I'll be near Manchester, UK for a couple weeks in November, to do a bit of work.

I'd REALLY like to have the opportunity to shoot some woodcock while I'm in UK. Maybe come in early or stay after my assignment is complete.

American woodcock are my favorite bird to hunt, but while it's relatively easy to find ways to shoot birds here, I'm strugglin' to find a way to do so anywhere in England, Wales, or Scotland.

There doesn't seem to be the same 'hunting guide' concept and all the shoots I can find require larger groups of guns.

Does anyone have any advice?

To make it even more of a challenge, I'd prefer to borrow/rent a gun - a hammergun, ideally, instead of attempt to bring my stuff across.

Thanks!

HOPEFULLY, someone on this site from the UK can come to your aid.
But if not .....

I am home, have been to the range (30-06 & 6mm Rem), mowed the lawn, worked the crossword puzzle,
and done some reloading, then lunch, and then helped a friend with a gun issue.
Now resting, so I will scour the web.

http://www.thegearach.co.uk/woodcock/index.htm

http://www.woodcock-hunting.com/

http://wings-hunting.com/p/woodcock.html

Mike

Hammerguy,
The American concept of hunting is perhaps best described by the term 'rough shooting' in the UK. This is not a derogatory term, it can be a very demanding form of shooting but is not generally available as a commercial form of shooting.
It is nearly always the preserve of a 'Gun' who has carefully nutured the permission to shoot a piece of privately owned land (there is no public land that one can shoot on in the UK). These are guarded with great care as the permission can be lost in a second and so only close and highly trusted friends are ever invited on to them.
Woodcock in the UK are a highly prized quarry and, I am informed, nothing as common as in the USA. Most of us are lucky to see one or two in a 5 month season and they are generally not hunted specifically, rather a rare and highly prized entry in the game register.
The exception is the far west of the country and Ireland which, weather permnitting, may have considerable 'falls' of migratory woodcock in the latter part of the season.
Angelsey in North Wales which has several specialised woodcock shoots.
However, I think these are invariably for teams of guns who have a mixed day of driven and walked up birds.
Best of luck but I think you will have a tough search.

Thanks Mike. I found similar information and have reached out to Bob as well as the Pipers, but you are right, I'm hoping for a local to steer me in the proper direction.

I'd agree Toby, our US upland hunting probably does best equate to UK rough shooting. And I know several people who have had great fun participating in it around the UK. But, it does seem more of a fluke than a commercial enterprise.

Appreciate your original advice of gunsonpegs. They do have some limited opportunity to join a team of guns, unfortunately there just aren't any dates that come close to mine.

I realize this may be a fruitless search, but the timing and fluidity of my trip all but demands that I try. The opportunity to have even one pair of pin feathers to add to my collection is too much to resist.

As I have come to understand, woodcock in G.B. are a totally different quarry than in the U.S., being a much larger version and almost totally hunted in twilight or moonlit evenings. No such thing as "walk-up" with dogs in a wooded covert in Limey land. I could be wrong, though.
JR

I've shot driven woodcock in the UK and it wasn't expensive. This was with a small syndicate that had a block of land leased. They shot it once a week during the season. A visitor could shoot with them for a nominal fee.

It was a shoot one drive one type setup meaning you got to shoot every other drive and worked as a beater when you weren't shooting. We did, I believe, three drives in the morning and three in the afternoon then made stands for flighted birds right at sunset.

I managed two and missed another, I was pleased needless to say. I still have some contact with the shoot captain but don't know if they still have the club or not. Will check with him if I get a chance.

It was in Oakhampton, I have one of their club badges on my shooting hat. Don't know how far that is from Manchester.


Destry


P.S. You're exactly right John Roberts, the woodcock in the UK are about twice as large as ours.

I assume you moved to the desert from somewhere with woodcock

Archibald Thorburn's "A Labor of Love"



More here http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20286828

Drew - we gotta get together! We need to shoot some quail in the desert.

