It has been hot. Real hot! Over ten degrees more than the average here in coastal NH. Along with the heat the humidity has been oppressive. Not your ideal training weather. Well according to New England tradition, the weather...she's a changing.
I've been working Belle along tote roads this month as it imitates our partridge hunting style. But lacking have been the partridge. Knowing birds make the dog today we switched up and targeted timber doodles. At least this bird still has a grip in the local covers we hunt.
It has been dry this summer in southern NH. Knowing that woodcock need to stick that beak deep in damp soil to find their favorite food, earthworms, this mornings training session found us in a flood plain along the Lamprey River. I've flushed numerous woodcock in this cover while hunting deer but have never hunted it for upland.
While walking the river bank I couldn't help but notice the wild grape vines.
And a closer inspection revealed these beauties.
We didn't flush any partridge but we sure worked each grove of grapes with the enthusiasm of the flush.
And then it happened. In ground cover of multiple species of ferns Belle put up a small woodcock that offered us a second flush and then later along our stroll, at the base of my feet, a softball size mature woodcock.
I'm going to use steel shot when I hunt this piece because the opportunity for a wood duck are large. These woods are owned by a land trust who allow hunting. No sympathy for the deer. We are going upland bird hunting.
Come on October 1.
09-21-15
Family Grounds Beaver Pond.
Here is Bay in 2012.
Here is Belle in 2015
I'm OK with it since I am not a big waterfowl hunter.
But tell me these edges don't look like prime woodcock habitat.
Thanks to everyone who have been giving me partridge reports. I can taste them now.
