
large expanses of intensively farmed lands and are not detected; 
whereas they may spend several days traversing an equal distance 
where good cover exists and in which they are frequently found by 
hunters. 
In much of the Mississinoni and to a lesser extent the Ohio 
Valley, the best woodcock cover is confined to streambottoms, while 
in the more ruzzed country of the eastern part of the United States 
the better woodcock cover is ant to be found on the hilly-plateaus 
which are bisected by many small streams and on which there is often 
extensive forest and brush cover, 
There are other factors that undoubtedly influence the detection 
of woodcock, such as number of hunters in an area, date of woodcock 
season, its relation to other game seasons, etc. 
In general it is believed that major movements of woodcock occur 
in the zones indicated by the arrows on the man and that birds occupy- 
ing adjacent areas converge toward the lincs and move in the general 
directions as shown by the arrows. 
Atlanvie Route 
Based on the pattern of movement shown on the man, it appears 
that woodcock follow a more or less direct route between winter and 
summer range. The bulk of the woodcock from the Maritine Provinces 
and New Fneland apnarently remain east of the Appalachians. They 
follow the coastal area of Maine; take a direct course across west- 
central viassachusetts to northern Mew Jersey and Delaware where they 
continue on a fairly straight route to the South Atlantic States. 
rrom Virginia southward, migratinz woodcock may diminish in numbers 
in mild winters. It is very likely that woodcock from the eastern 
Appalachian Region move east and south in this zone. Some of these 
birds may follow a wide sweening route around the southern tin of the 
Aynalachians to the Sulf Coast States of Alabama, ‘ississippi and 
LouLsLana. 
Aypalachian Crossings 
Tt is believed that there are two general areas in which wood- 
cock move out of the Atlantic route across the Appalachian Mountains. 
The first of these is in the southeastern New York - northeastern 
Pannsylvania region. Birds using this crossing continue southwest- 
ward on 32 route travelled by woodcock from western New York State. 
The second crossing covers a general rezion about the latitude 
of western Yirginia and eastern Kentucky. Woodcock using this route 
probably enter the mountain valleys in Virginia and move south and 
west skipping from one valley to the next and emerging from the 
fountains in eastern Kentucky. 
52. 
