
Summary for winter counts.--From November 195) through February 15, 
1955, 123.5 hours were spent in the field with dogs and 110 woodcock 
finds were made. For this period, the dogs averaged a point for each 
1.1 hours. This was an improvement over the 1953-5 count, for in that 
bbe the dogs only averaged a point per 1.9 hours in 232 hours of field 
WOOP. « 
The counts for the last six seasons are summarized in Table 3. Simi- 
lar inventory figures, one find per 1.1 hours, were obtained in the winters 
1949-50, 1950-51, 1952-53 and 195h-55. - About half as many finds were 
recorded in the winters 1951-52 and 1953-5. In these winters, the dogs 
averaged only one point for about two hours work. 
Table 3.--Summary “Woodcock Inventory Figures and Precipitation in Inches, 
as Recorded at the Leesville, La. Weather Station, nters 199-56 Through 
Hours Number Hours Precipitation 
Winter dog of per October through 
work woodcock woodcock February 
1949-50 129.5 117 1.1 32.21 
1950-51 166.5 145 1.1 18.80 
1951-52 273.0 125 2.1 11.25 
1952-53 223.3 172 1.2 22.29 
1953-5), 232.0 120 1.9 1.83 
195h-55 123.5 110 op 22.60 
Weather 
Observations have indicated that fall and winter rains are important 
in conditioning the piney-woods as favorable woodcock winter range. Suffi- 
cient precipitation makes favorable feeding areas along the numerous small 
streams, branches, baygalls and seepy hillsides. When these areas are dry, 
they are seldom used by woodcock. 
In 1954-55, 22.6 inches of precipitation was recorded from October 
through February at the Leesville, Louisiana weather station. And, as men- 
tioned above, the dogs averaged a find per 1.1 hours for the season. 
Precipitation for the same months in 1953-5) totaled 1.83 inches, and the 
dogs only averaged a point per 1.9 hours. 
Precipitation records and the average time per woodcock find for the 
last six seasons are shown in Table 3. In the seasons 199-50, 1950-51, 
1952=53 and 195-55, when the dogs averaged about a find per hour, fall and 
winter precipitation amounted to more than 18 inches. In the seasons 1951-52 
and 1953-5, when the dogs averaged a find about every 2 hours, precipitation 
was below 15 inches. 
