MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
VC M 
'•*' 7" 1 
Vu ). I X 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
T. G. Scott and Wendy Patton, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
December, 1961 
Vol. 4, No. 12 
1. Pheasant Populations and Land Use R. F. Labisky, S. H. Mann 
A summary of data collected on the Sibley study area during the 1956 through 
the 1961 hunting seasons is presented in table 1. The information was obtained by 
interviewing hunters throughout the 20-day open season (November 11-30) in all years 
except 1961 when the open season was increased 5 days, November 18 through December 
12. The daily bag limit was two cocks in 1956, 1957, and 1958, but in 1959, 1960, 
and 1961, a kill of three per day was permitted. 
Table 1.—Pheasant harvest data collected during the 1956 through the 1961 
hunting seasons, Sibley area. 
Year 
Number of 
Hunters 
Interviewed 
Number of 
Cocks Aged 
by Bursal 
Examination 
Age Ratio of 
Bagged Cocks 
Young Per 
Adult 
Gun-Hours 
Per Bagged 
Cock 
Percentage 
of Cocks 
Crippled 
Percentage 
of Cock 
Population 
Harvested 
1956 
525 
251 
12.5 
2.3 
34.0 
59.4 
1957 
443 
290 
4.7 
3.5 
24.4 
12.4 
1958 
595 
445 
6.4 
2.5 
23.0 
44.0 
1959 
461 
454 
5.6 
2.9 
17.8 
52.5 
1960 
496 
441 
8.3 
3.1 
31.9 
52.0 
1961 
443 
402 
7.0 
2.8 
20.9 
— — — — 
Data from nesting studies, standardized brood counts, and pre hunt sex and age 
ratios obtained by night-lighting indicated that the 1961 fall population was about 
25 per cent greater than in 1960 . The age ratio of cocks killed in 1961 (7.0 
juveniles per adult) indicates that the gain in population abundance was due to an 
increased survival of hens rather than increased productivity. Night-lighting 
data during the past 5 years support this conclusion (see Monthly Wildlife Research 
Letter for November, 1961). 
Hunting pressure in 1961, except for the opening 2 days, was very light when 
compared with the previous 5 years. Inclement weather during the early part of 
November kept many farmers from harvesting their corn. Standing corn provided 
excellent cover for pheasants, but for the most part, farmers were reluctant to 
permit hunters in these fields. Another factor that undoubtedly kept hunters at 
home was the amount of time required to bag a cock after the opening 2 days. The 
figure showing the number of gun-hours per bagged cock (2.8 hours per cock) is 
