2. The maintenance of a"bout four smaller auxiliary refuges, one to 

 serve each corner of the township. These smaller refuges may "be temjoorary 

 (for one or two yearr. only) and without extensive management impi'ovements, 

 They are locally maintained "by the individual farmer, "by a. group of farmers 

 and sportsii;en, or by the township cooperative-hunting fissociation. 



3. The production of a- very large pheasant crop on high-value lands 

 without interference with agriculture. The region is intensively cultivated. 

 Forest land is less thaii 5 percent.- Townships have 88 percent to 99 percent 

 of their total area in farms and 70 percent to 90 percent in harvested crops. 

 Farms "by to^mship average 75 to 110 acres each and are worth $100 to $175 per 

 acre, even at present reduced land values. 



4. Education and cooperation of landowners in the best utilization of 

 the small acreage of v/ild land availa.ble for pheasan.t xorodaction: (a) Improve- 

 ment and preservation of small wooded or "brushy tracts; ("b) occasional weedy 

 fallow land for- nest cover; (c) roadside cover improvements and restriction on 

 mowing; (d) leaving fencerow cover; (e) use of occasional low-land-value sand 

 ridges with oak "brash as refuges; (f) appreciation of high value of ditches 

 for nesting, shelter, and travel pixrposes; (g) minimizing of nest destruction 

 during mowing of meadows; (h) leaving majority of corn crop imcut and a small 

 part or the gleanings unharvested for winter feeding; (i) control of the chief 

 predators: man, dogs, cats, and crows. 



5;. Management of the large State- refuge. Development of cover, fencing 

 of pastured parts, cutting of clearings, and creation of "brush piles and shelters. 

 Encouragement of "bait nesting-cover on or near the refuge. Control of man, cats, 

 dogs, crows, and other predators where destructive. Planting of food strips along 

 refuge margins. Corn planted on or near the refu.ge usually shov/s some damage, 

 so the damaged parts and additional rows are purchased hy the State and left 

 standing for winter feeding. Sir..ilar m.anagement measures are practiced to a- 

 greater or lesser extent "by individuals and associations on the auxiliary refuges. 



6. ExtensiA'"e winter feeding, chiefly with corn, both standing and ear 

 corn. Feeding is the key to a large pheasant crop, as a heavy "breeding stock 

 requires much more food than that usually availafole naturally. Feeding (a) 

 attracts "birds to the safety of the refuge, (b) results in increased resistance 

 to winter hazaids, (c) results in increased disease resistance, (d) reduces 

 predation, (e) concentrates "birds for scientific and management studies, (f ) 

 enables checks on size of breeding stock, condition, and undesirable shifts in 

 the sex ratio, and (g) results in a heavier, healthier bird that nests earlier 

 and with greater reproduction efficiency. Some feeding is done by farmers, 

 sportsmen, and associations on the auxiliary refuges or elsewhere. 



7. Live trapping of surplus stock and removal to understocked areas. 

 A well-maintained Sta,te refuge in the center of a pheasant -management to\Tn- 

 ship should, with the aid of the auxiliary refuges, not only maintain the 

 breeding stock and a large harvest each fall, but produce a considerable surplus 

 as well. For instance, on the 36 square miles of Liberty Township, Wood County 



.- 3 - 



