# woodcock



## h rap brown (Aug 8, 2012)

anybody in the Lansing area seen any woodcock activity at the state complex area


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## flyfish (Dec 4, 2001)

Hunt that area frequently, was there last weekend, did not see any woodcock. Have seen them there late fall.


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## h rap brown (Aug 8, 2012)

thanks there is usually a batch that come in the early spring probably a week away i guess


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Wont be long!!!!


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

2weeks after 1st robin


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## h rap brown (Aug 8, 2012)

talked to a friend has only put up a few at the killdeer plains in mid ohio that place usually has them by now so it looks like st paddy's day before its on


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## SwingOak (Apr 30, 2012)

Woodcock follow the snow line north in the spring. Sandhill cranes are back in central Wisconsin too, which usually means the woodcock are coming through soon.


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## h rap brown (Aug 8, 2012)

i heard some sandhill cranes in the Brighton rec area a few days ago


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Up in the mio area I got here last year after the pandemic started on Mar 16. They weren't up here for a good while after that. We still had plenty of snow and ice. But the snow was probably less than 25% clear when they got here. Even now I can find a handful of cleared areas so they must know where to find them or can see them when they are flying overhead.

They seem to hang our in the spring especially around clearings that get a lot of sun and hide along the edges. I know that's where they roost in clearings and do their crazy fluttering at evening.


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## wirehair (Oct 16, 2007)

Was near Cheboygan over the weekend. Pretty much frozen solid.


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## nick brown (Mar 6, 2012)

First one of the year was peenting behind the house tonight. Seems a little early to me. Maybe he’s lost.


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## U.P.Grouse Chaser (Dec 27, 2018)

Hit the popple whips on south facing ridges this past weekend here in Dickinson county . We found some bare ground and some ruffed grouse No woodcock yet. I am hopeful for this weekend with it being in the 50's up here yesterday and today our snow is going to take a beating.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

nick brown said:


> First one of the year was peenting behind the house tonight. Seems a little early to me. Maybe he’s lost.


Not really!


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

A lot of the open fields were clear around me yesterday. Ground is still a little hard and I cut through 16 inches of ice on the beaver pond. But some of this melting snow is going to accumulate and wet down the ground as it melts for sure. I saw a grouse yesterday but no wc. All rotten snow in this specific area.


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## #8 shot (Aug 27, 2009)

First woodcock point tonight behind the house. They have returned


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## 2ESRGR8 (Dec 16, 2004)

#8 shot said:


> First woodcock point tonight behind the house. They have returned


What county?


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## #8 shot (Aug 27, 2009)

2ESRGR8 said:


> What county?


Allegan


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

#8 shot said:


> First woodcock point tonight behind the house. They have returned


Just as I stated they arrive a week to a week and a half from when I see my first robin.lol.
It has been 9 days!


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

They arrive even when there's a good amount of snow around some years.
2018 I was catching jumbo perch ice fishing on lake St. Clair and finding woodcock on the same day.
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## #8 shot (Aug 27, 2009)

Red dog found 3 tonight


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## SwingOak (Apr 30, 2012)

I got two of those red dogs


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## triplelunger (Dec 21, 2009)

#8 shot said:


> View attachment 756761
> View attachment 756763
> View attachment 756764
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> ...


Nice looking dog!
We're gonna have a look in western Ottawa county this weekend.


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## #8 shot (Aug 27, 2009)

triplelunger said:


> Nice looking dog!
> We're gonna have a look in western Ottawa county this weekend.


Thanks, he is a hard charging little dog. They wont stay long on my place but it is good for about a week.
Good Luck hope you find some.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Well I wouldn't have believed it a week ago but here we are and the temp is 50. Conditions are set.


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## Worm Dunker (Sep 11, 2000)

I talked to my buddy Randy who is a bander he said the woodcock are back


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## U.P.Grouse Chaser (Dec 27, 2018)

Found a Couple in Dickinson County this weekend . They were up high in the oak ridges . The lowland aspen thickets still had some snow with scattered bare patches but the ground was still frozen. Hoping for better numbers next weekend.


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## STClairbirdhunter (Jul 18, 2020)

Put about 2 miles in St Clair Co in areas that hold birds in the past my 6 mo old and an experienced 8 year old setter zero birds , ground still hard in the shade areas ...... I’m thinking this weekend they should be packed .....


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

STClairbirdhunter said:


> Put about 2 miles in St Clair Co in areas that hold birds in the past my 6 mo old and an experienced 8 year old setter zero birds , ground still hard in the shade areas ...... I’m thinking this weekend they should be packed .....


14000 plus steps for me Saturday and the only one found was put up by me.
Sunday I ran on pheasants and found 7 birds but that was cut short when my two GSP"S tag teamed a skunk.SMH.


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## U.P.Grouse Chaser (Dec 27, 2018)

I feel your pain , It's never fun when they find a skunk. My shorthair doesn't seem to learn as she found 3 of them last summer.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

U.P.Grouse Chaser said:


> I feel your pain , It's never fun when they find a skunk. My shorthair doesn't seem to learn as she found 3 of them last summer.


The last half dozen or so I'd simply say "LEAVE IT" and the do,same with porky's.
We had three dogs on point on a **** the week before and they left it on command.
They are trash broke for the most but I guess not a 100%.


