Vol. 5> No. 6 
Page 2 
oats. Measurement of the vegetative "top cover," an expression of relative domin¬ 
ance of a plant species, indicated grasses, oats, alfalfa, and clover as dominants 
in decreasing order. 
A strip of cover, one yard wide, along road-shoulders on all manipulated and 
control plots was mowed during June. This responsibility was undertaken by the 
project to enhance farm and roadside beautification. This and other factors affect¬ 
ing public relations must be given continual consideration in a project of this 
nature. 
3. Extension of Pheasant Range J. A. Harper, W. L. Anderson 
The population of breeding hens on the Neoga study area in 1962 has been ten¬ 
tatively estimated at 346 birds, which is 45.4 per cent greater than the 1961 
population of 238 hens. This 1962 estimate was based on the number of territorial 
cocks located during the spring (121 cocks) multiplied by the winter sex ratio 
(2.86 hens per cock) which was obtained from the estimated winter population of 
native birds (248 cocks and 400 hens), and the number of Kansas pheasants (40 
cocks and 248 hens), Japanese green pheasants (32 cocks and 118 hens), and Cali¬ 
fornia pheasants (150 hens) released during the winter. 
Although the breeding population has increased from 1961 to 1962, data ob¬ 
tained from nests found by searching hayfields after the hay had been mowed, raked, 
and removed indicates that the density of established nests was similar in both 
years. The density of nests per 100 acres of hay was 5*9 and 6.1 in 1961 and 1962, 
respectively. Thus, it appears that from I 96 I to 1962, the breeding population has 
not only increased but also has become more widely distributed. The distribution 
of territorial cocks located on the area in 1 96 1 and 1962 substantiates this find¬ 
ing. In 1961, 88 territorial cocks were located in 26 sections (3*4 cocks per 
section) while in 1962, 121 territorial cocks were located in 34 sections (3*6 
cocks per section). These findings suggest that pheasants at Neoga tend to dis¬ 
perse rather than increase in population density. 
4. Rabbit Management G. C. Sanderson, D. Casteel 
Mr. William R. Edwards, formerly with the Ohio Department of Conservation, 
has been employed as leader of this project and is expected to report for duty on 
July 1. 
During the past month the annual Job Completion Report was prepared and sub¬ 
mitted for this project. The following statements are taken from the abstract of 
that report: 
During the past year the "usual" situation prevailed with the 
4-H area hunted and the Sanctuary area closed to hunting. Based on 
censuses of yellow-tailed rabbits on the 4-H area, the winter mortal¬ 
ity rate averaged 85 per cent during the 4 years when hunting was per¬ 
mitted on the area and dropped to 68 per cent in I 96 O- 6 I when hunting 
was not allowed on the area. Hunters removed an average of 48 per 
cent of the fall population of rabbits on the 4-H area when it was 
S hunted; however, it is obvious that hunting mortality replaces much of 
the natural mortality which occurs when rabbits are not shot. 
