Lurchers Taking Woodcock

[THE DEMON 93]

dog got one last year atb

[buster gonads 862]

 

Why would you want to catch Woodcock.

Because they're delicious, but to be fair to a great bird I'd rather give them a sporting chance.

If a lurcher is catching them then there's a good chance they're just after coming in from their migration and are weak. The full moon at the moment means they've more or less just landed.

I shoot them (when I'm lucky enough) and if any of you lads are lucky enough to get one in the bag thanks to your lurcher do yourself a favour and have him for your dinner, just give the head to your ferret.

 

Delicious maybe, small and fairly rare, definately.

[grompz 703]

 

 

Why would you want to catch Woodcock.

Because they're delicious, but to be fair to a great bird I'd rather give them a sporting chance.

If a lurcher is catching them then there's a good chance they're just after coming in from their migration and are weak. The full moon at the moment means they've more or less just landed.

I shoot them (when I'm lucky enough) and if any of you lads are lucky enough to get one in the bag thanks to your lurcher do yourself a favour and have him for your dinner, just give the head to your ferret.

 

Delicious maybe, small and fairly rare, definately.

i wouldnt say that woodcock were rare,maybe you need agood dog to flush them out of heavy cover,real hard cold winters always plenty about,very testing to shoot,rare to hit a left and a right,there is a club that regonises this event if witnessed by reliable members

[neil cooney 10,416]

I doubt that anyone sets out to purposely catch woodcock with their lurcher but it's nice to see some dogs doing the traditional fur and feather.

Let's just call it a nice bonus if a woodcock is added to the bag.

My own lurcher isn't bad on a pheasant.

Edited November 26, 2015 by neil cooney

[gamerooster 1,179]

Always makes me laugh, people have it so drilled into there heads that only certain quarry should be shot with shotguns, same as the lads who kick off when we snare and shoot hares or shoot pheasants with cattys or air rifles..... The biggest sin in my eyes is killing a animal for sport, anything I shoot or snare either gets ate by me or my mates ferrets, even the pigs used to get there share

[Tiercel 6,986]

I have shot probably many hundreds of woodcock over the years. I have never tasted such vile meat in all my life. I loath them. The wife on the other hand loves them. she's welcome to them. None of my dogs would catch them on the lamp but would happily retrieve shot ones.

 

TC

[crowsnest 55]

always putting one up when out bushing, and tried the odd one or two on the lamp,but never had the luck to catch one,feck me my dogs struggle catching rabbits let alone them

[gwalchmai4110 1,757]

my lurcher bitch has put paid to a few whilst out lamping the bogs, obviously not the preferred game for a lurcher but like has been already stated I do like my lurcher to be an all around pot filler and I like a dog that will turn its hand to any situation as the opportunity arises, and if that means a few feathery items are added to the game bag, that to me, is a lurcher. atb

[buster gonads 862]

 

 

 

Why would you want to catch Woodcock.

Because they're delicious, but to be fair to a great bird I'd rather give them a sporting chance.

If a lurcher is catching them then there's a good chance they're just after coming in from their migration and are weak. The full moon at the moment means they've more or less just landed.

I shoot them (when I'm lucky enough) and if any of you lads are lucky enough to get one in the bag thanks to your lurcher do yourself a favour and have him for your dinner, just give the head to your ferret.

 

Delicious maybe, small and fairly rare, definately.

 

I agree with you on why there is no need to be catching them with lurchers. You need to go to the northwest of Ireland and have a days shooting on them. There is one place we shoot and you can see anything between 60-180 woodcock on the day. Well it depends on the weather.

 

Iam lucky to see one a year.

[Snifferboy 659]

We see loads on my permission, especially after a new moon following a drop in temperature theres a couple of places close by that shoot up to 100 in the day a few times a year, my first dog caught a couple on the lamp, I have caught a couple by hand on the lamp too, which is a bit fun, I don't ever manage to catch them if I'm lamping on my own but if its good and windy and someone else lamps them I can get the odd one or two!!! Saw it in an old poaching book had to give it a go!!!

[two crows 3,342]

once had one fly straight down the beam straight to hand. we don't get many on our shoot, but its surprising how many dogs wont pick'em my cockers love'em little dog pegs one regular on woodland shoot I pick up on. atb two crows.

[neil cooney 10,416]

You're right Two Crows about some dogs being cautious about picking them up. If a woodcock lands on it's back and is still alive it seems to intimidate some dogs.

Two weekends ago I dropped a left and right on Mallard (I admit it, I'm boasting) and my friends second season springer went across a swollen river twice and retrieved them.

Last weekend she refused to retrieve a wounded Woodcock from out on a field where it was lying on it's back feet up.

[fonzy 10]

Seen a couple do it ovrt the years ,i once had a bitch used to retrieve adders

[bird 9,872]

Seen a couple do it ovrt the years ,i once had a bitch used to retrieve adders

lol

[juckler123 707]

Took a few woodcock and a lot of partridge on the lamp when I did a lot if they are squatted and the dogs trained not to go in till you say then I found going opposite side to the dog the birds would look at the lamp and not see the strike from behind

 

Dogs get well good at it atb..