Woodcock are traditionally viewed as one of the most sporting of birds and their appearance adds excitement to any day’s shooting. Their curious zig-zagging flight, and distinctive form make them instantly recognisable, but the numbers of breeding woodcock are declining and shooters can help.
Advice
The UK hosts a small, and declining population of breeding woodcock which is supplemented by a large influx of thriving European migrants through the winter. There is no evidence that shooting is responsible for the decline in the breeding population, but in order to safeguard the population we should all act responsibly when shooting one of our noblest sporting birds. We are not calling for a moratorium on woodcock shooting because there is no evidence that this would help. In fact, shooters are responsible for actively managing habitats to suit resident woodcock populations and calling for a ban could well lead to a loss of incentive for the great work that shooters are already doing.
To reduce the chance of harvesting a resident breeding bird we recommend the following.
If you are certain no resident woodcock are present in the area then shooting of migratory woodcock can start without delay, although we recommend allowing them a week of good weather to recover from their journey before shooting.
If you are unsure or know you have resident woodcock in the area then refrain from shooting woodcock until the majority of the migrant population arrives to reduce the chance of a resident bird being taken. As a guide, don’t shoot woodcock until late November.
Woodcock are very site faithful, so even if no woodcock are resident in your area, you could still shoot yourself out of your own sport if you shoot too many of the visiting migrants. Once the migratory link is broken it may never recover.
Take care if you shoot woodcock flighting along woodland edges at dusk. It is very easy to overshoot an area this way and you may be shooting yourself out of your own sport.
Many UK shooters will be aware of the severe weather protocols we have in place to protect ducks and geese after 14 days of prolonged severe weather. However, the evidence is now suggesting that woodcock may be particularly susceptible to cold weather, especially lying snow. You should stop shooting woodcock after 7 days with temperatures below freezing, or after significant snowfall, and allow the birds to recover for a week before starting shooting again.
The main reason we have to be so cautious about shooting woodcock is because we know so little about them. You can help by:
Small game preparation Food hygiene is paramount All game preparation must be carried out with good food hygiene being the number one priority. When transporting shot quarry, BASC advises members to adhere to the Code of Good Shooting Practice’s Guide to Good Game handling. If you’re preparing game for the table,
Firearms licensing during coronavirus outbreak Latest update First time grant applications for shotgun and firearm certificates Some police forces are not accepting first-time grant applications because of difficulties they may be having with carrying out home visits during local and national Covid-19 restrictions. However, some police forces have been adapting
Gamekeeping Today, there are some 5,000 full-time gamekeepers employed in the UK. In addition, there are many who spend their leisure time and money, rearing game and maintaining habitats on their own small shoots. A gamekeeper can be professional or amateur but their role is the same, to look after
