WOODCOCK SHOOTING 
three or four men should be made to walk this carefully, especially if 
it faces south and the day is bright, as it is almost always a very favourite 
spot for birds to lie, except in the hardest weather. 
When a beat is finished, and all the “ ’cock ” collected, they should 
be carefully looked over in order to see if any have labels on their legs. 
Many owners of coverts have of late years marked young birds, and it is 
a matter of great interest to them to hear of any cases of marked birds 
being found; in addition to this it is useful to the naturalist in proving 
their lines of migration. 
When walking along a woodcock path one may often observe, especially 
under holly bushes or warm sunny spots, the leaves scratched up and 
the marks of a woodcock’s bill thrust here and there into the moss ; it is 
almost a certainty that the bird is not far off, having run into some 
neighbouring shelter, and an easy shot will very likely be offered to the 
man who uses his eyes. 
Again, when the cry of “ ’cock forward ” is heard, the woodcock, after 
being flushed, and flying in and out of the trees, will very likely swoop 
down a path and fly straight for the forward gun’s head; if he stands 
quite still he is almost certain to get an easy chance as the ’cock suddenly 
perceives him and flies upwards to right or left. 
Perhaps the greatest charm in woodcock shooting is the fact of the 
uncertainty. They may not be “ in ” on the particular day when the covert 
is shot, and one never knows when a chance may occur. We remember 
on one occasion the guns and beaters were all standing round a small 
line of dead ’cock at the end of a ride in a certain wood, when all of a sudden 
a gasping exclamation came from one of the beaters, and looking up a 
shadow flitted over the party, one of whom luckily had his gun loaded 
and brought down a woodcock; as he was being congratulated on his 
readiness there was a shout, and another ’cock dashed over; again he 
successfully annexed it, amidst laughter and cheers, and almost at the 
same moment still a third ’cock dashed over the same line of flight. This 
bird was saluted by the combined fire of the party, who were by this time 
prepared for any emergency. 
It afterwards transpired that two “ stops ” who were being sent forward 
to the next beat had flushed these three birds in the outside ditch of the 
covert as they were going to their places. 
Close time . — ^The writer would suggest to the powers that be, that the 
close time for woodcocks should commence on February 2. By that date 
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