The primary problems affecting Huns are livestock over- 

 grazing and clean farming with its associated weed and brush 

 destruction practices. If land managers make changes which 

 reduce overgrazing and moderate their stand on clean farming, 

 the status of Huns can be expected to improve. 



Pheasant 



Western Segment 



Distribution 



The distribution of pheasant observations is shown in 

 Figure 25. During the course of the study, 695 pheasant ob- 

 servations were made. The prime pheasant habitat found in the 

 study area is the river, creek and coulee bottoms where secure 

 deciduous winter cover is available. However, in locations 

 where small grain fields are adjacent to grassland and sage- 

 brush areas, pheasants have been able to expand their ranges 

 into areas which would normally be considered marginal habitat. 

 Pheasants are able to survive in these areas, either seasonally 

 or during mild winters. Under severe winter conditions 

 (1977-78), there is a movement back to areas of deciduous cover 

 and/or population loss. During these severe winter conditions 

 there is also a concentration of birds around areas of agricul- 

 tural activity such as grain bins, feedlots, etc. 



Population Characteristics 



A pheasant crowing route was established during the spring 

 of 1976. The route starts approximately 7 miles south of Loma 

 on U.S. Highway 87 along the Teton River and proceeds north 

 to the Marias River where it turns east to the Loma ferry and 

 then south along the Missouri River. Table 21 presents the 

 peak crowing counts for the past 4 years. The peak of pheasant 

 crowing activity occurred on or about the 10th of May each year. 



Table 21. Pheasant crowing route - Loma 



Date - No. calls per stop 

 Stops 1976 1977 1978 1979 



1 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 

 10 

 11 

 12 



Average 8.3 14.7 5.8 



62 



