Woodcock Hunting East Texas

Hello All

I am new to the bird dog seen I have 2 year old PP that loves to work. I live in Lufkin and I have read about hunting woodcock in the piney woods on this board which seem like a blast to do but I don't know the first thing about it. I know I have about 3 months till the season opener but I kind of want to have a game plan. Any advise or if someone would not mind a tag along to teach the ropes to it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Fern

Just take the dogs. They will teach you.

I’ve never hunted them but flush them a few times a year walking hunting something else. They seem to like wet ground, not swamp itself but wooded cover right on the edge of swamp. I would find a an area like that and let the dog go to work

Did they flush within shotgun range?

Jump over to the migratory bird section, there are some WC hunters over there,

Off topic but, where did you get your Pudelpointer?

I"ve always heard that 95% of the woodcock winter within a 100 mile circle of Baton Rouge, La.

I've only seen 2 in all the years I've hunted
Both just right off from the Neches
They didn't flush right away so I guess they
were as puzzled at seeing me as I was at them
( 2 birds in 2 different areas)

They don't look like there would be much
over a bite per bird

Sent you a message.

I got my from a breeder in Dallas https://www.northtexaspudelpointers.net/ super nice guy still talk to him

I have a few on my property each fall/winter. I haven't ever hunted them....but just run across them when doing other things. The one's I've seen did not flush until you were almost upon them. They have always been in a wooded area and explode almost straight up. I can't imagine how you'd even get a decent shot at one....they are gone so fast.

They DO prefer areas with moist soil and mixture of mature trees and saplings (at least on my place).

Usually right under foot and scared the hell out of me