Woodcock Hunting with a Pointing Dog: 7 Training Tips

There’s nothing quite like walking up on your dog locked solid in the October woods, knowing a woodcock is tucked in the leaves a few feet off her nose. Our Brittany, Lily, has been doing exactly that this fall. That’s her above, locked up on a woodcock in red oak cover.

Woodcock are some of the best birds there are for building a young pointing dog. They hold tight, they live in cover you can walk, and the fall flights give you plenty of chances. They also have quirks that trip up a lot of dogs. Here are seven tips for training a bird dog on woodcock this season.

1. Hunt the right cover

Woodcock feed almost entirely on earthworms, so look for damp, soft ground with young growth overhead: alder runs, young aspen and popple, overgrown fields going back to brush, and creek bottoms. If you can push a finger into the soil easily, you’re in the right place. During the fall migration, “flight birds” pile into these spots after a cold front, so a covert that was empty Tuesday can hold a dozen birds Friday.

2. Let a young dog find birds before you ask for perfection

A tight-holding woodcock lets a young dog point, creep, and figure out how close is too close. Early on, focus on getting your pup into birds and building desire. Steadiness can come later. If your pup is just starting out, our guide on how to start a bird dog puppy walks through the basics.

3. Use a check cord for control

A 30-foot orange check cord is the simplest tool you can own for this. It lets you stop a dog from breaking point and chasing without a lot of yelling, and the bright color is easy to spot in the leaves. Once your dog is reliable on whoa, you can drop the cord in the field.

4. Put a beeper or bell on your dog in thick cover

Woodcock cover is thick. You’ll often lose sight of your dog within a few yards, and a dog on point goes silent. A beeper collar changes tone when your dog stops moving, so you can walk straight to the point. For dogs that range out of earshot, a GPS tracking collar shows you exactly where they’re standing.

5. Be patient with the retrieve

Plenty of good dogs don’t like picking up woodcock. Some hunters believe the scent or loose feathers put them off. Don’t force it in the field. Build a solid retrieve at home with a canvas puppy dummy, praise any pickup, and many dogs come around with experience.

6. Keep sessions short and handle with a whistle

Early-season days can still be warm, and thick cover wears a dog out fast. Hunt in short loops, carry water for your dog, and take breaks. A Roy Gonia whistle on a lanyard lets you turn and recall your dog without shouting through the brush.

7. Know the rules before you go

Woodcock are a migratory game bird, so seasons, bag limits and shot rules are set by each state within federal guidelines, and you’ll need to register for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) in the state where you hunt. Check your state’s current regulations each fall.

More woodcock reading

• Joy: Woodcock Hunting with a Brittany on Michigan’s Jordan River
• Woodcock Banding in Michigan: How Pointing Dogs Help Science
• How to Teach a Bird Dog to Quarter

Gear up for woodcock season: check cords, whistles, beeper collars and training dummies ship fast, and orders over $100 ship free. Shop whistles & check cords »

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