MONTHLY V ILDLJFE RESEARCH IKTTER 
Vol* 1, No, 6 
Page 3 
per rent of the animals which were marked youi^-of -the-year were harvested, but 
only 9 per cent of the older animals were harvested* 
By using the total number of animals marked in 1957 and the number of 
marked and unmarked animals caught in 1956, it was estimated that thara ware 
1 H' raccoons on the study area as of October 31, 1957, a density of 73 racooons 
per square mile. 
Hunters and trappers were known to hart harvested only 6 per oent of 
the 69 opo8stne marked in 1957. This probably resulted from the low pelt value 
of opossums and lack of sporting interest in the species. It was estimated that 
there were 63? opossums on the study area as of October 30, 1967, e density of 
IV7 animals per square mile. 
Seven wood duck nest3 were located in natural cavities In June bringing 
the total number of nests located in the study to 30* Thirty-one of these were 
on the study areas, and seven were outside the study areas. Of ths 36 nests, 
6 are still being incubated) 13 have hatched) 17 were destroyed (one by wind, 
the others by predators); 3 were deserted; and 1 waa an unlncubated dump nest* 
Of the 10 nests in the Tanglefoot-banded unit, 5 have hatched; 2 were destroyed 
hv squirrels; 1 was destroyed by a bird (probably woodpecker); 1 was deserted) 
and 1 was an unincubated dump nest. 
The survey of natural cavities has revealed one cavity per 6*9 acres) 
22 per cent of them have been used by wood ducks. Twenty-three per oent of the 
natural cavities have been used by animals other than wood decks. Thirty-two 
per cent of the nest houses on the same areas have been used. Thirty-three per 
cent of the nests in natural cuvltion were successful as comp ar ed with 75 per 
cent successful in houses. Fox squirrels accounted for 63 per cent end raoooona 
36 per cent of the nests destroyed in unprotected (unbended) natural cavities* 
Raccoons destroyed 67 per oent of nests and bull snakes 33 per oent of ths total 
destroyed in nest boxes. 
u-61-R-l F. Ore#ley, J. Kills 
9 
During June, crewing cooks were located on the Bellmoot Study area toy 
tri angulation, the regular cock-crowing counts were made, and searohss ware aads 
for hens, broods, and nests* : ; eveti crowing counts were cond u cted during the 
month* The average rmsaber of cook eells end oocka per stop was 1*5 and 1*2 
respectively* Crewing activity declined slightly ee the month progressed* Fifty- 
one cock pheasants were located on the area; 26 were Identified as being either 
survivors of the original release or birds hatched on the tree, as indicated by 
the presence or absence of leg bands* Eleven of the 26 cocks (39 per oent) we re 
suivlvors of the original release. Nineteen bane were locate d , end twelve 
pheasant broods were observed. Average brood site was 6*6 chicks, and the 
average estimated age at the time they were found wet 3*6 weeks. 
* • • * ’• _ K-f 
At Neoga, 16 pheasant broods have been lo c a t ed or reported by farmers, 
13 of them in June* Average brood else for all the broods was 6*3 end 7*6 far 
