The female took off from under my feet, so l froze figuring l was about to step on a nest. I looked under ferns for about a minute and all of a sudden, 5 almost fully developed young took off from all around me. I wanted a closer look so caught this guy/gal for a pic.
Not something that happens everyday. That said a friend sent the pic of this woodcock he caught by hand last June. He lives next to a woodcock breeding reserve\conservation area
I doubt I will be catching any by hand soon even though I am seeing lots of both on my land lately.