I've been shooting in Wisconsin, which, luckily, has been chock-a-block with migrating birds and more fun than should be allowed.

Mildly off topic, you might try woodcock in Louisiana at the other end of their migration. Try "follow the flight."

I shot woodcock and snipe in LA last year. Great fun, great, great, fun. Completely different landscape and type of fellow hunter, but same great little bird.

Yes, I was amazed at how small the North American woodcock are as compared to the European version which is the size of a dove. When I was a boy,in England, I was told by my grandfather never to shoot at a woodcock as a "walking gun" in a formal shoot, as the 'cocks flew a twisty flight at head height and I might shoot someone.
As milord did in the shooting party film. I never did eat woodcock or snipe guts on toast, as some of my social superiors did, but we did hang our pheasants for a couple of weeks. In a cool place!

You might want to check in with Dig Hadoke, as he organizes woodcock shoots apparently (unless he is off in the Dark Continent in search of adventure).

Woodcock Weekends

I reckon he does this through Kyri, who I talked with. FYI - Dig's on his way to America - Republic of Texas - to be exact. He's coming for the grand opening of Joseph's.

There is a days Woodcock shooting available in Oakhampton Devon on November 14th. There may be a place available for you and a lift from Manchester area. If it is of any interest to you please PM me.

Well I am a limey over on business till December.
Where and what is this Josephs? I might have some free time.
Regards
Martin

From Dig's website: Opening of Vintage Guns’ shop in partnership with Joseph’s of Richmond Texas 0n October 20. We will be there with a host of notable personalities from the British shooting fraternity to celebrate the opening of Joseph’s. Already confirmed are Cyril Adams, Diggory Hadoke, Graham Greener, Mark Kyriacou and Vic Venters. The event will double as a launch party for Dig’s new book ‘The British Boxlock Gun & Rifle’. Copies signed by the author with personal dedications will be available on the day, as will copies of ‘Vintage Guns for the Modern Shot’ and all Vic’s titles.

John, yes there is walked up woodcock shooting here in 'Limey Land' but it requires information from someone in the know with permission to shoot on the land. I used to have access to some excellent shooting in the Goyt Valley in north Derbyshire, which is in sight of Manchester, until someone waved some pound notes in front of the Farmer's nose which was more than I was prepared to pay. Plenty of snipe, woodcock and hill partridge (grey partridge but a faster and leaner breed). Shame as that would have been ideal.

They do breed here in certain areas; north Derbyshire being one such, but the majority come in as continental migrants in late October on the full moon. It's a chancy business as they can be here today and gone tomorrow. They feed at night so are put up from under bushes where they are resting up. Needs a dog really to nose them out. On driven shoots sometimes quite a few come out and sometimes none. I rarely bother to raise the gun to them on driven shoots as then they are then often rather easy; the best system is to walk them up with a dog which requires quick snap shooting. Good luck in your search. Lagopus.....

It is true, we Brits have much larger cocks than you Yanks.

If you are here in November, give me a call - I may well be able to drag you around with a spaniel in search of some birds. I'll be pleased to lend you whatever kind of gun you like - as long as it is English and the barrels correctly configured.

It very much depends on the weather - if it is not cold in northern Europe, we won't have any numbers of birds to shoot. If it IS cold there, we will.

Smallbore, it should of course be a Cocker Spaniel; as the name suggests, that's what they were bred for. Good for you for coming up with a solution. Good luck. Lagopus.....

Considering you have one of my favorite guns in your possession, for repair, I will refrain from commenting on anything but your offer to find birds. ;-)
And I may very well take you up on that. I did make a contact and it looks like it's going to work beautifully for my schedule, but if fate smiles, I'm always interested in adding another opportunity.
Lets talk more Dig. Travel safe.

Thanks to everyone with suggestions, offers, and PMs. This forum is truly a gem!