contain these elements and should be considered marginal pheasant habitat. 



As noted by Wiegand and Janson (1976), the degree of interspersion of crop- 

 land and shrubland cover is of prime importance in determining pheasant habitat 

 quality. Optimum habitat consists of small grainfields surrounded by abundant 

 shrub cover, a situation found along the Missouri River floodplain and Prairie 

 Elk Creek. 



Figure 6 shows monthly sample abundances for the five roadside routes. 

 Superimposed on, but not drawn on the same scale as, the sample abundance curve 

 is a curve showing theoretical changes in population size throughout the year as 

 reported by Wiegand and Janson (1976). This allows comparison of expected phea- 

 sant numbers with observed sample abundances. It is noteworthy that samp e abun- 

 dances are high during April and early May, and time of expected low population 

 density. While populations are low at that time, the spring peak in i^ooster 

 crowing activity increased to a maxiumum the number of pheasants recorded Most 

 of the April and May pheasants recorded were crowing roosters which were heard 

 but not seen. Sample abundances dropped off more sharply than expected abun- 

 dances as crowing declined and hens and broods became more secretive over the 

 summer. An increase in crowing activity was noted in October, and several large 

 flocks accounted for most winter observations. 



Sample abundances of pheasants for all months were found to be significantly 

 and positively correlated witn: cultivated land, trees and tall shrubs, and marshes 

 (p< 001), and with snowberry-rose (p<.01). They were significantly and negatively 

 correlated with time, grassland, little bluestem, big sagebrush, and badlands 

 (p<.001). 



Sample abundances were consistently greatest along the Prairie Elk and 

 Missouri River routes, which apparently provided an optimum interspersion of 

 cropland and riparian shrub and tree habitats. Likewise, the Flowing Well route 

 consistently had lowest sample abundances, and traverses an area of poor pheasant 

 habitat. 



Fish and Game Department hunting records show an average of approximately 

 1950 pheasants harvested annually from 1973 through 1976 in McCone County, 

 representing 2-3% of state harvest. 



Gray Partridge . Data were recorded for 413 gray partridge observations 

 during the study period (table 17). The average group size was six, and groups 

 increased in size from an average of two during spring to seven during winter. 

 The largest group encountered was fifteen during August. 



Optimum gray partridge habitat contains both cultivated and non-cultivated 

 land (Trueblood and Weigand 1971). Most observations were made in the Redwater 

 River, Horse Creek and Prairie Elk Creek drainages and along the Missouri River 

 bottoms where agricultural land is abundant. Although gray partridge were ob- 

 served year-round on the Waller Ranch, they were seen on the proposed. mining area 

 only rarely. These sightings were restricted to the vicinity of cultivated 

 fields on the eastern edge of the proposed mining area. 



The majority of observations each season was on road embankments where the 

 partridge were easily visible feeding on waste grain and picking up grit. Waste 



75 



