Identification of potential harvest units in the United States of the American woodcock

Potential harvest units were examined in the United States for American woodcock (Philohela minor) based on the distribution of both direct and indirect recoveries of preseason bandings. Unweighted and weighted recoveries were used to definefour sets of units with a minimal interchange of birds. With a configuration that conforms to the existing boundary between the Atlantic and Mississippi waterfowl flyways, an average of only 3.0 percent unweighted and 4.4 percent weighted recoveries occurred outside of the respective unit. Even though another configuration showed 1.1 percent less crossover, the use of the existing flyway boundary would be more logical from a management standpoint. Identification and use of harvest units for woodcock will allow better management of the resource as regional differences in the two populations become more apparent.