasing etc. If he's not handling, turning when I command he get's a little reminder at the neck.

If he chases birds he gets a little reminder on the belly. The neck stimulation is coming fom me, the belly stimulation is brought on by the bird.
He's basically broke on woodcock and pigeons, but those grouse are still biting him.


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## Northbound (Sep 17, 2000)

Today, NW wind in Da Yooper. Here in the NWLP, scattered rain, NW wind and rain predicted for tonight.

Will that cause more WC to move south? 
Or is the party pretty much over?


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

Northbound said:


> Today, NW wind in Da Yooper. Here in the NWLP, scattered rain, NW wind and rain predicted for tonight.
> 
> Will that cause more WC to move south?
> Or is the party pretty much over?


 And don't forget a full moon.
My guess is yes they willl be moving in force now or at least the main push of what seems to be trickle migrations for many years now.


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## wirehair (Oct 16, 2007)

I hope you are right. 
I have next week free. :idea:
I'll go check the NLP for signs.


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## Grouseman2 (Dec 28, 2001)

Bobby said:


> Tugger or Tugnut or Mr. McNut is a young one, good looking too, even thru my kennel blindness. I'm looking forward to the future with him. He likes his birds and when he picked up that first one and delivered it to hand (without any previous lesson) it was a wonderful. Wish I caught it on film. But the way he stuck the 2 separate grouse at the end of a long run was even better. It made my week.


Looking good Bobby. 

I was able to capture a photograph of my 4 months old pointer.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Watch the weather in the UP tonight, if it freezes up there, party's on...or at least a trickle party...it's going to warm right back up...

Headed out on an exploratory mission to another area tomorrow, Northbound. Will let you know the results.


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

You only need three, but for you pointing dog folk, I ran into a flight tonight, dam birds get in the way of a real grouse hunt, found some dem too....

I had a dozen doodle birds on an alder edge with grouse aged aspen and some dotted pines in, after I hacked and yelled at the dog to knock it off we went and found a spot sands WC.

Seems to me all the doodles you want and need to find will be around till the end of the season.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

Yes, we only need three, but I don't even need that many. 

I decided a few years ago that it's not about shooting them-at all-anymore, it's about the dog work and having fun out there. If all we ever went for was grouse, life would be pretty darn boring a great deal of the time, and we'd be doing a lot of 30 mile all day marches. 

I'm out there to have fun, not for really long walks enjoying the scenery. So I don't call my dog off the woodcock, in fact, I do key in on them, but I only bring home one or two a week, if that. I shoot up in the air two thirds of the time, and I think that's what a lot of people do. 

And nothing's more fun than getting into a pack of birds.


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## BradU20 (Jan 17, 2005)

Linda G. said:


> I shoot up in the air two thirds of the time, and I think that's what a lot of people do.


Can I ask, what the point of this is?


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## augustus0603 (Oct 24, 2005)

BradU20 said:


> Can I ask, what the point of this is?


You must be a joy to go hunting with. Get over it.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

BradU20 said:


> Can I ask, what the point of this is?


Brad
When I don't want to shoot woodcock I have started carrying my blank pistol. When I 'think' the dog is pointing a woodcock I will shoot my blank when the bird flushes (cheaper) and this gives the dog a "reward" for pointing and being steady. But I'm also always keeping in mind that it's always field trial training (for the FT mutts)


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## BradU20 (Jan 17, 2005)

augustus0603 said:


> You must be a joy to go hunting with. Get over it.


Get over what? I asked Linda a question about something she said. 
Is that OK? 



Bobby said:


> Brad
> When I don't want to shoot woodcock I have started carrying my blank pistol. When I 'think' the dog is pointing a woodcock I will shoot my blank when the bird flushes (cheaper) and this gives the dog a "reward" for pointing and being steady. But I'm also always keeping in mind that it's always field trial training (for the FT mutts)


I know why you do it Bob, makes sense for field trialing. 
Linda doesn't trial, so I thought I would ask her why she does it... I assume she is "rewarding" the dog. But, I'll let her answer (if that's OK with my buddy augustus)


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

I just shot twice on the air at a grouse. No reward for the dog.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

Steelheadfred said:


> I just shot twice on the air at a grouse. No reward for the dog.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I'm really good at rewarding my dog by shooting air. It's kind of my thing.


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## augustus0603 (Oct 24, 2005)

BradU20 said:


> Get over what? I asked Linda a question about something she said.
> Is that OK?


