The current status of woodcock and woodcock surveys in the United States

A comparison of American woodcock (Philohela minor) wing collection survey data for 1975-76 and 1976-77 showed that there was little change in the indices to breeding success and hunter success between years in the Atlantic and Central regions. The 1977 breeding population index was up 15.2 percent from 1976 in the Central region and static in the Atlantic region. There is a long-term decline in the breeding population index in the Atlantic region (P < 0.01) and a long-term increase (P < 0.05) in the Central region's breeding population index. Present survey analysis methods are discussed, and a four-phase plan to improve the methods is presented.