WINTERING WOODCOCK POPULATIONS IN WEST-CENTRAL LOUISIANA 
1950-51 
Phil Goodrum and Vincent H. Reid 
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Observations were made on wintering woodcock populations in the 
cut-over longleaf pine area of west-central Louisiana from December 
1950 through February 1951. Census work was accomplished in Vernon, 
Natchitoches and Rapides Parishes. Most of the activity was centered 
in Vernon Parish. 
Census Data 
Method.--The census was carried on in conjunction with quail 
population studies. Quail and woodcock inhabit the same coverts in 
this cut-over longleaf area of Louisiana. The census was accomplished 
with the aid of bird dogs. As a rule, two dogs were used on each trip 
in the field. A record was kept of the time spent afield and the 
number of woodcock points made by the dogs. 
Results.--The results of the census are summarized by weeks in 
Table I. During the winter months 166% hours were spent afield; 145 
woodcock points were made by the dogs. On an hourly basis one woodcock 
point was made for every 1.1 hours afield. 
The 1949-50 woodcock census figures are given in Table 2. By 
examining the totals in Tables 1 and 2, it is’apparent that the over- 
all figures show a similar winter woodcock population for the 199-50 
and 1950-51 season. A woodcock point was made by the dogs for every 
1.1 hours of census in the two winters. On a woodcock per hour basis, 
one bird was flushed for about every hour of censusing in both seasons. 
Counts of wintering woodcock in the west-central portion of 
Louisiana were begun in the year 1946. The results of the yearly 
counts are given in Table 3. The census figures show a woodcock 
point for every hour afield for the winters of 19h7-h8, 1949-50 and 
1950-51. These figures are below the high count of 5 birds per hour 
in the winter of 198-9. 
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