MDWTHU WILDLIFE RESEARCH 1£THK 
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Department of Conservation md Natural History Sumy, Cooperating 
T* C. Scott, Editor 
Urlana, Illinois June 1958 Vol. 1, Ho. 6 
V-30-R-11 W. R. Hanson, R. F. Labi sky 
Studies of the reproductive ecology of pheasants on the Sibley area 
ware continued. Hayflolds not scheduled for ao<wlng, strip-cover, and pa stereo 
were searched for pheasant nosts until about tha last 5 days of tha month when 
the acting of hay bee ana general; after that, the eeareh for nests was a cre d 
into the moved hsyflelds. In 1958, the main period of hay cutting occurred 
sever* 1 weeks later than usual because of frequent rains* Up to tha and of tha 
north, the number of jfceesant rests found on the randomised plots was greater 
than the number of nests found there during a comparable period in 1957* Crowing 
counts wr re continued at the rate of two per week when weather permitted] on tha 
last count, 16.5 calls per 2-mlnute period were heard, a relatively intones 
i ate of croaring for this period of the year. 
In 1957, roots sstatlished in hsyflelds contributed 1*6.5 par oea4 of 
the total masher of hatched chicks on the study sores* Twenty-three per cent 
f the hatched ohicka were produced in oatfielda, end 16*7, 10*1 and 1*8 par 
cont in strip-cover, pastures, and non-egricultural areas, respectively. Thaw, 
rbout 80 per cent of the annual hatch of pheasant ohicka on the Sibley area 
was produced on land under cultivation. 
Tha Siblev area Is subjected to two different types of land-use 
managenent. About lilt par cant of tha area is owned by tha Hiram Sibley estate 
and is tenant-famed, primarily under the directorship of a far* manager) tha 
remainder of the area is privately owned end le subjected to various programs 
of farm M a n a g ement. The management policies followed on tt# Sibley area have 
resulted in greater acreages of row crops and hay and leas pasture on the 
estate farms then on other farms in the area. Thus, while both of these fern 
management categories have been on a cash -grain basis with scats livestock pro- 
due Hon, the latter has taken a aruch more prominent place on the non »state 
fame than on the estate farms. What does this mean to pheasants? With reapeet 
tr pheasant nesting in 1957, estate fares yielded 33*5 par oent more established 
urstj and 55*6 par oent more successful nests per unit of area then did non— 
estate fares. 
KISTOitf 
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