As publishedOct 16, 2026 - Nov 29, 2026
Single continuous season (not split).Ohio's least-popular of the two in-scope migratory species by hunter count (ODNR's 2020-21 hunter survey estimated only ~1,685 hunters and ~2,528 birds harvested statewide that season - historical context only). HIP certification required per general migratory-bird rule, same confidence caveat as mourning dove above (dates/bag are primary-sourced; HIP requirement is secondary/search-synthesis confidence).
No ODNR-specific pre-season woodcock survey exists; only retrospective harvest/effort context comes via the irregularly-published Ohio Hunter Questionnaire (Small Game Analysis), last directly confirmed edition 2020-21 (Aug 2021), with a fresher 2023-24/2024-25 edition not located this pass either (a research gap, not a confirmed discontinuation, since the underlying URL is a stable overwritten-in-place filename). Only the federal USFWS American Woodcock Population Status report gives a forward population-status read; re-confirmed not yet published for 2026 as of 2026-08-19.