Woodcock Banding - An American Woodcock Society Story

Woodcock banding is probably the closest thing to actual upland hunting you can do in the spring, and is an extremely rewarding activity for any bird lover turned dog lover or dog lover turned bird lover, depending on the category of upland bird fanatic you place yourself in. Love for the dog work and love for the bird are the greatest drivers for the few hundred permitted individuals in Minnesota and Michigan who obsessively take to the dense covers where American woodcock nest during the spring. Ticks, poison ivy, indescribable mosquito hatches, and navigating the thickest of thick covers through thorns and eye-poking branches is not for the faint of heart, but once you hold a fuzzy timberdoodle chick in your hand for the first time, it is worth every moment of the search.

Learn more about banding woodcock at:

[donaldturner]

Since the Woodcock lives primarily on the ground amongst the leaves perhaps their strange bounce is to mimic leaves fluttering in the breeze?

[TheJasonBrickner]

Beautiful Munsterlander. They are the best pups! Don’t know if I’ll ever walk through the woods with another breed again.

[donaldturner]

I have a few of them come in to my farm on the Kansas/ Missouri border in the fall. My farm has some riparian characteristics with mixed deciduous forest. If I’m not mistaken their eyes reflect light like a mammal when my walking light hits them at night. They usually start to move about at dusk.

[jimh]

Excellent video! Much respect to someone that walks the walk.

[JourneyDogTraining]

It looks like the link was cut off. I'd love to read more about getting involved!

[kathleenlairscey]

I'm in LA, I'll be looking. My son saw some a couple years ago. He had worked for water department, so rural roadrunning.

[mi_bowhunter]

What an awesome project, thanks for the video!!

[Gummbeh]

New Northwoods video? Immediate watch.

[Mark-gnrw]

Excellant video!
Yea. Agreed. Def rather hike in woods than walk in urban area
Well articulated and informative
Thnk you!!
Have a nice day!!
Are they in Western NY?
Thnx

[joeellis]

We will take what you got!!! maybe a prairie chicken video in September?