It's supposed to be fun...

[Mitch-In-NJ]

Since I didn't recover my first deer of the season I have been down on myself and my shooting for a while.

I have been out for deer a couple times since then but I haven't let an arrow fly.

So I decided to go out for small game last week.  Went to one of the WMAs with my dog (she isn't good for squirrels or rabbits be she loves being out there with me) with a back quiver full of arrows and figured I'd try my luck.

What a blast!  I wasn't there ten minutes before I put the whack on my first squirrel.  As it turned out, it was also my last squirrel.  I missed a few.   :rolleyes:  

I only saw one rabbit and it was gone without me getting off a shot, but then something interesting happened.

On the way back to the truck my dog pointed.  Now we don't have much in the way of game birds here in NJ except those that are stocked.  I guessed it was a holdover pheasant from last year but I was wrong.

I moved up to where the dog was pointing and stomped my foot.  Whooosh!  Woodcock!

Not sure about the rest of the nation, but woodcock here are hard to find and if you find a place, DON'T TELL ANYONE.

Well, one woodcock doesn't mean a whole lot.  But when my dog pointed again... I got ready.

Pulled a flu-flu out of my quiver and stomped the ground.  Whoosh!  Followed almost immediately by the whoosh of my arrow.  And a miss.

We must have put up a dozen woodcock before it got dark and I took at least 10 shots hitting nothing but the ground, but man... what a great time!

I did go back the next day and took my limit with a shotgun... can't let the dog work that hard without some kind of reward.

Just being out there and having some really close misses I got my confidence back.  And lost that feeling of dread that accompanies not recovering a deer.

So I went out Saturday for deer.  Had 10 does and one buck come by my ground blind.  The only ones within 20 yards were just across the creek on someone elses property.  Thought for sure they were going to cross the stream right there and come by me at 5 yards, but the walked upstream a little then came across about 30 yards away.

Same day I also rattled in a nice 6 but he was also on the other side of the creek.  15 yards but someone else's land.  But he came running hard.  I guess he just didn't see any bucks fighting and decided it best to move on.

Anyway, it's fun again.  Two great days with the bow, one with the gun.  Tomorrow afternoon I'll be sitting on some turkeys and then Wednesday it's back to the woodcock spot with a snaro.

[Friend]

No one needs to tell you that you are having fun. If we harvested everything we pursued, then the desire and anticipation would surely wane.

Being down on yourself for not recovering the doe may be more of a sign of true respect for the animal. Don't lose that.

You have contemplated and re-established your confidence. Go get them.

[Mudd]

[JustinNC]

Nice....woodcocks arent that rare...theyre just in places nobody else wants to go   ...trust me, I spent three years of my life in the woods daily, delineating streams and wetlands through the most helacious stuff you can find on the east coast lol

[Mitch-In-NJ]

Justin, that's what I was saying.  Not that they are rare, just hard to find.  And when you find them you can't tell anyone or every woodcock enthusiast will find out and your spot is lost.

[Sam McMichael]

You know, that trip was really a bargain. A psychiatrist would have charged you a fortune for that therapy, and it would not have been nearly as much fun.

[BigCountryOK]

Sounds like you're on to something there!  That's what it's all about.  Good luck, have fun!

[Butch Speer]

Good for you Mitch!

[Steve Clandinin]

A true hunter and Archer,don't put undo preasure on yourself and like you found out, have fun.All the best

[maineac]

Sounds like a great time.  Goof luck with the snaro head.  The covers I find woodcock in would be tough to draw a bow in.