Statistical analysis of survey data in previous years has 
indicated that a much greater change in the population index 
than that recorded in 1962 could occur from chance. Therefore, 
it was concluded that there was no significant change in the 
size of the breeding population from 1961 to 1962. 
There was some fear that extremely cold weather in Louisiana 
in January 1962 could have caused a serious loss of woodcock. 
Throughout much of the State, snow and sleet on January 9, 1962, 
heralded a record-breaking period of subfreezing temperatures 
which persisted for about 4 days. Since woodcock have difficulty 
feeding when the ground is frozen, and since Louisiana is their 
principal wintering ground, the low temperatures were a matter 
of concern. One immediate effect of the freeze was to push 
woodcock southward. Many were shot by hunters in the coastal 
portion of Cameron Parish where woodcock normally are quite 
rare. Before the freeze a small number of birds (17) were 
collected in connection with a research study in the western 
portion of the State. During and immediately after the cold 
weather, personnel in the Louisiana Wild Life and Fisheries 
Commission obtained wings and weights from 187 woodcock shot 
by hunters in Cameron Parish. Before the freeze, males aver- 
aged 154 grams and females 195 grams. Birds collected on 
January 12-14 averaged 133 grams for males and 167 for females, 
for an average weight loss of 14 percent. Previous studies 
have indicated that woodcock can survive a weight reduction 
of at least 25 percent; therefore, it does not seem likely 
that the freezing conditions caused severe losses. The 
results of the 1962 singing ground counts also do not indi- 
cate an important loss in the population as a result of the 
severe weather. 
Random Sampling 
Existing operational routes are selected by the coop- 
erators who run them and are replaced from time to time. 
Routes are generally in good woodcock habitat. For this 
reason, counts from these routes probably are not represen- 
tative of average population density in the various States 
and Provinces. Furthermore, they may not even properly 
reflect changes in the relative numbers of birds from one 
year to the next. At present, we can only assume that 
drastic changes in the size of the breeding population 
will be detected. 
mai 
