
Table 3. 
Summary Woodcock Inventory Figures and Precipitation in Inches . 
as Recorded at the Iresville, La. Weather Station, 199-50 - 1955-56 
Hours No. Hours Precipitation 
Winter of Dog of per October through 
Work Woodcock Woodcock February 
199-50 129.5 117 hed 32.21 
1950-51 166.5 hs Tel 18.80 
1951-52 273.0 125 Pel. 11.25 
1952-53 223.3 172 2 22,29 
1953-54 232.0 120 1.9 14.83 
195h-55 123.5 110 ga. 22.60 
1955-56 116.1 2 27 15.61 
We ather 
Past observations indicate that fall and winter rains are impor- 
tant in conditioning the longleaf pine area of west-central Louisiana 
as favorable wintering woodcock habitat. Fall and winter precipita- 
tion was low in 1955-56, From October through February, 15.61 inches 
were recorded. However, 5.8 inches of this occurred in February, 
which was actually too late in the season to have much influence on _ 
the number of wintering birds using the area. Many of the streams, 
branches, baygalls, seepy hillsides, and post oak flats which would 
ordinarily house birds in moist years were dry and had none or only 
a few woodcock in 1955-56. The lack of favorable woodcock feeding 
areas, because of insufficient moisture, was probably the chief 
reason that fewer birds were found in the area in 1955-56. 
Precipitation records for the past seven seasons are shown in 
Table 3. In the seasons 19),9-50, 1950-51, 1952-53 and 1954-55, when 
the dogs averaged about a point an hour, fall and winter precipitation 
anounted to more than 18 inches. In the years 1951-52, 1953-5) and 
1955~5, when the dogs averaged a find for each 2 hours or more, fall 
and winter rains totaled less than 16 inches. Seemingly, the critical 
orecipvitation range is between 16 and 18 inches. 
Summary 
1. Bird dogs were used for woodcock inventory work in the. long~ 
leaf pine lands of Vernon, Natchitoches and Rapides Parishes, 
Louisiana, during the winter 1955-56. 
2. Sight records and work with the dogs indicate that woodcock 
were present in the area in October. 
/4. 
