2021 Late Season Woodcock and Waterfowl Hunt

Last Day Hunt for wood duck, woodcock and Canada goose 

 The last Saturday in January of 2021 marks the conclusion of duck season, goose season and woodcock season. I planned to try for all three species during three different hunts on the morning of January 30. My day started in a backwater swamp looking for wood ducks. Shooting time began at 6:48 and the temperature was 28-degrees. The first group of seven ducks came in and pitched away from me, offering no shot. A second group of three flew towards me but flared off and never landed. My errant shots at this group flushed out the woodies that were already on the water. Then another group of six ducks circled the hole and dropped behind me using the proverbial back door, and I was fortunate to cut out one drake. When I looked at my watch again it was 7 a.m. and the hunt was over. 

The next phase of the hunt included a change in footwear, from hip boots to regular hiking boots. A change in shot size for targeting the larger Canada goose was also required. I set up on a low area next to a likely location, and waited for a late morning flight of geese. The ice on a nearby barbed wire fence was a testament that it was still a cold morning, and I stayed bundles up and grateful for some sunshine. A light breeze began to blow and not long after that a group of 16 honkers appeared on the horizon. As they got closer I could tell a smaller bird was flying with them. I kept my eyes on that bird out of curiosity and when it set its wings to land I could see it was a female mallard duck. I shunned the shot on that duck and peeled off a Canada goose, and it fell to the ground in a heap. The flock of geese circled and then left out, and I gathered my gear and goose and sent out for my next hunt.

Walking up a woodcock is one thing, but being able to draw down on the swerving timber doodle and make a kill shot is an entirely different discipline. Walking in a grid pattern in order to be sure and cover every square foot of terrain in an area full of leafy litter which woodcock prefer, I jumped up a bird. He flew straight away from me and landed past a pine thicket. I switched my walking patterns to he area where I saw it go, but after thirty minutes I was feeling like I would never see that bird again. Gathering my thoughts and making one more push further than I had thought to go, that same bird got up and I gave it both barrels of my 20-gauge upland shotgun, hitting it twice. It fell into a thick area so I had to crawl to retrieve my bird, and after putting my hands on that woodcock I gave thanks for my hunting success.

To view past blog entries about late season duck hunting click 2020 - 2019 - 2018 - 2017 -  Filming Migration Nation TV Show - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2011 - 2010 - 2009