I'm sorry that I snapped like that, but you were also questioning someone else in an earlier thread why they shot at woodcock when they weren't trying to hit them, last week. 

My cousin is an avid field trialer and helps me train my dogs. I don't have a blank pistol so I fire my shotgun to "reward" the dog. My dogs aren't trained to wing and shot and break at the flush. If I flush a bird and they don't see it, I fire my gun to let them know they did their job. If I were training them to hold as in a field trial setting, I would probably use a blank pistol and usually do out of season.

Like I said in the earlier thread, I just like to hear the gun go off. Many a live grouse and woodcock can attest to that.


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## Rysalka (Aug 13, 2008)

Hmmm,,never thought of it that way, guess I've been rewarding my dog all year and never knew it...what would hitting one be called? Punishment?:yikes: Oh gee:tdo12:! Now I have to go and retrieve the smelly little bugger?:tsk:


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## augustus0603 (Oct 24, 2005)

Rysalka said:


> Hmmm,,never thought of it that way, guess I've been rewarding my dog all year and never knew it...what would hitting one be called? Punishment?:yikes: Oh gee:tdo12:! Now I have to go and retrieve the smelly little bugger?:tsk:


If you break it down, isn't that the whole point of hunting birds with a pointer? 

Dog points bird
Man/Woman flushes bird
Man/Woman shoot bird (hopefully)

Personally, I don't care if I shoot them or not. I just like to get out and hunt. We put a lot of time, money, and effort 10 months out of the year for these magical 2+ months of hunting. It just seems different than training in the late winter/early spring. 

Get out there and shoot some holes in the remaining leaves.


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## Rysalka (Aug 13, 2008)

augustus0603 said:


> If you break it down, isn't that the whole point of hunting birds with a pointer?
> 
> Dog points bird
> Man/Woman flushes bird
> ...


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## honk/quack (Dec 18, 2009)

No, more like Loon or Bald Eagle . . . :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Northbound (Sep 17, 2000)

Nope no woodcock today just 3 grouse.

Would have liked to rewarded my dog, but, well..."that's all I have to say about that"


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

was a huge waste of time. 

It was beautiful there, especially when neither one of us had been there in more than 10 years, oddly, even though it's only an hour or so away. 

BUT there were people EVERYWHERE. And every cover we did find empty probably had someone in it this morning, (I had to work till almost noon), as we found fresh boot prints in every single place we tried to hunt-which was five different areas, five different types of habitat, spread out over about 50 miles. 

We saw more orange than we ever usually see all season. And what wasn't wearing orange was camping, bow hunting, heck, we even had a guy go through on a mountain bike. I can only imagine what a circus it is at this time of the year on a weekend. 

Saw four deer, heard one barred owl at dark, put up four grouse, one came down, the rest we never even saw (they were in the thick swamp, pushed down there by hunters, I bet), and four woodcock, of which only one acted like a flight bird. 

Oh well...

full moon tonight, hope for the best, but with a southwest wind, well...

as for the discussion above, the reward for my dog is finding the bird, pointing the bird, and hearing the gun go off. I can assure you he could care less about the bird going down...in fact, half the time, he's already off to find another one and if I want him to hunt dead, I have to call him back. He retrieves only when forced to, or when there's another dog around. 

He is not a retriever that lives for the feathers in his mouth. He's a pointing dog that lives to find and point birds. He gets plenty of reward. In fact, most setters I know prefer to leave the dirty work of retrieving dead birds to lesser species of dogs...LOL

I'm out there because I love being out there at this time of the year, watching good dog work in the company of good friends. You never have to kill a bird at all to get that...


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## milmo1 (Nov 9, 2005)

Linda G. said:


> In fact, most setters I know prefer to leave the dirty work of retrieving dead birds to lesser species of dogs...LOL


 
:tdo12: oh no you didn't! 

You know thats why they hate us setter owners - too aloof.


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## WestCoastHunter (Apr 3, 2008)

Linda G. said:


> He is not a retriever that lives for the feathers in his mouth. He's a pointing dog that lives to find and point birds. He gets plenty of reward. In fact, most setters I know prefer to leave the dirty work of retrieving dead birds to lesser species of dogs...LOL


I'm waiting for the Michigan NSTRA to pile onto you.

You have my sympathy.


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## Firemedic (Apr 5, 2005)

Why would NSTRA "pile" on her? If that's what she wants/accepts, who cares.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Buddwiser (Dec 14, 2003)

Spent most of last week on Drummond Island and saw far more wc then grouse. Seven people in the group and limits were had each day.


