Summary

Description

In 1962, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge demonstrated that significant numbers of woodcock could be caught and banded during the summer months using mist nets, spotlights, and ground traps. The success of this experimental phase led to the initiation of an intensive trapping and banding program in the summer of 1963 which continued through the summers of 1964 and 1965. An extensive program of woodcock banding was initiated at Moosehorn Refuge in eastern Maine in 1963. Three methods of capture were used: mist netting, spotlighting, and ground trapping. The program was continued through 1964 and 1965 with several improvements in techniques. A total of 2,040 woodcock were captured in the three seasons including repeats and returns. In normal years mist netting showed the best return in birds captured per unit of effort. Spotlighting has equally great potential provided weather conditions are favorable. The advantages of the latter are 1 low investment in materials, 2 mobilityseveral fields can be worked in a single night, and 3 no preparation at the site is necessary. Trapping was the least productive of the three methods, but; it provided information not available from netting and lighting. Mist netting and lighting success was seriously reduced by drouth conditions in 1965. Trapping success was influenced by weather to a lesser degree than were mist netting and lighting. A substantial number of ruffed grouse and other birds and mammals were captured.