
WOODCOCK BREEDING GROUND COUNTS IN THE CENTRAL-NORTHERN UNITED STATES 
Pat fe 1956 
John W. Aldrich 
U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D. C. 
Banding data are beginning to show that the central-northern section 
of the United States - the area naturally clothed with the northern 
hardwoods and their associated conifers is the primary production area 
for woodcock hunted in the Mississippi River drainage. We therefore 
look to this interior north country particularly for indication of the 
current fortunes of this popular game bird when it comes to setting 
hunting regulations. For this reason we were sorry to note a general 
decrease in the amount of participation in our cooperative woodcock 
count in the area this year. Number of routes covered fell from 52 
in Michigan in 1955.to 48 in 1956, from 5 to 3 in Wisconsin and from 
8 to 3 in Minnesota. Tt is impossible to avoid circumstances which 
prevent obtaining the same degree of coverage each year, particularly 
on cooperative counts, and it is hoped this decline is temporary and 
that it will be possible in future years to cover at least the same 
counts worked in previous years. It should be stressed again that 
there is little value in running a route for only one year. The 
chief value is in being able to compare data from the same route in 
two consecutive years, 
For the manpower expended to cover these routes this year we 
are indebted to the Conservation Departments of the three States in- 
volved as well as the individuals listed in the following tables. 
The organizations supplying this assistance were: 
Game Division 
Michigan Department of Conservation 
Division of Game and Fish 
Minnesota Department of Conservation 
Game Management Division 
Wisconsin Conservation Department. 
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