K^/^ L y\J ( L 
1 
MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Illinois Federal Aid Project W-66-R 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C- Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Vol. 20, No. 7 
Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat 
Warner 
c nr i n n 1 W 77 breeding populations of pheasants were censused on five areas 
nnnprative effort between biologists from the INHS and the DOC. These 
areas included the Ford County Management Unit (FCHU), the Sibley Study Area 
KSAl in Ford County, Anchor Township in McLean County, Harwood Township 
Champa!gn^Coun ty^and Prairie Green Township in 1 rogoois County Au -census- 
ing of cock pheasants was conducted on all areas in May \yu 
visual counts of pheasants were conducted on the SSA and P f t i ls 
and May. The SSA and FCHU have traditionally been censused as a pa 
oroiect- censusing on the other areas commenced in 1976. Roadsides w r 
seeded in the FCMU in 1368 and in Anchor and Harwood townships in the fall 
lg 7 6 . Roadsides in Prairie Green will be seeded beginning August 1377- 
A great decline in numbers of pheasants was recorded for ^fand 1 FCi^ 
W77 from populations censused 1 year ago. Visual counts on the SSA and FCHU 
indicated 30-3 cocks and 22.8 cocks, respective Y, P ei ' ™ observed 
in IW77, down 75-0 percent and 80.6 percent from the 123-3 a f - /Q ✓ 
;er 100 mnes in .370 (Table I). The audio counts suggested decl ne of / 9 .0 
percent (SSA) and 67-1 percent (FCMU) over the same period, with similar 
declines noted for the other three areas (Table 2). 
More than one contributing factor can be identified '"thetleclineof 
pheasant numbers. The most significant factor appears to be he mortality of 
pheasants during a January 1977 storm. For example, it is estima JZ 
to 50 percent of the pheasants on the FCHU succumbed to the unusually severe 
winter weather (MWRL 20(3):1-2)- Also of importance, however, was the 
relatively poor reproduction of the ringneck in 19/‘->. Again u 9 routes 
as an example, 46 percent fewer broods were observed along standardized routes 
" " 7 H5n in 1375; nest data indicate a decline of 13-6 percent ,n the 
number of broods hatched. 
Hunter harvest in 1976 does not appear to be a major factor leading to 
the reduced breeding populations censused in Hay 1977- The winter ** areij 
for the SSA and FCHU combined was 17-5 cocks per 100 hens in 1376-77, compared 
with 21) in 1375-76 and 26 in 1974-75- 
Although winter weather is largely responsible for the decline in the 
abundance of pheasants over the past 12 months, intensive row c ™P^™' n 9^ 
the principle reason for the reduction in numbers that has occurred over the 
past 15 years. 
