My OperaCapercaillie unique hunting methods
Friday, March 16, 2012 9:28:32 PM
Body weight
A capercaillie male body weight, including all it’s organs, is of 3 to 5 kilograms, while the female weights 30-40% less.
Body structure
There is a big difference between the male feather color and female one: the male’s feathers are of a darker color, which from far a way it could make you think it’s black, tho it is not; the goiter and chest are of a green-black color into a blue one, with metallic sparkles; the wings shoulder is white, the skin around the eyes red while the tail is black with white irregular spots. The capercaillie has a strong beak which looks a lot like prey ones. In winter season the fingers are provided with fleshy grows, in the shape of a comb, which increase their support area in the snow; in the summer the grows are missing. The capercaillie female is less colorful than the male. The female’s color is usually rusty, covered with various black spots, which is works mostly as a defense method, because it offers the capercaillie female a good camouflage.
The track is resembling, as form, with the one of any other grouse. The only difference is the size of the capercaillie track, this being bigger than the rest; the capercaillie has four fingers provided with strong claws.
Natural habitat
The capercaillie can be usually found in wide coniferous forests, at a height of 1200-1500m. The biotope is of a higher quality for the capercaillies if fruit making trees are also found there. The abundant rains which fall on this altitude favor the development of a nutritious fauna, which the capercaillie adds to the vegetal day by day meal.
Etiology
It is a stationary and polygamous bird. The mating takes place between the 15th of April and the 15th of May; after the capericaillie lays around 6-10 eggs, the incubation period lasts for 27 days, the small birds being born nidifuge.
Food
The food the capercaillie feeds her babies with, is mostly animal: ant grubs, worms, adult insects. The adult food is also animal, but in case non is found they eat vegetal food like: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries and other type of fruits that they find in the woods. During winter, because of the lack of this type of food, they eat resinous buds. It’s flying isn’t this birds main quality. It is a hard and tiring activity, the capercaillie doing it only on short distances.
Main enemies: lynxes, martens, foxes and even boars which usually attack their eggs. But the biggest enemy of all is the human, since the beginning of wood grazing and so cold cock fights.
Hunting
It is one of the most exciting because of the environment the hunting takes place in and also the difficulty of approaching the blackcock. It requires a lot of effort from the hunter, such as climbing to high areas.
The hunter does the beat in the afternoon, waiting for the blackcock to appear during nightfall. Their arrival is announced by the blackcock flight, which can be heard from a relatively long distance. A recognition of the land is also done on this occasion. The approach and retreat in the beat must be done really carefully, so that it will not scare the black-cocks, making them fly away.
Over the night, the hunter can take a nap but will have to wake one hour before the sunrise, to make the beat. The hunter must be careful on every step, so that the approach is done quietly. From time to time he will stop, listening for the so called “blackcock song”, which in reality is not a song at all, but a hone. Right before the hone is over, you will have to stop in whatever position you find yourself to be, and wait for the next “song” in order to move again. The approach can last for about 15 to 30 minutes. 4 mm shots are used or you can even use bullets. The shooting isn’t difficult, because the bird will be found on a branch or on the ground. Only poor sight or weak visibility could hinder your precision. After you shoot the blackcock you can transport it on a stick, tied with a wire which you will cross trough it’s nostrils, so that the feathers won’t deteriorate on the way home, where it is usually stuffed.
You should usually pick clear weather periods when starting a hunt for this animal.
The blackcock meat is edible, but not of a particular special taste. It is mostly shot for the trophy and the beauty of the hunt.
A capercaillie male body weight, including all it’s organs, is of 3 to 5 kilograms, while the female weights 30-40% less.
Body structure
There is a big difference between the male feather color and female one: the male’s feathers are of a darker color, which from far a way it could make you think it’s black, tho it is not; the goiter and chest are of a green-black color into a blue one, with metallic sparkles; the wings shoulder is white, the skin around the eyes red while the tail is black with white irregular spots. The capercaillie has a strong beak which looks a lot like prey ones. In winter season the fingers are provided with fleshy grows, in the shape of a comb, which increase their support area in the snow; in the summer the grows are missing. The capercaillie female is less colorful than the male. The female’s color is usually rusty, covered with various black spots, which is works mostly as a defense method, because it offers the capercaillie female a good camouflage.
The track is resembling, as form, with the one of any other grouse. The only difference is the size of the capercaillie track, this being bigger than the rest; the capercaillie has four fingers provided with strong claws.
Natural habitat
The capercaillie can be usually found in wide coniferous forests, at a height of 1200-1500m. The biotope is of a higher quality for the capercaillies if fruit making trees are also found there. The abundant rains which fall on this altitude favor the development of a nutritious fauna, which the capercaillie adds to the vegetal day by day meal.
Etiology
It is a stationary and polygamous bird. The mating takes place between the 15th of April and the 15th of May; after the capericaillie lays around 6-10 eggs, the incubation period lasts for 27 days, the small birds being born nidifuge.
Food
The food the capercaillie feeds her babies with, is mostly animal: ant grubs, worms, adult insects. The adult food is also animal, but in case non is found they eat vegetal food like: cranberries, raspberries, blackberries and other type of fruits that they find in the woods. During winter, because of the lack of this type of food, they eat resinous buds. It’s flying isn’t this birds main quality. It is a hard and tiring activity, the capercaillie doing it only on short distances.
Main enemies: lynxes, martens, foxes and even boars which usually attack their eggs. But the biggest enemy of all is the human, since the beginning of wood grazing and so cold cock fights.
Hunting
It is one of the most exciting because of the environment the hunting takes place in and also the difficulty of approaching the blackcock. It requires a lot of effort from the hunter, such as climbing to high areas.
The hunter does the beat in the afternoon, waiting for the blackcock to appear during nightfall. Their arrival is announced by the blackcock flight, which can be heard from a relatively long distance. A recognition of the land is also done on this occasion. The approach and retreat in the beat must be done really carefully, so that it will not scare the black-cocks, making them fly away.
Over the night, the hunter can take a nap but will have to wake one hour before the sunrise, to make the beat. The hunter must be careful on every step, so that the approach is done quietly. From time to time he will stop, listening for the so called “blackcock song”, which in reality is not a song at all, but a hone. Right before the hone is over, you will have to stop in whatever position you find yourself to be, and wait for the next “song” in order to move again. The approach can last for about 15 to 30 minutes. 4 mm shots are used or you can even use bullets. The shooting isn’t difficult, because the bird will be found on a branch or on the ground. Only poor sight or weak visibility could hinder your precision. After you shoot the blackcock you can transport it on a stick, tied with a wire which you will cross trough it’s nostrils, so that the feathers won’t deteriorate on the way home, where it is usually stuffed.
You should usually pick clear weather periods when starting a hunt for this animal.
The blackcock meat is edible, but not of a particular special taste. It is mostly shot for the trophy and the beauty of the hunt.
