3/12/2021

Encouraging so many shoots have followed GWCT’s woodcock advice: our letter to The Field

In his article ‘Ground Rules’ Jonathan Young states that he is ‘not in favour of GWCT’s advice in its entirety, that in order to protect the home-breeding population of woodcock we should only shoot them after 1 December, when birds bagged are more likely to be migrants’.

He justifies this by the claim that along most of the east coast of the UK and the Scottish Isles the first arrivals which occur on the full moon in November represent the only opportunity to shoot woodcock as they pass through. This is the case in a few locations, such as the Scottish Isles and parts of Kent, but it is not true of most of the east of the UK where significant numbers of migrants stay throughout the winter.

Alnwick, Holkham and Sandringham, for instance, have long recorded significant numbers of migrant woodcock remaining in their coverts throughout the winter. Data from bird observatories up and down the east coast of the UK show that, although the bulk of our woodcock migrants arrive in November, we receive successive waves of migrants from the continent into January.

It is encouraging that many shoots have now followed GWCT’s advice about a delayed start to the woodcock season where they breed. Dissenting voices published in leading countryside magazines, however, just add to the impression that shooters don’t listen to the science or heed guidance.

Dr Andrew Hoodless, GWCT
Owen Williams, The Woodcock Network

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Comments

Re: Woodcock

at 10:09 on 13/12/2021 by Jonathan Young

It seems I’ve ruffled the feathers of Dr Andrew Hoodless, GWCT, and Owen Williams, The Woodcock Network (Field Letters, January issue), by my suggestion that we should not always adhere to their advice of shooting woodcock only after December 1. My original point, in my article Ground Rules, was that in some parts of the country you may be lucky enough to have a fall of woodcock following the first full moon in November but that those birds may then continue migrating south and west; and if you have to wait until the GWCT’s chosen date of December 1 you may have missed your chance to bag some. Messrs Hoodless and Williams disagree with this view, stating that successive waves of migrating woodcock will give further shooting opportunity after December 1 and that on Alnwick, Holkham and Sandringham the woodcock remain in their coverts for much of the winter. Regarding their first point, successive waves of woodcock might well appear but their numbers and annual migration timings depend on many factors, such as breeding success in their home countries, weather conditions here and on the Continent, moon phases and wind direction. A cold snap in Europe in November, coupled with a full moon and easterlies, should produce a woodcock fall here. If that’s then followed by mild weather on the continent and westerlies, fewer woodcock might then migrate. As for woodcock remaining throughout winter on Alnwick, Holkham and Sandringham, I’m sure that their game records will demonstrate that even on those estates there are “good” and “bad” woodcock years. Moreover, these are huge estates, providing diverse and warm habitat for ‘cock as well as freedom from disturbance. Few of us are fortunate to have such large holdings and the woodcock that appear on our shoots may well be here one week and gone the next. I’m not a scientist, merely a countryman who’s shot for over 50 years, and whilst I subscribe to the GWCT advice not to shoot the odd woodcock in the early part of the season - when it is indeed likely to be a home-bred bird - I’m afraid I struggle to see why we should not shoot woodcock in November if they’re present in numbers that clearly indicate there’s been a fall, so long as the birds are in good condition and are genuinely valued and eaten. If that view condemns me to be regarded as a “dissenting voice” so be it, but if the coverts are full of migrant woodcock in November I’d like to see the science that proves it otherwise.

Woodcock Hungary

at 11:37 on 08/12/2021 by Peter Bolza

In Hungary we shoot Woodcock in spring, when (mainly) cocks fly in the very early mornings and late evenings by standing in one place. The flightning lasts for app. 15 minutes. This is supervised with a monitoring campaigne. Small numbers are shot. Most of the bagged Woodcock are migrants. In autumn they are not shootable and we see quite some during walked up hares and wild pheasants ( cocks only) from mid October to mid December. Their numbers decline segnificantly in the winter which means some are staying all year long.

Woodcock

at 14:25 on 07/12/2021 by Darren Chadwick

The guidance on woodcock shooting, whilst being an indication of the conservation sentiment that exists across fieldsports participants, is also symptomatic of all generic legislation or protocols involving wildlife where ‘one size fits all’ doesn’t work. Woodcock numbers and population dynamics are often area specific. Shooting them on one shoot may have negligible impact whereas on another estate might be very damaging. It’s good that the GWCT is drawing attention to woodcock numbers but I do believe common sense based on local knowledge is the key to sustainable sport.

Woodcock

at 13:46 on 07/12/2021 by michael Bax

We shot in hornbeam coppice under oak last Saturday (4th Dec), on the Low Weald between Ashford and Tenterden. Over 40 Woodcock seen in the day with 28 estimated on one drive which is always favoured. We have operated a no Woodcock policy for 5 years or more and the guns love to see them and seem to get a kick out of not shooting them. Sadly we are not seeing Woodcock roding in the spring, which used to be a regular treat up to about 15 years ago.

The Field

at 13:17 on 07/12/2021 by Gavin Meerwald

Dr Hoodless' last paragraph is rather telling. We hold up the GWCT as our beacon to the non-shooting world to say we are right. If we then don't listen to them that is a slippery slope.

Woodcock

at 12:23 on 07/12/2021 by John

I personally have not shot Woodcock for several years and our shoot decided last season (although we did not shoot due to Corvid) not shoot Woodcock at all . Interestingly I have seen more birds this year than ever — so it seems !

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