Hunting season 2009

First woodcock this spring

First woodcock observation on Mar 18 at 13.08. 

Diva on point.

This area was where I found my first woodcock.

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This Spring, while bird banding, I went out 39 times for a total of 64 hours. 

Anouk had 13 outings for a total of 27 hours . 

Diva had 26 outings for a total of  37 hours.

My last trip was done with Anouk on the 27th of May in St-Michel des Saints area. 

I must admit, it’s a little far from my home, but the experience was very positive.

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Regarding my website, it is dedicated specifically to the American woodcock and also in parts to the European woodcock . I think I'm the only one on Internet who devotes as much time to this bird. Here one representative tables "country" how visited my web site.

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Hunting season 2010

Summary of my 2010 hunting season.

These hunting days are only brief summaries.

I worked the opening day without a firearm. My digital camera replaced my shotgun for the first 2 days. 

My outings in the woods started as soon as the snow was gone which was on the 14th of march. My last outing was while banding woodcocks on the 27th of May.

I rarely hunt on weekends where I hunt during the week, simply because I don’t want to run into other hunters. On weekends, I hunt with my dogs with camera in hand around the area where I live, so I never see hunters. My dogs find ruffed grouse and woodcocks, I watch them work and hunt with my camera. To me, it’s the most visually appealing thing to do

Four hunting journal, describeing 39 hunting seasons from 1971 to 2010.

It's a a lot of hunting seasons. What I witnessed was accurately reported in my hunting journals.

Also, I added pictures of almost every one of my hunting days.

Twenty-three CDs and twenty-two hunting seasons from 1987 to 2010.  These hunting days bring back good memories. If I have a long car drive ahead of me, I pick a random CD of my hunting days with my dogs and it all floods back in.

This year as opposed to others, I will have more pictures than write-ups. The reason for this is simple; I have more outings hunting with my camera than my shotgun. While walking in the woods in the spring, there's a lot to see.

This past spring, I took a lot of pictures while walking the woods. 

There is so much in nature that mesmerizes me, I cannot help but capture it.

So I have 41 pictures to share with you.

         This way for woodcock.               

                                                 My first robin                                    Feathers of ruffed grouse spread on the ground.                   

                                                     Special tree: Blue beech                                                           Squirrel nest ?

Another training ground should disappears.

                                               Before there was on w/c nest, near this tree.                                                   

My lucky day?

Anouk on point.                                                        Singing ground.

Boss she not very far.

                                                         A deer was here before.                                                   Woodcock also.

Area for beaver.

                                                                  Deer skull .                                                      Nest hatching of ruffed grouse. 

Robin, with her down on his head.

With complete peace of mind.

                                                                                                           Where is "road runner "?

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How to explain this tendency woodcock runs more? On one side the have adepts from the theory of Lamarck (active auto -adaptation) that would say birds learned to survive they are better not to flush and run. There would be adepts of Darwin's theory, on the other hand that is more plausible theory of evolution, natural selection. That would explain by the fact that those that have genes of flusheurs always made themselves more shot that those who have more genes of runners. Therefore the genetic pool of runners becomes more and more important in relation to the one of flusheurses. In other words' runners continue to reproduce and flusher get kill.

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These photos were taken during hunting season.

Mes sorties de chasse ne sont que des résumés.

My hunting outings are just brief summaries. In my hunting journal, each of my days out are much more detailed.

                                                                              Shug cling on this tree

What is so particular about this pic, the shell wad landed close to the bird. It’s up on the right side. 

Check the pellet marks on the wad. It’s the first time in all my years of hunting that something like this happens.

October 18. Robert Morin my good friend and me.

October 30th

This morning I’m accompanied by my grandson Étienne, and my dog Diva. We went in an area where hunting is not allowed, so we walked for a good hour.

While Diva was working the place, her beeper collar indicated that she was standing. My grandson asked “grandpa, what’s that noise I hear?”, “well” I said, “it’s because Diva found a bird and she’s not moving anymore, the sound from her collar lets me know where she is. Come with me, we’ll put that bird up!”. We got close to my female and it took me a few seconds to locate the bird. I showed Étienne where the woodcock was and he sayd “yes! Yes! I see it grandpa!”. If I would’ve been by myself, I would’ve taken more time to take more pictures in different angles, but Étienne wanted to explore, which is understandable at his age. It was his first time ever in the woods and everything is new to him. I will cherish every minute of it. There was 2 birds on the land we were on, but only one cooperated. Maybe Étienne will accompany me again one day, but I will let him decide.

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Weather Come Woodcock Go

A Pennsylvania study has provided insight into woodcock fall migration habits. Nine radio-marked birds began migrating between November 30 and December 9 one year, and between November 18 and 29 the following year. Departures coincided with high-pressure centers approaching from the north and west, or low-pressure center retreating to north and east. Eight of nine woodcocks departed 2.5 or more hours after sunset, and at least seven of the nine left before midnight. Two birds ware tracked by air craft 125 miles ssw of the study are during two nights. Air speed of the birds was 22 and 28 m.p.h. The bird flew only at night, and followed a river system extending south into Maryland and Virginia Local birds were among the last to leave; most woodcock from more northely regions had already migrated from the area. Temperatures at or near freezing, accompanied by favorable winds, appeared to stimulate migratory flights.

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Michel,

I did not see this thread before or I would have added to it for ya.

We had a decent Woocock season, I use this time of season for training my pups most of the time.

Heston our latest Ryman Setter pointing his 1st Woodcock, notice the low trail

Teddy inspecting his 1st Woodcock. Teddy belongs to Eric Miller and the Pointer is learning fast.

The Woodcock with Special ordered 00, 16 Guage Elsie.

Ryman Gun Dog

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Designers: Michel and Geneviève Gélinas
My E-mail: michel.glinas2@sympatico.ca
Last Update: February 28, 2011