To all my fellow woodcock hunters, it was great to see that no only have they extended the season from 24 to 36 days, but they did so on the back end and not up front well before the flight birds are in. It's been so long since we had a season like this, I think I read 14+ years. I'm used to having the last day here in the North zone end on the opening day of pheasant season. Now we get that extra week late in the year so that some of those northern flight birds should arrive where I hunt for them.
NJ Woodcock season extended this year
Bucksnbows
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To all my fellow woodcock hunters, it was great to see that no only have they extended the season from 24 to 36 days, but they did so on the back end and not up front well before the flight birds are in. It's been so long since we had a season like this, I think I read 14+ years. I'm used to having the last day here in the North zone end on the opening day of pheasant season. Now we get that extra week late in the year so that some of those northern flight birds should arrive where I hunt for them.
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Good news.
Or, you can head north and hunt them before them come to New Jersey. New York extended their woodcock season to 45 days this year. New season dates are Oct. 1st to Nov. 14th. Woodcock surveys compiled by the state from last year using hunter input denoted the third week in October with the highest flush rate. That doesn't mean much, for this can change from year to year depending on weather factors, but it indicates when migration movement was heaviest during last year's season.
Or, you can head north and hunt them before them come to New Jersey. New York extended their woodcock season to 45 days this year. New season dates are Oct. 1st to Nov. 14th. Woodcock surveys compiled by the state from last year using hunter input denoted the third week in October with the highest flush rate. That doesn't mean much, for this can change from year to year depending on weather factors, but it indicates when migration movement was heaviest during last year's season.
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I mainly chase them along with grouse in our PA woods (northcentral in Potter). Our aspen stands had been getting older and our doodles fewer until last year when the paper company came in to cut 2/3 of our neighbor's forest along with a microburst 3 years ago in an old aspen stand. We should be covered up for at least a decade now and we still have lots of great grouse habitat to boot. 
My NJ woodcock spots are numerous, but often far between so I hit one today, another a few days later - that sort of thing. And I still know where I can fly grouse here locally
My NJ woodcock spots are numerous, but often far between so I hit one today, another a few days later - that sort of thing. And I still know where I can fly grouse here locally
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My dog flushed a few WCs last year, I hope I get a shot on one this year.
Any tips or tricks for hunting these birds?
Any tips or tricks for hunting these birds?
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Not sure where you'll be hunting for them, but they eat almost 100% earthworms, so you need to find wetter ground which will be ZERO problem this year[hihi]
Idealhabitat here in north Jersey or in NY and PA where I typically hunt them would be younger stands of aspen with goldenrod growing underneath. They fear predators from above like hawks, so they like that two layer cover. But they will also be found under our invasive Autumn Olives, young hardwood forests, apple trees, etc. If you have younger pines mixed in to some of the above, look for them resting under the pines because they offer great cover from winged predators. On sunny afternoons, you might can them on the sunny side of the hills loafing before flying to a new cover at dusk or during the night.
They hold great for pointing dogs, which is a real bonus because grouse most often will not. And you sometimes get close-in points depending on wind direction, humidity, etc. I've had my old Brittany point one bird, it flew and I killed it, only to look back at him standing staunchly on point but looking slightly in a new direction. Second bird that didn't flush with the first bird. Sometimes you can find a bunch using the same covers, the dogs get excited and the shots come quickly. Toss in some grouse and there is no finer bird hunting IMO anywhere!
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This is fantastic news [up] Thanks for posting Bucksnbows. What do you think contributed to the increased season length?
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I think it was a comprehensive US Fish & Wildlife Service study throughout the woodcock's range that showed extended hunting seasons did not have a significant impact to overall populations. Habitat loss remains the leading cause for declines in grouse and woodcock here in the East. We can reverse that with increased logging where it makes sense. We need a larger component of our older forests moved back to early successional which ground birds like these and many songbirds need.
The new dates should be good for decent numbers of flushes in SJ. Where I hunt it's very thick cover, so getting a shot off before they disappear is tough. Great fun though.
Last year,and traditionally, have done well on WC the last week of October into early November in upstate NY.
Last year,and traditionally, have done well on WC the last week of October into early November in upstate NY.
Most of the states in the NE have extended the seasons.
NH and Vt, my romping areas now, have both extended them.
This is good because as of right now it's been sooooo warm that we aren't seeing any flight birds yet.
Two of us were out Wed for 5.5 hours hitting our usual WC spots. Other than a few residential birds, notta, nuttin honey. [sad]
Good news was that when the flights start coming in the covers are in great shape. Even found a couple new spots that both of us picked out without knowing the other had seen them. [up]
Good luck to all chasing the Doodles down there in NJ this season.
NH and Vt, my romping areas now, have both extended them.
This is good because as of right now it's been sooooo warm that we aren't seeing any flight birds yet.
Two of us were out Wed for 5.5 hours hitting our usual WC spots. Other than a few residential birds, notta, nuttin honey. [sad]
Good news was that when the flights start coming in the covers are in great shape. Even found a couple new spots that both of us picked out without knowing the other had seen them. [up]
Good luck to all chasing the Doodles down there in NJ this season.
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Northern season set to begin tomorrow morning. I'm taking my Brittany, Rusty, out for an hour in the morning to stretch his legs and knock the rust off my shooting. Next Wed. I leave for a 4 day hunt at our place in PA where the doodles and the grouse are plentiful. Will try to post some pix when I get back. Nice picture, Bowzonly.
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