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Woodcock hunting Arkansas #8434144 10/30/21 03:32 PM
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Up All Night Offline OP
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It’s been along time since I have been on here. I’m hoping I can pick somebody’s brain. I moved to Arkansas am now currently residing in northern Arkansas. Last spring during a turkey hunt in the forest saw some woodcocks so I know I’m in a flyway. Our season opens in a few weeks my dad has a upland bird void in his life so we are wanting to give it a go. Any kind of info would be great pointers for hunting them without a dog and what kinda habitat am I looking for. Thanks in advance.


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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Up All Night] #8434282 10/30/21 06:21 PM
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Without a dog, I would concentrate my efforts to the times right after start of legal shooting light and right before it ends and in open areas or edge habitat near where there are bedding down. You may catch some early risers or late birds coming to and from feeding. Pipelines, soft fields and the like. Look for woodcock splash and then maybe get on there and kick cover. You might have some luck on timber leases that are a
a handful of years grown up after clear cutting. Look for areas that have cover from maybe knee or shin high and up,, but has openings near the ground. Sometimes river cane thickets will hold birds.. You'll probably hear more flushes than see them. The chances of finding downed birds in heavy cover without a dog are against you, so maybe use one person as a driver/flusher and position your shooter on areas where he'll have openings. I'd rather not shoot birds than kill them and waste them. Good luck.

Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: machine73] #8434902 10/31/21 02:38 PM
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Thanks for the info


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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Up All Night] #8434960 10/31/21 03:20 PM
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I"d try to find a quail hunter with a dog, invite him to go with you --- it will be 10X more fun.

Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: booskay] #8435176 10/31/21 07:29 PM
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That’s easier said than done quail have been pretty much nonexistent for years here


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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Up All Night] #8435247 10/31/21 09:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Up All Night
That’s easier said than done quail have been pretty much nonexistent for years here



You could always find a covey or two on every fence row when I lived there.


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: bill oxner] #8435307 10/31/21 10:34 PM
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Wish it was still that way our ground birds are struggling

Last edited by Up All Night; 10/31/21 10:34 PM.

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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Up All Night] #8435646 11/01/21 11:40 AM
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You and your dad might consider getting a dog to hunt upland birds.

Last edited by Smokey Bear; 11/01/21 11:41 AM.

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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Smokey Bear] #8435681 11/01/21 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Smokey Bear
You and your dad might consider getting a dog to hunt upland birds.


Just keep it away from children and don't make it a pet. bolt


Quail hunting is like walking into, and out of a beautiful painting all day long. Gene Hill


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Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Up All Night] #8435802 11/01/21 03:12 PM
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Walking up woodcock is not an enviable task, but it can be done providing there are enough of them around - which is always the wildcard with migrating birds.

I hunt east TX with a dog. If I were walking, I would first scout the field edges at daylight and dusk extensively to ensure there were indeed woodcock in the area. You will see/hear them flying in or out of the fields to feed. When you find them that will give you confidence in hunting them. Then I would bust through the thickest cover I could find, areas near drainages, creekbottoms with thick growth, 5-10 year old clearcuts, and field edges at dusk as mentioned above.

It probably won’t be a hunt with a lot of action, which makes it even more of a challenge because the few birds you do get up will probably take you by complete surprise and just getting off a shot will be tough. Every bird will be hard-earned for sure.

But, hey, you will be hunting with your Dad so it’s all good no matter what. smile

Good luck!


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Woodcock hunting Arkansas [Re: Smokey Bear] #8435847 11/01/21 04:05 PM
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He is a truck diver and between work and kids I’m not home enough nights to keep up with a dog wish I was


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