Traveling east for the holidays again this year, writer Mel Toponce wanted to join me for a Delaware woodcock hunt on December 22.
Mel informed me that he hunted grouse in Pennsylvania and woodcocks in New Jersey several days before meeting with me, but he had only moderate success. He had shots at a couple grouse, and although he hunted woodcocks for a full day, he only bagged one bird. Thinking few woodcocks were in the area, Mel was hesitant to join me for a hunt. However, after I informed him I shot a limit of birds several days earlier, his spirits lifted and he agreed to join me.
I picked Mel up at his hotel around 7:00 AM, and we were at my never-fail woodcock spot by 7:30. My vizsla Gus pointed birds within 20 minutes of hunting, and Mel and I each had shots. Hunting in super-thick cover, Gus located about 7 birds. Mel knocked down two woodcocks by 9:00 AM, and I knocked down one before heading to another spot.
After walking about 20 paces into the new field, Gus points the honeysuckle at the field’s edge. I kicked the brush, up flies a fat woodcock, and bang! Mel drops him. What a hunt! Mel had his Delaware woodcock limit by 10:00 AM!