GUN THOUGHTS

Some things to consider when selecting a shotgun for woodcock

What features should a woodcock gun have? A light and responsive shotgun is ideal for the thick coverts. Shorter barrel lengths of 26 or 28 inches are ideal, as are stocks and fore-ends with less wood. One reason that many woodcock hunters favor side-by-sides is they come with a splinter fore-end and a straight English stock. Lars Jacob of Wild Surroundings in Vermont is one of the country’s foremost gun fitters. “Side-bys with straight stocks are lethal because the design allows the shooter’s front and rear hands to work well together,” he says. “Both wrists are nearly parallel and relaxed. Together they move the shotgun to the cheek in a flat, unstaggered mount. Semi-pistol grips offer some comfort, but the rear hand runs at about a 45-degree angle to the front…

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Game & Fish East (Digital) - 1 Issue, September 2024

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