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MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
T. G. Scott and Wendy Patton, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
November, 1962 
Vol. 5, No. 11 
1. Pheasant Populations and Land Use J# E. Warnock, G. B. Joselyn 
A ratio of 5.0 young pheasants per adult hen existed among the 1,821 pheasants 
captured by nightlighting, marked, and released on the Sibley area during October 
and early November, 1962. This prehunt age ratio represents the highest measure of 
productivity recorded during the past 6 years, Table 1. Age ratios within sexes 
were 2.6 young hens per adult hen and 12.8 juvenile cocks per adult cock. The pre¬ 
hunt population, including young and adults, was comprised of 41.7 percent cocks 
and 58.3 percent hens. Among juveniles, 48.0 percent were cocks. 
Table 1. The sex and age structure of the prehunt populations of pheasants, 
Sibley area, 1957-62. 
1957 1953 1959 1960 1961 1962 
Percentage of 
Cocks'* 
Percentage of 
Juveniles"* 
Juveniles of Both 
Sexes Per Adult Hent 
41.5(212) 
71.2(212) 
3.2(47) 
40.7(354) 
78.2(354) 
4.4(63) 
44.3(183) 
71.0(183) 
3.2(41) 
45.3(181) 
72.4(181) 
3.1(43) 
39.3(369) 
74.8(369) 
3.3(83) 
41.7(1,821) 
80.1(1,821) 
5.0(292) 
•* Sample sizes (number of pheasants) in parentheses 
t Sample sizes (number of adult hens) in parentheses 
2. .Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat D. E. Newman 
The location of 38 pheasant nests along both sides of 7 miles of roadway 
studied during 1962 suggested that pheasants established more nests along roadside 
fencerows than in the remaining portions of the roadway, including shoulders and 
ditch bottoms. The roadsides were divided into l/8- or l/4-mile plots; half of the 
plots were manipulated for the purpose of improving nesting cover and half were 
designated as control plots. Fencerows comprised only 25 percent of the roadside 
areas but contained 42 percent of the established nests found in control plots and 
68 percent of the established nests found in manipulated plots. The density of 
nests in control plots was 2.1 nests per acre in fencerows and 1.0 nest per acre in 
the remaining portion of the roadside. The density of nests in manipulated plots 
