SMALL GAME · MIGRATORY
Woodcock shooting in the autumn woods
The most prized migratory game bird in Europe — singletons in dense cover, flushed by close-working pointers, snap shots through the canopy gaps. Carpathian beech forests are one of the species’ best autumn corridors.
- Duration2 or 3 days
- Guns1–4
- FormatWalked-up with pointers
- SeasonSep–Feb · best Oct–Dec
- HabitatBeech + oak forest
ABOUT THE SHOOT
What to expect
Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola) is the singular trophy bird of European autumn shooting. They migrate south through the Carpathians from late September, dropping into beech and oak forests with damp leaf-litter to feed on earthworms before pushing onward to Mediterranean wintering grounds.
The hunt works exclusively with pointing dogs — English pointers, English setters, German wirehairs. Dogs work close in dense cover, find the singleton, lock onto point. You move in, the bird flushes inside 15 metres through canopy gaps, and you have about a second-and-a-half to take a clean shot. Misses are normal; this is the wing-shoot most hunters return for specifically.
Bags are modest by waterfowl standards, but the trophy fee reflects the species’ status: €150 per piece. Pairs naturally with our pheasant shoot (same lodge area, different rhythm) or with a roe deer stalk for a mixed European-bag week.
Good to know
Oradea, Cluj, or Timișoara — whichever is closest to your hunting zone. Airport transfer arranged on request (not included in the package).
Hotel, guesthouse, or hunting cabin — depending on your hunting zone.
Common choice: 20 or 28-ga over-and-under; open chokes (skeet or improved-cyl), #8 or #9 shot. Light, fast-handling.
Rifles, shotguns, and ammunition can be rented on site — bring a valid hunting permit from your home country and we’ll sort the rest at booking.
Sturdy ankle-protecting boots, briar-resistant trousers, brimmed cap — woodcock cover is thorny.
Wing-shooters chasing Europe’s most prized migratory trophy. Misses are normal; the species is the trophy.
Choose a package
2-day shoot
Two full days with pointing dogs
from1,040EUR
Non-hunting companion: 3 nights × 170 EUR = 510 EUR
- 2 days of walked-up shooting with pointers
- 3 nights of accommodation (hotel, guesthouse, or hunting cabin)
- Pointing dogs + handlers
Not included
- Travel to and from Romania
- Airport transfer
- Shotgun rental service
- Alcoholic drinks
- Per-bird fees — per the trophy-prices table
- Ammunition — bring your own
- Tips for handlers
- Primary trophy preparation
3-day shoot
Three days · best when the migration is active
from1,420EUR
Non-hunting companion: 4 nights × 170 EUR = 680 EUR
- 3 days of walked-up shooting with pointers
- 4 nights of accommodation (hotel, guesthouse, or hunting cabin)
- Pointing dogs + handlers
Not included
- Travel to and from Romania
- Airport transfer
- Shotgun rental service
- Alcoholic drinks
- Per-bird fees — per the trophy-prices table
- Ammunition — bring your own
- Tips for handlers
- Primary trophy preparation
WHAT EVERY PACKAGE COVERS
Included services
The same ten services are part of every hunting package on our calendar — paperwork, hospitality, and on-the-ground organisation handled end-to-end.
- Lodge accommodationHotel, guesthouse, or hunting cabin — venue depends on the hunting zone.
- Full pensionThree meals a day, traditional regional cooking, non-alcoholic drinks throughout.
- Hunting permitRomanian hunting permit filed on your behalf before arrival.
- Temporary firearm permitTemporary import + hunting-firearm permit for the duration of your stay.
- Official hunting invitationIssued by us; the document your home authority needs to clear travel.
- Border-crossing assistanceEntry and exit, from rifle paperwork to customs questions.
- Hunting organisation on the groundBeat selection, hide setup, drives, scouting — handled by our team daily.
- Dedicated translatorEnglish, German, or French speaker present at every briefing and drive.
- Specialised technical staffForester, professional guide, beater team where the hunt format calls for one.
- Internal transport on the hunting ground4×4 / minibus inside the hunting area; transfers between lodge and beats.
Not included: travel to and from Romania (airport pickup can be arranged at cost), ammunition, trophy fees and trophy preparation per the published trophy-prices table, optional firearm / optic rentals, and alcoholic drinks beyond the welcome dinner.
WHERE YOU HUNT
Where this hunt takes place
Where this package puts you in Romania, and what the country is like there.
- Transylvania
- Maramureș
- Muntenia & Oltenia
- Bucovina & Moldova
- Crișana & Banat
- Dobrogea & the Danube Delta
HUNTING SEASONS
When the season opens
Both the gov-regulated opening window and the prime sub-window when this hunt produces the best trophies and the densest action.
15 Sept – 28 Feb
15 Oct – 15 Dec
Peak trophy quality and activity inside the legal window.
- Firearms only — bows and crossbows are not lawful hunting means in Romania.
- Thermal and night-vision sights are not permitted for this species.
- Daily bag limit: 3 birds per hunter.
Reference dates only. The Romanian Ministry of Environment's annual hunting order is authoritative; quotas for derogation species (bear, wolf, lynx) shift independently. We confirm the operative rules at booking.
TROPHY PRICING
Trophy prices
The trophy is never included in the package — every trophy fee, preparation charge, and penalty is billed from the table below. The package above covers the hunt, lodge, meals, permit, transport, and translator only.
Trophy prices
| Per piece shot | Price |
|---|---|
| Woodcock — Sep 15 – Feb 28 | 150 € |
Optional services
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Temporary hunting permit | 50 € |
Trophy fees, preparation, and penalties are always billed separately from the package price — no fee is ever hidden inside the package.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what hunters ask before booking this hunt. The full terms are on the Rules & Conditions page.
How many days does the hunt last?
How many hunters can take part?
How demanding is this hunt?
What does the package price include?
What is not included in the package price?
Which airport should I fly to?
Where will I stay?
Which rifle or shotgun should I bring?
Can I rent a gun on site?
What should I pack?
How much is the trophy fee?
Is a deposit required?
How do I book?
BOOK YOUR HUNT
Request a bookingWoodcock Shooting
Tell us which offering you want, your dates, and how many of you. We will reply with a full package quote as soon as possible.
STAY IN THE PROGRAMME
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