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## FieldWalker (Oct 21, 2003)

Buddwiser said:


> Spent most of last week on Drummond Island and saw far more wc then grouse. Seven people in the group and limits were had each day.


Lies!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Merimac (Jan 17, 2006)

I got back last night. Equal #s of Grouse and WC. Some big birds this year.


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## N M Mechanical (Feb 7, 2008)

Buddwiser said:


> Spent most of last week on Drummond Island and saw far more wc then grouse. Seven people in the group and limits were had each day.


No grouse left on the island 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## milmo1 (Nov 9, 2005)

Hunted new cover in Wexford County, Missaukee county, migrating east to Gladwin county on Saturday. Flushed *0 *woodcock. Very surprised as we flushed a few doodles last week at same latitude, and I thought we'd get some new birds with the full moon. Flushed 5 grouse in last 20 minutes of shooting time, only one offered a shot and it was missed.
Originally planned to stay the night in the area, but scrapped the idea as it would continue to rain, and hopes of woodcock were dashed.
Not sure where they went...


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## GameTracker (Dec 11, 2006)

Spent whole last week on western side of UP. Woodcock were definitely gone since we managed to find a 0-1 bird a day. Grouse on the other hand were plentiful.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

I didn't run into the numbers of woodcock I was hoping for in Kalkaska Co. this past weekend. My sleeping in and then the rain put a damper on my time in the field. But the youngster had 4 solid grouse points and I even killed one. He also had 2 woodcock (and 2 grouse on the same run, (one was a 4 bird brood (say that 4 times))) The woodcock didn't fly like flight birds. I think they flew to Crawford Co.

Maybe they'll still be around next weekend. I have 4 days in the north country.


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## Grayphase (May 11, 2010)

Flew good numbers of woodcock last week mon-wed. Not as many thur even fewer fri. 16 of 21 taken were flight birds. Still mostly females. Should get the final push with any weather. Linda is right about hunters. Saw more hunters thur-fri than I have all season.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

I didn't see another hunter Sat or Sun. I didn't see another truck on Saturday and I was in a popular place. Odd..............


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## slammer (Feb 21, 2006)

Took a 2 man limit of grouse and woodcock in 3 hours of hunting in the northern lower over a flushing dog that does not quite get it yet. Just about stepped on 30+ woodcock, they were thick in my normal areas. Even moved a few woodcock out of the pine thickets.


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## milmo1 (Nov 9, 2005)

slammer said:


> Took a 2 man limit of grouse and woodcock in 3 hours of hunting in the northern lower



Should've gone with my gut and aimed further north.

I too saw very few other hunters - and in some pretty popular places. Maybe those guys already knew the birds were not around in #'s.


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## augustus0603 (Oct 24, 2005)

Bobby said:


> I didn't run into the numbers of woodcock I was hoping for in Kalkaska Co. this past weekend. My sleeping in and then the rain put a damper on my time in the field. But the youngster had 4 solid grouse points and I even killed one. He also had 2 woodcock (and 2 grouse on the same run, (one was a 4 bird brood (say that 4 times))) The woodcock didn't fly like flight birds. I think they flew to Crawford Co.
> 
> Maybe they'll still be around next weekend. I have 4 days in the north country.


They didn't fly to my area of Crawford Co. Very few flushed on Friday and some of Saturday. Had to quit because of the rain. It was nasty Saturday afternoon.


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## RecurveRx (Jun 21, 2004)

Bobby said:


> I didn't see another hunter Sat or Sun. I didn't see another truck on Saturday and I was in a popular place. Odd..............


That's because they were all up in the Pigeon River Forest. I couldn't believe the number of hunters, many with out of state tags.


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## Grass Shrimp (Jun 16, 2004)

God bless the internet and people with big pie-holes. If you are doing well in kalkaska county then don't tell people that you are doing well in kalkaska county. Before you know it everyone, including out of staters are going to focus on, wait for it, kalkaska county. I have been having no problem finding spots with no hunters. I tend to go beyond the radius of most people and find solitude for me and my dog. Sometimes I have to carry a shotgun in one hand and a machete in the other. It's alright to boast about your success just say northwest michigan instead of pinpointing a certain county that may also have lots of public land. Just sharing some of my wisdom passed down from much wiser hunters of years past. If you find something good then reserve the details for you and your close friends.


