We got out early before the wind and heat hit again today. We went north of Hibbing MN. I haven’t had a chance to hunt this area in two years. I was a little bit surprised to have trucks parked in the first two spots that we went to. I guess the reports of good bird numbers are bringing out the hunters even on hot weekdays.
I put the 11 year old Tasha down at the first spot that we could hunt at. It is a little bit older than what I would think of as prime but within a 100 yards of starting she went on point and I was able to take the bird with one shot. It was in thinner cover than what we have been moving birds out of. After another 1/2 hour we were ready to turn around and head back to the truck and she started to work scent and this one held for a moment before flushing close to the trail. I was able to also take this one. On the way back we had a bumped bird and I did not connect on it.
Tasha got in just over an hour at 70 degrees and we moved 3 birds and took two.
The second spot was Val’s and this one looked better. Unfortunately we had a tailwind to start and had two bumped birds on the way out. We turned around at the 45 minute mark. I wasn’t too optimistic that we would see anything since we had just hunted the trail. Val ended up working wider than on the way out and got a point within 10 minutes. She was 70 yards off the trail and I was a little surprised that the bird was still holding for her. I was able to take her on the flush and Val made the retrieve. We got a second point about 200 yards short of the truck and it was also near the trail and I had another day shot.
We ended the day as it was creeping into the high 70s and the wind was also picking up. We didn’t move any woodcock today, but on the plus side most of the shots were the easiest that we’ve had so far this season.
I put the 11 year old Tasha down at the first spot that we could hunt at. It is a little bit older than what I would think of as prime but within a 100 yards of starting she went on point and I was able to take the bird with one shot. It was in thinner cover than what we have been moving birds out of. After another 1/2 hour we were ready to turn around and head back to the truck and she started to work scent and this one held for a moment before flushing close to the trail. I was able to also take this one. On the way back we had a bumped bird and I did not connect on it.
Tasha got in just over an hour at 70 degrees and we moved 3 birds and took two.
The second spot was Val’s and this one looked better. Unfortunately we had a tailwind to start and had two bumped birds on the way out. We turned around at the 45 minute mark. I wasn’t too optimistic that we would see anything since we had just hunted the trail. Val ended up working wider than on the way out and got a point within 10 minutes. She was 70 yards off the trail and I was a little surprised that the bird was still holding for her. I was able to take her on the flush and Val made the retrieve. We got a second point about 200 yards short of the truck and it was also near the trail and I had another day shot.
We ended the day as it was creeping into the high 70s and the wind was also picking up. We didn’t move any woodcock today, but on the plus side most of the shots were the easiest that we’ve had so far this season.