The heart-pounding excitement and challenge of woodcock hunting is amazing, and some field knowledge of the timberdoodle’s biology can make the experience even more rewarding. Hunters have spent many days happily afield in pursuit of these small but gorgeous birds.
First introduced to this quarry when I was eight or nine years of age, I have long known that timberdoodles are one of the most challenging upland species to harvest. There is the oft known fact among wingshooters that these unpredictable birds have a way of getting the best of pursuing predators. It doesn’t take long for a woodcock to scare the bejessus out of the most alert hunter. Certainly, time spent afield woodcock hunting is always memorable. Take my first bird hunt ever. We secured our free migratory fowl permits and went out during a slow morning drizzle. Dad was two paces in front of me as we double-teamed these birds down in our creek bottoms. To my left and downward, the creek carved a steep incline and ran swiftly alongside us. Whether I looked or not, I could hear the rushing waters crashing into the rocks and stones covered with soupy, slick algae, bubbling up and calming at the edges in some dark areas that I knew were numbingly cold. My attention focused to my right, where leaves of many shades of brown littered the forest floor so perfectly, so beautifully.
The feathers of the little woodcock create a leafy camouflage pattern virtually indistinguishable from the woodland grounds they frequent, so I searched for a large liquid eye, a beak, a wing, any part of the bird’s anatomy that would give away its location. Just like elephant hunting: the hunter must look for a piece of the quarry or else the creature would be utterly lost from view in its surroundings. Woodcock hunters often develop admirable sight in the lowlight conditions of the forest due to the great "spotting" practice this well-camouflaged game bird provides them.
Soon I would find out that the woodcock often holds still like a cottontail rabbit when a hunter approaches. I readjusted the grip on my shotgun as I carefully continued forward, unknowingly setting my foot down about one yard from a timberdoodle. When I halted for a moment to listen without the sound of humans-crunching-leaves, the woodcock flushed from my right and flew behind me and over the creek. The bird just didn’t flush; he erratically and confusingly flew about. His shrill flushing alarm "whistle" made me jump, but Dad, paces ahead of me and further away from the commotion, was able to maneuver his gun and align the beads on the woodcock. He took the shot, a brilliant hit. Nearly paralyzed by the excitement of the flush, we still felt the adrenaline surging long after the woodcock broke his cover. That event humbled me. Woodcock hunting is among the most riveting hunting experiences offered by the southeastern States.
It has been my experience that most woodcock feed alone but inhabit a general similar location. Find that location and you find the birds. Locating a woodcock before it spots or hears you can be embarrassingly difficult because the bird is so well-equipped to ensure its own survival. The woodcock’s eyes are placed advantageously for peripheral vision—high and back—to allow the bird to detect predators above, behind, and to its sides as it feeds in the soil. The high-positioning of the eyes moves the highly sensitive ears forward and low, able to pick up audible information as well. If you do happen to spot a timberdoodle on the ground, do not alter your stride, make eye contact, or do anything else to let on that you have seen him. Follow through in your movement swinging your shotgun as you pick your spot and squeeze the trigger, staying ready to follow the bird in any number of unpredictable flight patterns if he flushes as you prepare for your shot.
The woodcock is usually found in dense deciduous and coniferous forests where the ground is dark and moist. Why? This snipe-like terrestrial game bird shares one of its most notable weaknesses with that of many freshwater fish—it loves earthworms. The woodcock’s bill has nerves that specialize in detecting the mucous trail of this favorite meal. The needle-thin bill can pierce the land and even identify the faint vibratory movement of annelids, enabling the woodcock to consume large portions of worms each day.
Habits of the timberdoodle make for an exhilarating hunt. This bird employs a remarkable method of predator evasion. The woodcock’s primary flight feathers sharply cut the air when the bird flies wildly from cover, emitting a shrill whistle that throws off its pursuer. If you have ever been hunting for this migratory game bird and flushed one, chances are that your heart lodged up high in your throat and rendered you stunned at least once. After one or two flushes, though, the hunter is usually able to keep her cool and shoulder her shotgun in time.
The springtime mating call and courtship flights of the woodcock are very spectacular events for birdwatchers and hunters. The dedicated woodcock hunter might even be able to enjoy a tantalizing gourmet meal to top off her efforts.
If you are a lady hunter who wants to try your hand at woodcock, remember that controlling and calming your response to the flushed bird enough to get off an accurate shot are the keys to harvesting timberdoodles. Spotting the bird before it flushes can better your chances. Any gauge shotgun will work, but I prefer a 20-gauge with no. 7.5 shot. Woodcock normally migrate deeper south as winter approaches, but keep in mind that anytime within your state’s regulated season may hold an opportunity for success. Best of luck to you!
Yours in good hunting,
Kimberly L Kanapeckas
Author’s note: While in the field with me, photographer Davey Morgan snapped these shots of a remarkably well-camouflaged timberdoodle who almost eluded both of us!
