MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER $fcP 7 1977 
Illinois Federal Aid Project W-66-R LIBRARY 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
August, 1977 
Vol. 20, No. 8 
Warner 
Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat 
B j,; j 6s in the Ford County Management Unit (FCMU) seeded in 1968 were 
considered to be mature as of summer 1970. Each f^mercooperator agreed not 
to -w these roadsides before I August ^£^0 detune^ extent of 
chronology of roadside mowing as nercentaqes of the 73 cooperator 
adherence to the delayed mowing agreement The percen ages> ot t ^ 
miles of roadsides unmowed as of '5 July and I August 97 7/ relatively 
Table 1. The early planting seasons of 1975 and 197b result^ ^ more 
rp=ter extent of early mowing than in previous y /miiri iq/RY*1-2Y. 
greater extent or ; y | line and July for early mowing (MWRL 19loJ*l"*J* 
than average time available dur 9 J 7 (47-5 percent 
corr/^and "" 
advanced than in 1978* 
For the second year, mature seedings on previously graded roadsides scattered 
throughout Ford County were monitored for e ^™°n°H72 aT'l974) were unmowed 
percent of 82 .1 les of mature seed,' |\ \^\TLZJ seeding, (seeded 
through l August. In \311, -9 P Auaust Thus, there was considerably 
in 1972, 1974, or 1975) were unmowed as of I August. T u > ^ )g7? than 
less early mowing on previous y grade ro graded, seeded roadsides 
1976. Posting additional exp t * “f roadsides managed for wildlife 
*£ Tn'part^account ?£ Uroved compliance with the delayed mowing agreement. 
I„ 1976, delayed mowing by farmers on the FCMU (64.4 Pcrcentunmowed) was 
substantially greater than on graded, seeded 'f^"^Mock "elding 
percent unmowed). In 1977, however, mow, "9 Vr 0 unty graded, 40.9 
(FCMU, 47-5 percent unmowed) and scattered seed g (F d C y ^ w m 
