American Woodcock Population Status, 2002

Singing-ground and Wing-collection surveys were conducted to assess the population status of the American woodcock (Scolopax minor). Singing-ground Survey data indicated that the number of displaying woodcock in the Eastern Region was 1.3% lower than in 2001, but this decrease was non-significant (P\u3e0.1). In the Central Region, there was a 7.9% decrease in the number of woodcock heard displaying compared to 2001 levels, but this decrease also was nonsignificant (P\u3e0.1). Trends from the Singing-ground Survey during 1992-02 were –2.1 and –1.5% per year for the Eastern and Central regions, respectively (P\u3c0.01). There were long-term (1968-02) declines (P\u3c0.01) of 2.3% per year in the Eastern Region and 1.6% per year in the Central Region. The 2001 recruitment index for the Eastern Region (1.4 immatures per adult female) was the same as the 2000 index, but was 18% below the long-term regional average. The 2001 recruitment index for the Central Region (1.3 immatures per adult female) was slightly higher than the 2000 index (1.2 immatures per adult female), but was 23% below the long-term regional average of 1.7. The index of daily hunting success in the Eastern Region was 2.0 woodcock per successful hunt in both 2000 and 2001, and seasonal hunting success was 8.7 woodcock per successful hunter in both years. In the Central Region, the daily success index increased slightly from 2.0 woodcock per successful hunt in 2000 to 2.1 in 2001; but seasonal hunting success decreased from 10.7 to 10.5 woodcock per successful hunter