
3. Except for the first week of January and the first week of 
February, some woodcock were found Svery week that the dozs worked 
from the third week of November to the second week of February. The 
dogs did not work the first two weeks of November or the fifth week 
of January. 
. The peak week for woodcock finds, with a point ver C.8 hours, 
was the fourth week of January. The peak individual count was made 
on January 25 when the dogs averaged a point for each 0.5 hours afield. 
5S. Woodcock were still present in the area when the last count 
was made.on ¥ebruary 1). 
6. The inventory indicated fewer woodcock wintering in the long- 
leaf pine area of west-central Louisiana in 1955-56 than in 195)-55. 
In 1955-56 the dogs worked 116.1 hours, made 2 woodcock finds, and 
averaged a point for 2.7 hours. In 195-55 the dogs worked 123.5 
hours, made 110 woodcock finds and averaged a bird per 1.1 hours. 
7. Seemingly, fall and winter rains are important in conditioning 
the piney-woods as favoreble woodcock habitat, and, apparently, have 
some bearing on the number of birds found in the area. Fall and winter 
precipitation was less in 1955-56 (15.8 inches) than in 195-55 (22.6 
inches), and fewer birds were found. 
8. From the data gathered over the past seven years on woodcock 
numbers and fall and winter rains, it appears that the critical precip- 
itation range is between 16 and 18 inches. When October through 
February precipitation was more than 18 inches, the dogs averaged a 
point an hour for the season. ‘When rains were less than 16 inches, 
the dogs only averaged a point for two or more hours work. 
/5 
