time use of grasslands are beneficial to prairie chickens. In much 

 of the former range of the greater prairie chicken, however, where 

 soils are adapted to the production of crops in rotation, the re- 

 quirements of this species for permanent grass, probably can never 

 be provided. In Kansas, the present acreage of native grassland 

 is in Httle danger of reduction by plowing, for most of this land is 

 unsuited to tillage. Every effort should be put forth, however, 

 by agencies concerned with agriculture and conservation to pro- 

 tect existing grasslands, and to encourage the re-estabhshment of 

 permanent grass, especially native grass, on areas proven unsuitable 

 for cultivation. 



Prairie chickens are benefited by moderate grazing of pastures. 

 The paths and small areas of reduced cover resulting from the 

 activities of cattle facilitate the movements of young birds, and 

 provide places suitable for sunning in times when the grass is wet. 

 Anderson (1946:95) recommends that grazing be deferred until 

 four to six weeks after growth of grass begins in the spring, and 

 that then the grass be grazed heavily for the remainder of the 

 season. Under such a system, winter cover might be reduced by 

 the heavy grazing, but spring burning would lose its appeal to the 

 landowners, and nesting cover presumably would be more plentiful. 

 Deferred grazing produces more pounds of beef per acre than early 

 spring grazing and is well suited to the needs of the resident rancher 

 who can provide supplementary pasture. 



The usual practice is to begin grazing approximately on May 

 first. This is especially true of pastures leased for the grazing of 

 cattle from the Southwest, in which case the desire of the cattlemen 

 is to attain the most rapid and early gain possible. Cattle may be 

 taken from the pastures as early as July first, and the growth of 

 grass thereafter is not only wasted, but it interferes with the eflBcient 

 utihzation of forage the next spring. The usual method of re- 

 moving this unwanted growth is by burning. According to Ander- 

 son (1946:100) there is some justification for burning since it in- 

 creases the efficiency of grazing by eliminating the old growth and 

 because it permits earlier grazing. Burning is not recommended 

 by Anderson, however, because the earlier grazing is detrimental 

 to the grass, and the total production of grass is reduced. So long 

 as absentee ownership and the leasing of pastures are prevalent, 

 there seems to be no cure for the harm done to upland game by 

 burning, except through a program of education and a system of 

 refuges. Ranchers who insist on burning should be encouraged 

 to do so only when the ground moisture is plentiful and after a 

 rain. Under such conditions some cover is left. 



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