Vol. h, No. 5 
Page 3 
W-61-R-1* 
J. Ellis, J. Harper, W. Anderson 
Audio-censuses and observations of pheasants on the Neoga area indicate 
that the breeding population on the area this spring is composed of 308 birds 
(88 cocks and 220 hens). This estimate is 25 per cent lower than the estimated 
breeding population on the area in I960. The decline has occurred even though 
550 hens and 50 cocks were released on the area during the past winter. The 
breeding population is composed of pheasants from three sources in the following 
proportions. Numbers in parentheses are per cent of totals. 
Origin 
Cocks 
Hens 
Total 
"California" * 
No cocks released 
S2(23.S) 
52(16.9) 
V£_ 
Wild-transplanted’’ 
10(11.U) 
78(35.6) 
88(28.6) 
"Native"** 
78(88.6) 
90(U0.9) 
168(5U.5) 
Total 
88(28.6) 
220 ( 71 .U) 
308(100.0) 
^Released on the area during the winter of 1960-61. 
Released on the area during the winter of 1959-60 and their progeny. 
These figures indicate that mortality among "native" hen pheasants from the 
fall of I960 to the spring of 1961 was between 7h and 79 per cent. Winter 
mortality of this magnitude is not characteristic of a thriving pheasant 
population. 
