First 2025 Woodcock outing

[ROMAC]

I finally got out this week for woodcock in South Jersey.

It was very dry and got hot in the afternoon which put a strain on the dogs.

We had flushes and hits and misses. We scratched down 3 birds and I'm getting ready to do it all over again tomorrow in a different spot.

What we need is some rough weather up north to push the birds down.

I got a chance to try my new custom pint glasses out when we toasted Hubertus after the hunt.



Emma was good as usual.

[Jeff S]

Roger, you always put together a nice picture. Looks great. In Michigan, the season closes before the woodcock even think about migrating. Good luck to you.

[ROMAC]

Thanks Jeff.

It’s 4:30 AM and I’m just getting up and about. My knees are hurting pretty good, but not bad enough to keep me from going out.

Different spots with other friends. Wouldn’t miss it for the world.

[Jeff S]

Take an Aleve.

Today is opening day for the firearm deer season.

[DarylC]

Great picture Roger. Those pint glasses are pretty neat. Who did the work on them?

[44whiskey]

thanks Roger,great pic and glad you are keeping tradition alive ,glad to see Gornet[sp] shotgun made the hunt. regards fred

[Foxnut]

Looks like a great start to the season and a well done job saluting the end of the hunt!!

[Stan Hillis]

Thanks, Roger. i hope to be doing the same with friend Gil in a short few weeks down he'ah.

I'd like to be adding a red and black label Cohiba to the celebratory, end of hunt, enjoyables.

[ROMAC]

Today was a big improvement over yesterday. What a difference a change in cover made.

It was one for the books. We had nonstop action in some of the toughest, thickest cover. Dense holly thickets, Boot sucking bogland and phragmite cover with plenty of green briar interspersed to pull, slash and tug at you from all directions. Flushed birds disappeared fast on most flushes and we poured lead through the dense cover. We went where nobody wanted to go and that is just where the birds were. About 30 flushes were needed to bring 2 limits to bag. Our butts were whipped when we were done, but it was an absolute blast.



I used Reynard while my friend Steve used his new to him Poli sidelock 20. All in all, a great day.

Daryl, I'll have to get back to you about the etched glasses.

[jolly bill]

Roger - that cover behind you in the top picture looks pretty ugly and that's probably where the birds were. Many hunters wouldn't even try to get through that stuff. Might not even send their dogs. It sure looks nasty but as you found out, that's where the birds were.

Definitely explains a whipped butt.

[Jeff S]

Congratulations Roger. Looks like you had a great day, and as always, good pictures. Are those paper hulls?

[vaturkey]

" If you ain't bleeding you ain't killing" is the phrase often used in VA when it comes to Woodcock. Looks the same up in your neck of the woods. That is a pile of shooting. You must have really been into them. Nice photos.

[ROMAC]

Jeff, I used mostly RST’s 8’s and they were a mix of paper and plastic. A few vintage paper Winchester red skeet load #9’s were left over and got used.

They all smelled great!

I hate to admit it but 2 days in a row are about all my knees can take at this stage of the game. I am looking forward to a sedentary Sunday with some football and short ribs.

[DarylC]

Great day Roger. You and your friend Steve remind me of my dear departed friend Pete and I back in the day before cell phone cameras. We had the same rituals after a bird hunt only we didn't have the convenience of saving them digitally. Remind me to tell you the story of when I emerged out of one of those hellish coverts missing one of my chaps and I didn't even know it. Thanks for the memories.

[ROMAC]

Daryl, I had a 4 inch slice on the top of my head that must have been from green briar that went right through my hat.

It must have bled pretty good cause my wife almost fainted when I took my hat off when I got home. I put my hand on the top of my head and it felt like a dried out night crawler in my hair lol!