Without one or the other developments taking place, the study will remain on hold. The study had originally been scheduled to begin this past August, but was postponed due to Game Commission budget concerns and resulting spending cuts. The agency has been forced to review all financial commitments due to a failure to obtain critical increases through increased license revenues. The study has been reduced in length from three years to two.
Concentrated efforts are underway to find partners to fund the reduced two-year project.
It is hoped that additional partnerships will join with the Game Commission to fully fund the study, now scheduled to begin in August of 1998. While loss of habitat is generally thought to be the major cause of the woodcock's declining numbers, the role of hunting is unclear. However, it remains uncertain whether or not this action will have any effect on woodcock populations. Results from this cooperative study will provide much needed information that hopefully will prevent unnecessary reduction of the opportunity to hunt woodcock in the future. The investigation and resulting consent search were carried out by Butler County Wildlife Conservation Officer Kevin W. Thompson and five of his deputies.