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## U.P.Grouse Chaser (Dec 27, 2018)

So far I 've haven't been lucky enough to see the encounters she has had. They have happened when she is out of sight. Just once I'd like to see the skunk before she did . I was fortunate to see the porcupine she found this winter. I was able to stop her as she reached it by yelling leave it. She gave it a tenative sniff b4 she retreated and ended up with 6 quills on the very end of her nose. I am thankful as it could been a lot worse..


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## Gamekeeper (Oct 9, 2015)

U.P.Grouse Chaser said:


> So far I 've haven't been lucky enough to see the encounters she has had. They have happened when she is out of sight. Just once I'd like to see the skunk before she did . I was fortunate to see the porcupine she found this winter. I was able to stop her as she reached it by yelling leave it. She gave it a tenative sniff b4 she retreated and ended up with 6 quills on the very end of her nose. I am thankful as it could been a lot worse..


Many times, that’s all it takes if the dog is smart.

If your dog is a breed bred for dispatching fur in Europe, well sometimes little critters with pointy quills smell attractive, sadly.


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## wirehair (Oct 16, 2007)

Any reports from the northern tip of the lower?


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

U.P.Grouse Chaser said:


> So far I 've haven't been lucky enough to see the encounters she has had. They have happened when she is out of sight. Just once I'd like to see the skunk before she did . I was fortunate to see the porcupine she found this winter. I was able to stop her as she reached it by yelling leave it. She gave it a tenative sniff b4 she retreated and ended up with 6 quills on the very end of her nose. I am thankful as it could been a lot worse..


My dogs tend to point and hold the nefarious game.
Just after a point on a rooster Dixie went out a 100 yards and stuck again.I came in and she kept creeping and I kept whoa'n then Annie blasted in and stole her find.
They did this back and forth for 50 yards.I figured a running rooster but then Dixie leaped and pounced.I called her off then Annie gave it a try.
Lol.
Usually they stay and I go to the front but this time I came from the rear.


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

Tis the time of year to have your pyroxide and baking soda stocked up. My okder female has been sprayed about a dozen times. She never learns. When she gets sprayed she lays her face on the ground and scooches with her back legs to rub her face off. Thankfully my younger dog doesn't get into much of the trash animals.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

shaffe48b said:


> Tis the time of year to have your pyroxide and baking soda stocked up. My okder female has been sprayed about a dozen times. She never learns. When she gets sprayed she lays her face on the ground and scooches with her back legs to rub her face off. Thankfully my younger dog doesn't get into much of the trash animals.


That's a bonus.
My current 3 are good for the most and I'm happy with it.
My 14 year old was a terror and nothing survived.For him every encounter was to the death.Theirs or his.Same with the one before him.
The fur and feather types are not for me so I try to avoid European lineage.


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

So yesterday I hit my 30 year honey hole and they came in and cleared out the rest of the woodcock covers that they didn't get to last year.It's over.
I have been working the same course there always moving along without chasing them down and would have anywhere from 6 to thirty finds in a 3.5 mile walk.
Sadly walking it I came to one spot that I thought would have one.The pup ran through it and I stopped in the middle and stood hoping that she'd keep passing through a make a find in it.
Then one rose up 10 feet from me.
She blew right passed it and I thought what the heck how did she miss it.
That's the second time this spring with another one two days earlier.
What the heck she was finding and holding on woodcock last September at less than 7 month's of age?
When I arrived home I saw a couple drops of blood and thought she cut herself but upon inspection I quickly realized that she is having her period.ugh.
I heard some get goofy so I am assuming this may be affecting her frame of mind.
I always stuck with males to avoid this and now remember why.
I switched to females because I got tired of males pissing on everything and odor issues as well.
Just can't win!!

So for those in the know what is the timeline cycle.
I had assumed that since she was born February 7 that her heat cycle would be then and I thought it happened a month ago and was a mild first cycle but apparently I was wrong.
So if it is every six months does this mean that the next one will be around the grouse and woodcock opener from hear on out.
I was in the frame of mind that it was going to be February and August but it does not look like it.


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## U.P.Grouse Chaser (Dec 27, 2018)

My Gsp will be 3 years old on May 28th. She has only gone into season Twice.. She was 21 months old when she had her 1st cycle in February 2020 . Her 2nd cycle was 10 months later in December 2020.. As far as consistency of 
when it happens My dog hasn' t been. It did last 21 days both times. I haven't had her fixed yet . I couldn't get her fixed until she hit 24 Months due to the purchase agreement with the breeder, it would have voided his 5 year health Guarentee that he offers.
I put regular Pampers Size 5 on her when she is in the house . I just cut a hole in the back with scissors for her tail. She weighs in 42 lbs The Pampers seem to fit better and were cheaper than doggy diapers at Pet Supplies Plus

I hope I helped


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## birdhntr (Jan 25, 2014)

So regularity is stil not determined.
My next question is whether it with be timely in the future or will it be inconsistent through the years.


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## SwingOak (Apr 30, 2012)

birdhntr said:


> So regularity is stil not determined.
> My next question is whether it with be timely in the future or will it be inconsistent through the years.


It varies from dog to dog, although once they get a little older then may get a regular cycle. I had one that went into heat every 18 months like clockwork. So, you never know.


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