
During the January abundance Incex counts I covered 6 areas in 
southern Louisiana and recorded 1167 snipe in 10.51 hours on foote 
This is an average of 111 snipe per hour, The random transects gave 
almost exactly the same figure, 112 snipe per hour afoot. Since many 
of the random routes were taken in mid-February, it is likely that the 
population had been swelled by migrants from farther south, Neverthe- 
less, the fact that the random transect figure is so high (2.7 times 
as high as the Abundance Index figure for all of Louisiana) suggests 
that it would be practical to put this method into operation in parts 
of some states, 
With more intensive coverage it should be possible to obtain 
rough estimates of the total population, although important biases 
(such as the fact that all these transects run along roads) may always 
be present, 
Air Transects 
During the first half of February, Game Management Pilot Biologist 
John J. Lynch took me on 9 flights through the rice, cane and marsh 
country of southwest Louisiana. After some preliminary orientation 
flights we selected three transects and devoted most of the subsequent 
coverage to these. All flights were made in a Piper Cub at an air 
speed of 85 m.p.h. and a height of from 70 to 120 feet above the 
ground. Transects were made during all daylight hours except late 
afternoon, and under a variety of conditions of temperature, wind and 
sky cover. 
Considerable variability was encountered during successive trips 
over the same transect. This was due in part to poor weather condi- 
tions and in part to changes in the bird population of the transect. 
Data obtained from these first few flights are insufficient to permit 
an accurate appraisal of the air transect method, but indications are 
that sufficient snipe can be flushed (under suitable weather conditions) 
to obtain a reliable index to the population. 
All of the following conditions should be avoided, as they 
seriously reduce the number of snipe recorded by plane: (1) Overcast 
skies; (2) winds in excess of 15 m.p.h.;3 (3) freezing temperatures or 
frozen ground; and (4) late afternoon or pre-sunrise coverage. 
A 70-mile transect from Broussard to Lake Charles was covered . 
8 times, with from 1 to 85 snipe recorded per trip. The average «umber 
of snipe for all 8 trips was 23 birds. By omitting two trips made dur- 
ing freezing weather and two others made under overcast skies, the 
average was raised to 2 snipe per trip, or a little more than one 
bird for each two miles. These transects were run primarily through 
rice country and nearly all of the birds flushed came from a strip 
300 feet wide directly under the plane. Not more than one snipe was 
identified on the ground; the birds must be flushed to be seen. 
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