Erich Burkentine, the Southern Regional Forester for the DE Forest Service and manager of Redden State Forest, is a reader of Hunting The First State and another avid woodcock hunter. He and his German Shorthair Pointer have been hunting Delaware woodcock since the season opened.
Erich says, “There aren’t to many people that hunt woodcock in DE and its about the greatest thing in the world especially w/ a good dog. The wet weather this year seems to be helping out quite a bit. Its giving the birds a chance to hit areas they haven’t been able to occupy in the last few years due to the drought and low water tables. This year is a different animal all together. All of the alluvial areas with early succession vegetation have been holding some numbers. There were a few times down here last year that I had my limit in 20 minutes. I would pop a double walk 20 yards and get my third.”
Here are some photos of Erich’s latest Delaware woodcock hunt.