28 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



ing the fall migration a greater number of woodcock 

 than have been seen for many years. We have heard 

 of bags being made of fifteen or twenty birds to a 

 gun, and gunners have told us of starting thirty or 

 forty woodcock in a single day. One gunner of great 

 experience and knowledge of the habits of the birds and 

 the particular sections to which they delight to resort, 

 has told us that in the autumn of 1909 he started in 

 a single day by actual count not less than fifty birds. 

 The number that he and a companion killed was some- 

 what less than one-third this number. They kept 

 within the law of the State in which they were shoot- 

 ing, but the gunner confessed that the temptation to 

 overrun the limit was strong. 



The observations which have been carried on as to 

 the present abundance or scarcity of woodcock are not 

 sufficient to justify us in concluding that they are really 

 increasing, but two or three more favorable seasons 

 should make us hope that before long the birds will 

 be back with us again in something like their old-time 

 abundance. 



It is certain that of late years in parts of New Eng- 

 land birds have bred where they have not been seen 

 for many years before; and under present conditions, 

 when woodcock are killed only in the autumn, they are 

 usually fat, strong-winged birds, very different from 

 the little cheepers of mid-July. 



This improved condition of things is no doubt due 

 to the adoption of proper game laws in the British 

 Provinces, New England and the States north of Mary- 



