MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
T. G. Scott, Editor 
Urbana, Illinois 
March 1959 
Vol. 2, No. 3 
W-30-R-12 R. F. Labisky 
The relative importance of cover types to the production of pheasant 
chicks is primarily dependent on nest densities, nest success, and the amount 
of each cover type available for nesting. An examination of the data collected 
on the Sibley study area during 1957 and 1953 shows that while hayfields 
comprised a rather small percentage of the total existing cover, they yielded 
the major portions of the annual hatches of pheasant chicks (see table). 
Another interesting fact is that 81.5 and 93.5 pen cent of the annual hatches 
of pheasant chicks on the Sibley area during 1957 and 1958, respectively, were 
produced on land in agricultural crops. 
Percentage 
of 
Percentage 
Production 
Cover Types 
Total Cover 
of Chicks 
1957 
1958 
1957 
1958 
Row Crops 
i|8.0 
5ii.ii 
0.0 
0.0 
Small Grains 
21.1 
Hi. 5 
23.0 
7.5 
Hayfields (Tame) 
8.6 
15.9 
U8.5 
77.6 
Pastures 
12.5 
6.1 
10.1 
8.ii 
Strip-cover 
U.6 
li.8 
16.7 
5.3 
Nonagricultural Areas 
3.9 
ii.5 
1.8 
1.2 
TOTAL 
100.0 
100.1 
100.1 
100.0 
W-U2-R-8 R. D. Lord 
The late winter censuses on the Robert Allerton Park study areas 
yielded estimates of 132 rabbits on the hunted (U-H) area and ii2 rabbits on the 
sanctuary. Mortality was 59 per cent of the fall population on the hunted 
area and 65 per cent on the sanctuary. Mortality that can be attributed to 
hunting was 52 per cent. 
OCT 9 1959 
NATURAL 
HISTORY SURVEY 
LIBRARY 