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## GSP Gal (Nov 12, 2005)

I was out in my favorite spot for only about a hour and a half. Moved 7 birds mostly WC, but they were in a little different cover in the same general area. Had to come back in, got caught in a down pour. They are predicting warm temps and high winds tomorrow.

We shall see what that brings. Its been so dry, it was nice to get out of the truck and see worms on the two track.


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## Bobby (Dec 21, 2002)

Grass Shrimp said:


> God bless the internet and people with big pie-holes. If you are doing well in kalkaska county then don't tell people that you are doing well in kalkaska county. Before you know it everyone, including out of staters are going to focus on, wait for it, kalkaska county. I have been having no problem finding spots with no hunters. I tend to go beyond the radius of most people and find solitude for me and my dog. Sometimes I have to carry a shotgun in one hand and a machete in the other. It's alright to boast about your success just say northwest michigan instead of pinpointing a certain county that may also have lots of public land. Just sharing some of my wisdom passed down from much wiser hunters of years past. If you find something good then reserve the details for you and your close friends.


I gotcha Shrimpy.
Try this spot, hold your breath
44.7838, -85.0242


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## OHIO VIZSLA (Sep 7, 2007)

WestCoastHunter said:


> I'm waiting for the Michigan NSTRA to pile onto you.
> 
> You have my sympathy.


 
I'm sure NSTRA members will leave the "piling on" to lesser species of dog trainers.


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## FindTheBird (Dec 18, 2004)

Wasn't shotgunning, but found a few close to home in S. MI this evening for my 16 week-old--based her response to the few wild contacts she's had this year I've decided that I have a keeper.


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## Brian121208 (Dec 4, 2008)

Bobby said:


> I gotcha Shrimpy.
> Try this spot, hold your breath
> 44.7838, -85.0242


Haha
You may have got your fishin spots mixed up with your huntin spots.


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## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

Brian121208 said:


> Haha
> You may have got your fishin spots mixed up with your huntin spots.


We had a dry month of August. That spot's loaded w/ WC


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## Troutlord1 (Jun 6, 2007)

I spent this past Sunday and Monday on state land in the Thumb near the Cass River chasin Grouse and Woodies and I put up zero!! I was wondering what the heck was going on with not seeing a single bird and remembered oh yeah I am in the Thumb :lol: But seriously
I have spent many years (well about 10 maybe) hunting state land there and I always put up a bird or 2 and some times had some good days but this past trip was just odd. But oh well it was good to get out with the dog and just have fun!!


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## GSP Gal (Nov 12, 2005)

Troutlord1 said:


> I spent this past Sunday and Monday on state land in the Thumb near the Cass River chasin Grouse and Woodies and I put up zero!! I was wondering what the heck was going on with not seeing a single bird and remembered oh yeah I am in the Thumb :lol: But seriously
> I have spent many years (well about 10 maybe) hunting state land there and I always put up a bird or 2 and some times had some good days but this past trip was just odd. But oh well it was good to get out with the dog and just have fun!!


My favorite spot is a popple slashing that usually holds tons of woodies. The leaves are gone, so are the birds. They were in the same area, but under bushes that still had leaves, like the shorter dogwood bushes near blown down trees. There is witch hazel, but a really thick spot that provided somewhat of a canopy. And since it has been so dry, I was looking for little watering holes, and I have had good luck along river beds. Tough walking though.

This time of year, you gotta ask yourself, if I didn't want to be a hawk dinner, and still needed to eat dinner myself, where would I need to be?


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## Buddwiser (Dec 14, 2003)

FieldWalker said:


> Lies!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Notice I did not say WHO limited out.:lol:


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## wyle_e_coyote (Aug 13, 2004)

Buddwiser said:


> Notice I did not say WHO limited out.:lol:



Woodcock...I didn't see any woodcock. All gone...all moved south.


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## Troutlord1 (Jun 6, 2007)

GSP Gal said:


> My favorite spot is a popple slashing that usually holds tons of woodies. The leaves are gone, so are the birds. They were in the same area, but under bushes that still had leaves, like the shorter dogwood bushes near blown down trees. There is witch hazel, but a really thick spot that provided somewhat of a canopy. And since it has been so dry, I was looking for little watering holes, and I have had good luck along river beds. Tough walking though.
> 
> This time of year, you gotta ask yourself, if I didn't want to be a hawk dinner, and still needed to eat dinner myself, where would I need to be?


I hunted some really thick stuff with alot of ground cover and along the edges of swamps and marshy areas that were thick. I am still sore today from it :lol:


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