Woodcock hunting trips in Bulgaria - Hunting area Ракитника 9021

Woodcocks hunting trips in Bulgaria

One of the most popular types of wing shooting in Bulgaria is woodcock hunting, and for good reason. These birds' migration route takes them directy through Bulgaria, making it one of the best woodcock hunting destinations in the world.

Woodcock hunts begin at around 9:00 AM, the best time being in daylight, with a pointing dog. The Setter and the Pointer have proved themselves invaluable helpers for this hunt. The woodcock is a secretive bird; most commonly encountered in forests, hence its name - woodcock. It likes to hide along the edge of the forest, in gullies, near small rivers, where the soil is soft and in short bushes (briar, blackberry and thorny bushes), but must be close to the forest. During rapid temperature drops, the woodcock can be found in pine forests, where the snow and rime can’t reach the ground.

There it spends the entire day feeding and resting, and manages to survive because the soil doesn’t freeze. Some of the best regions for hunting woodcocks can be found in Bulgaria. These regions maintain the vitally necessary for the bird temperature of 5 degrees Celsius. It’s a well-known fact that one of the biggest woodcock migration routes - via Pontica - passes through Bulgaria, making it one of the best hunting destinations for this bird in the world.

These birds stay for the longest time-period precisely in Bulgaria. Bulgarian hunters don’t have much interest in woodcocks, allowing mostly foreign hunters to indulge in this type of wingshooting in Bulgaria. The best habitats are near the Black sea, because the snow melts quickly thanks to the maritime climate. The hunting terrains are easily traversable because the soil is soft and lacks rocky areas. Some of the forests are sparse which allows for better visibility of the birds and more trophies.

The hunt for woodcocks is tremendously interesting because it is difficult, involves long treks and strong emotions. The best pointing dog for hunting these birds is the English setter. It has a firm stance, searches the places where the vegetation is thickest, has a good tempo and covers large areas. Unlike the Pointer it searches in a circular fashion and, most of the time, it tries to block the bird’s escape.

The Pointer has a good sense of smell, but searches further and in a straight line, which makes it possible for it to miss some of the birds. There are exceptions; some Pointers are very good in hunting woodcocks. Lately, we have begun to see the German shorthaired pointer in the forest, but the problem is that they track and give chase to furred game.

The best terrains for woodcock wingshooting in Bulgaria are short-stalked forests, clearings, and sparse beech, oak and coniferous forests as long as there are meadows frequented by livestock nearby. At night, woodcocks find their food in those meadows by burrowing.

Snipes hunting trips in Bulgaria

Snipes are rarely the target of Bulgarian hunters, but there is quite the interest from foreign hunters.

This type of wing shooting in Bulgaria doesn’t require the hunters to get up early and can continue the entire day. Snipes are most commonly hunted in the so called overflows (fields that retain water, rice fields, spots where rivers have overflown and shallow lakes).

This is a bird that makes one of the longest migratory flights in the world. There is evidence that some specimens travel from Japan to Bulgaria. The hunt is very emotional and puts the hunter’s marksmanship skills to the test.

On liftoff snipes let out a cry which guides the hunter to the target. The problem is the bird makes sudden and sharp turns to either side and after the 30th meter straightens out its trajectory.

Missing the target is quite common. Out of the three types of snipes (small, common and large) the common snipe is allowed to be hunted in Bulgaria. Retriever dogs, which cope well with watery terrains, can be used.

The dogs must work very close to the hunter, at a distance no greater than 20 - 25 m. because the snipe lifts off at the 20th meter (the bird doesn’t allow the hunter to get close to it; the terrain doesn’t allow stealthy movement) and does so very quickly, making it quite difficult to hit.

English Setters have established themselves as the best dogs for this hunt. They have a good, firm stance and an exceptional sense of smell. Their fur protects them from the moisture and they can work all day.

Snipe hunting is allowed in the period from the beginning of August to the end of February. The best time for this type of wing shooting in Bulgaria is in December and January when most water basins freeze.