Crap. Big Woodcock die off in NJ Cape May area.

[vaturkey]

https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/new ... IELNmvMMeQ

Mother nature can be cruel. This was a tough storm. I expect there will be die off big time in Maryland and Northern Neck of Va.

[ROMAC]

Yeah, I saw that article.

I wrote about how fragile woodcock are in the winter in one of my most recent posts.

This has happened before, however, and they always bounce back.

Tragedy.

[vaturkey]

About 8 years ago I hunted the coastal areas of Maine for Grouse and Woodcock. 3 years earlier we had hunted the same area and Woodcock numbers borderlined on the obscene. 3 of us were there with flushing dogs for a week and were flushing 30 to 40 birds per day. Shooting was difficult in thick cover with flushers, but we all limited out most days on Woodcock with a few bonus Grouse.

The hunting was so great that a few years later we went back. There was a Maine Guide who drove us around before the first day of hunting that first year and his fee had been a couple cases of beer.

Anyway, we arrived the three years later and met that same guide the day before our hunt was due to start. Over a few sips of Blanton Bourbon in our cabin he dropped the hammer on our trip. He said Woodcock had migrated north early that year and had gotten caught in a freak long lasting snow and ice storm and many had died. He felt we would have a bad week and he was 100 percent correct.

We had 3 very good pointing dogs, who all knew Woodcock. We hunted for 5 days and killed 3 Woodcock and missed a few Grouse. Everything was great with the company and the food, but the birds were decimated.

That was about 6 years ago now and I have not been back, choosing to go to Michigan, which is a good bit closer.

[Foxnut]

I just read the below article from this month’s RGS/AWS Bellwether related to the Cape May freeze and impact to woodcock.

https://ruffedgrousesociety.org/severe- ... -die-offs/

Unfortunately we had another significant ice storm last weekend here in MI’s Northern Lower. The ice storm impacted the Cadillac area all the way over to Alpena and the Eastern Northern Lower. Some of the same areas impacted in last year’s ice storm were impacted yet again. As I learn more I’ll post reports from DNR and other sources.

[vaturkey]

I just read the below article from this month’s RGS/AWS Bellwether related to the Cape May freeze and impact to woodcock.

https://ruffedgrousesociety.org/severe- ... -die-offs/

Unfortunately we had another significant ice storm last weekend here in MI’s Northern Lower. The ice storm impacted the Cadillac area all the way over to Alpena and the Eastern Northern Lower. Some of the same areas impacted in last year’s ice storm were impacted yet again. As I learn more I’ll post reports from DNR and other sources.

We need an unlike button. I've heard the same thing in regards to another ice storm in the same areas hit last yet. Not at bad overall as last year, but certainly more ice damage. Last year I hunted the ice damage area and bird numbers were low and in some areas it wasn't safe for either the two or 4 legged.