The results of the wing collection are on going, but we are nearing completion and should have the final count within the next two weeks. At present we have 564 wings collected that is one wing from each woodcock. Those wings have come from the following counties, Mayo, Dublin, Galway, Clare, Meath, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Carlow, Donegal, Cork, Roscommon, Sligo, Offaly, Leitrim, Antrim, Longford Waterford and Cavan". We would like to thank all those who contributed to the 06/07 wing collection. It does not matter how few wings are offered to us, each wing will add additional information which helps to build the bigger picture. Of the 564 wings submitted to date there were 318 adults and 246 juvenile, this breaks down to adults 56.2% and juvenile 43.8%. This ratio of young to old is less than the previous two years when the percentage was 57% juvenile in 05/06 and 50.15% juvenile in 04/05. But it is much more than in the years (03/04, 37%) - (02/03- no results) - (01/02 - 40.3%) - (00/01- 33.7%) juveniles to adults. Complete figures and age ratio for 06/07 season will be advised when we have the final tally of wings. Some other information based on the hunters report forms returned to the woodcock association for season 06/07 will be of interest and they are as follows: No. of woodcock flushed: 1788. No. woodcock shot: 500. No. of hunters: 26No. of hours spent hunting: 735.5. Irish hunters are spending on average aprox. 1.5 hours hunting per woodcock in the bag and are finding generally aprox. 2.5 woodcock per. hour while out on a seasons hunting.The no of woodcock flushed from 20th to 31st Jan /07: were 600. This is 33.5% of birds flushed for the complete season and they were flushed in the last period of January. This confirms the overall indications that numbers were below average in Ireland until the cold spell hit Scotland and England late in January
WOODCOCK Seminar/Workshop.
Venue: Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport
Date: 26th May 2007 at 1400hrs (2o'clcock)Guest speakers: European Woodcock ExpertsWoodcock wing ageing instructions and demonstrations
Admission: 25euro by ticket only
Pre-booking is essential as places are limitedContact 087 6837569 to book you seat.Full details will be posted shortly