Woodcock
Contributors to this thread:Massachusetts
From: Belchertown Bowman
12-Mar-18
Was Turkey scouting over the weekend and during the walk a Woodcock erupted like 5 feet from me and flew away only about 50 feet. I happened to notice that it was on a nest with 4 eggs in it. We moved away quickly so she could get back on them. It was like 32 degrees out and snow everywhere except on the nest.
I personally did not think that they would have eggs this early in the year and learned something that day!
From: Proline
12-Mar-18
Never knew they nested that early. I would guess tomorrow will challenge them
From: stillhunter
12-Mar-18
I have two that live in the brush behind my house, they have been around for three weeks. I think the warm weather screwed them up because thier never around this earlly.
From: TT-Pi
12-Mar-18
Penguin's.
From: spike78
12-Mar-18
Damn thats crazy right there. Im guessing the success of those eggs will not be good.
From: Proline
12-Mar-18
I had two woodies circling my house this morning crying and I immediately thought the same that the warm weather got them moving early.
From: Belchertown Bowman
12-Mar-18
I could easily visit again ever so briefly and photo it. That nest is not moving,.. a brief fly away disruption is not that bad is it? Be fun to post it. Eggs were very camo’ed. be fun to show you all.
Advice sought? Is this a bad ideal?
Thanks.
From: Belchertown Bowman
12-Mar-18
I might try to document at a distance. The bird did not take flight till i was practically on top of it,.. curious to see how it rides out the snow? Any bird experts please pipe in.
From: Belchertown Bowman
12-Mar-18
duplicate post
From: Will
12-Mar-18
No idea - other than the warmth a few weeks back messed em up. They are super cool. The knuckle ball's of the game bird world for sure!
From: Belchertown Bowman
12-Mar-18
If it were not for HunterMa identifying them,. I would not even have known what exploded next to me,.. he was behind me hiking,.. I knew nothing of a woodcock prior.
Tips hat his way,..
Will, what do you mean the knuckle ball bird? Not a baseball guy,.. or a woodcock guy either,..
Oh shit,.. that does not sound good on a manly bow hunters forum,.. /: LOLOLOL
From: TT-Pi
12-Mar-18
Prison talk.
From: Will
13-Mar-18
They fly like knuckleballs BB. Normal birds take off and fly in one general direction - maybe a little swooping (woodpeckers), and sure, they have to steer around stuff. But woodcock take off and fly all random - like a knuckleball. They are tough to shoot as a result - small targets and fly all weird.
From: Let's Go
13-Mar-18
BB Set up a camera in front of the nest. The check it well after the little guys have fledged. I have Carolina Wrens in my shed sitting on eggs. A bit early for them too. Let's Go
From: Belchertown Bowman
13-Mar-18
Thanks,.. cams are soaking now,.. guess I could pull one?,. definitely will not disturb in crappy weather and will visit in about 2 weeks going to try to arrive when chicks are there,.. will take photos.
From: Proline
13-Mar-18
They can be a challenge but a lot of fun. You can almost always see where they go down and reflush them . Used to hunt them a lot when I was a kid. They taste like crap tho.
From: stillhunter
13-Mar-18
Ya, I eat the grouse, the dog eats the woodcock.
From: YoungBuck
13-Mar-18
They are a lot of fun to hunt, and i enjoy to eating them. (bake them in the oven wrapped in bacon and onions for 30 minutes) I don't think those eggs are going to make it with the snow, but she may nest again.
From: Proline
13-Mar-18
Grouse are very good eating . I did woodcock in bacon still taste like dog sh?t
From: Belchertown Bowman
14-Mar-18
I will take the bacon and skip the cock,..
We got 3 inches of snow in Belchertown so I think that mother should be fine keeping the snow off the nest,.. If it was like some of you got with over 2 feet that would have been the end of those eggs.
Next warm day I will hike out and photo it.
From: bucktail
14-Mar-18
Beautiful Vizsla YoungBuck.. I have one also, an 8 year old male. Great hunters and affectionate loyal pets.
From: Let's Go
16-Mar-18
I wonder if the cold retards or delays the progress of the eggs? Lots of birds nest this early because they mated a few weeks ago and the eggs developed in the female. It was warm for February. Let's Go
