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East Texas Woodcock? #7366205 12/04/18 03:49 AM
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Sniper John Offline OP
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You east texas guys seeing any yet? My newest hunting area with camper in place is within driving distance to hunt the northern parts of crockett, angelina, and sabine NFs. I'm going to start taking advantage of it with a base camp out that way now.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7366256 12/04/18 05:05 AM
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machine73 Offline
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Saw splash and one bird in SHNF 2 weeks ago. I've never hunted them, but want to. I joined the AWS just because I think woodcock are neat and hunting them over a good dog looks like it would be really fun. They're such cool birds.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7367349 12/05/18 04:22 AM
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Kperry Offline
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I hope to hit a couple of National Forests this year. First year to hunt in Texas.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7371581 12/09/18 07:20 PM
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I havent seen any around. I usually do in the river bottoms where i hunt.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7372903 12/11/18 02:02 AM
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I’ve seen good numbers for 2 weeks now in the river bottoms.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7373804 12/11/18 10:06 PM
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kk66 Offline
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I saw two in San Jacinto County the weekend after thanksgiving. One flushed right from underfoot and scared the hell out of me. I've never actively hunted them, anyone have any tips for doing it without a dog?

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: kk66] #7375068 12/12/18 10:53 PM
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machine73 Offline
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I wish I did. have some tips. This year I'm just going to walk areas that look like they're good habitat and see if we can can accidentally flush some with the squirrel dog. Next year I'll be looking for a dog. I'm fairly obsessed with those little birds and haven't even hunted them yet.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7375171 12/13/18 12:37 AM
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Good luck. Really want to try that some day.


Originally Posted by bill oxner
Haven't had it in years but never spit any out.


Originally Posted by bill oxner
I am a sucker for happy endings and strapped cowboys.
Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7375179 12/13/18 12:42 AM
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rickym Offline
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there’s a guy on here that hunts them pretty regularly during season. Nogalus prairie maybe.



Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7375233 12/13/18 01:28 AM
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machine73 Offline
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Its something a military buddy and I had talked about doing. Another was hunting sandhill cranes. Every year something came up to get in the way. You know how it goes. He took his own life this past Spring and I really regret never getting around to doing those hunts. So, I booked a crane hunt with a guide for January. Joined the American Woodcock Society and have been asking around for tips and so forth. Those folks have been really helpful. Next year I'll be looking for a dog that will assuredly be named after my buddy. Birds and dogs made him happy. Especially dogs.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7375959 12/13/18 07:46 PM
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Sniper John Offline OP
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Thanks guys. Dash pointed one out while squirrel hunting earlier this week. I bet some birds will be moving in with this front. Should be worth a try early in the season.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7376188 12/13/18 10:27 PM
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You veteran woodcockers..... what 2 week period do you find to be the best bird numbers? Do you think waiting until deer season is over is a good time? For me the last few years have only been finding birds in the real heavy cover. To the point i have to crawl to get to them. This is all after deer season

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: blanked] #7377526 12/15/18 08:58 AM
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Sniper John Offline OP
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Originally Posted by blanked
You veteran woodcockers..... what 2 week period do you find to be the best bird numbers? Do you think waiting until deer season is over is a good time? For me the last few years have only been finding birds in the real heavy cover. To the point i have to crawl to get to them. This is all after deer season


Good question and is partly why I asked my question. From one article I read in Gun Dog Magazine.

"Most years, migrating woodcock begin dropping into East Texas coverts in November. Peak buildup occurs in late December or January depending on the weather. Tough winters in the Midwest mean good hunting in East Texas"
http://www.gundogmag.com/editorial/destinations_woodcock
Another study I found done in the 1970s put the peak numbers in Texas during the last 10 days of December and the first 10 days of January.

The problem with waiting on Deer season to end is that the late seasons and muzzleloader seasons run till Jan 20. Leaves us only 11 days. I aborted my last national forest woodcock hunting after the first day. Dog was ranging out of sight, I kept hearing faint distant voices in the woods of a couple other hunters talking. It was too unnerving worried that my dog could get taken or killed. I now do not hunt my dog in East Texas National Forest without a tracking collar and he wears an orange vest. I always know where he is and it is obvious to strangers he is not a stray and that someone is out there hunting him.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7378878 12/17/18 10:09 AM
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machine73 Offline
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There were definitely woodcock in the Eastern part of the SHNF this weekend. Saw a few near the edge of a timber cut and woodline early morning. The pines were about waist high. My squirrel dog flushed one mid morning. We were maybe 100m from a creek, the ground was moist and loamy with lots of leaf litter in mixed woods, predominately hardwoods with a smattering of conifers. There was a lot of low lying undergrowth, mostly yaupon.

Sniper John, can I ask what breed dog you have?

Sean

Last edited by machine73; 12/17/18 10:10 AM.
Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: machine73] #7379327 12/17/18 07:44 PM
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Sniper John Offline OP
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Originally Posted by machine73
There were definitely woodcock in the Eastern part of the SHNF this weekend. Saw a few near the edge of a timber cut and woodline early morning. The pines were about waist high. My squirrel dog flushed one mid morning. We were maybe 100m from a creek, the ground was moist and loamy with lots of leaf litter in mixed woods, predominately hardwoods with a smattering of conifers. There was a lot of low lying undergrowth, mostly yaupon.

Sniper John, can I ask what breed dog you have?

Sean



A Versatile Vizsla. He is a fur and feather dog.

[Linked Image]

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7379515 12/17/18 10:05 PM
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machine73 Offline
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Nice. Great dog.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7381110 12/19/18 05:21 AM
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Sniper John Offline OP
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Headed out to hunt them through Saturday. But for the rare West Texas Woodcock in Young County. I don't feel like competing with the holiday deer hunting crowd right now. We get them in our hunting least creek bottom every other to third year if things stay wet enough early season to short stop them. The timing of the last couple storms should have been just right. Then I can catch the late Dove opener along with bonus squirrel/rabbit/wood ducks. But the main target is Woodcock to catch the small window of opportunity for that location. Dash will be happy as long as he hunts. I'll head east for them sometime after Christmas. Good luck to any of y'all out hunting this Woodcock opening week.

Gratuitous old picture of Blaze with a Young County Bird.

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Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7381152 12/19/18 12:27 PM
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up Good luck!


Bobby Barnett

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7381193 12/19/18 01:36 PM
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Deer hunters scare me

Anyone run into trappers or a trap on public land in the woods. Hate to have my dog run in a trap

Last edited by blanked; 12/19/18 02:18 PM.
Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: blanked] #7381297 12/19/18 02:55 PM
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machine73 Offline
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Thankfully no traps so far and no deer hunters once you go a little ways in.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7381370 12/19/18 03:41 PM
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Not seeing any but usually most spotted when I'm going duck hunting. None of that going on.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7381386 12/19/18 03:54 PM
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Good luck sniper. Some of the hunters in the government woods don't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling regarding the safety of my dog so I steer clear.


Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7383073 12/21/18 03:28 AM
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Anyone hunted old Sabine bottom wma, looks promising and only 45 min from me.

Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7384976 12/23/18 10:16 AM
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That is one great looking dog Sniper! Good luck getting after them....


Originally Posted by Sneaky
I believe in science and I’m an insufferable [censored]
Originally Posted by beaversnipe
Actually, BBC is pretty damn good

"You Cannot Simultaneously Be Politically Correct And Intellectually Honest!"
Re: East Texas Woodcock? [Re: Sniper John] #7385943 12/24/18 06:23 PM
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Sniper John Offline OP
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I saw only one woodcock, ,but it made it across the property line without being shot. lots of non upland game to hunt at least.

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