ttMURW- HIS188V SIIMP 
MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 1978 
Illinois Federal Aid Project W-66-R LlBRARV 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
May, 1978 
Vol. 21, No. 5 
Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat 
R. E. Warner 
Roadside management efforts are being evaluated relative to responses bv 
populations of pheasants and songbirds and cooperation by participating farmers. 
These investigations are under way in conjunction with seeded roadside programs. 
However, we do not know the degree of cooperation that can be expected from 
farmers when no seeding is done and they are requested by the Illinois Depart- 
ment of Conservation to delay or eliminate roadside mowing, nor do we know the 
best way to obtain their cooperation. 
As a first step in gaining this information, an attitude survey was 
formulated and distributed to upland game hunters in 1977- The questionnaire 
rt\^ n n U - ted - S 3 P r °j ect ln a c,ass ln Agricultural Policies and Programs 
at the University of Illinois. The purpose of the one-page survey was to 
measure the attitudes of a group supportive of game management regarding the 
relative importance of seven game management policies/programs (GMP) and eight 
in r cenl^[ a n° / C r ° 9ramS (AP) f ° r lncreasin 9 populations of upland game 
in centra 1 Illinois. Respondents could answer all 15 questions by marking 
untand 5 "r , TP? r ? ant ?" " som ^ h at important," or "very important" for increasing 
upland game. Eliminating or delaying roadside mowing was categorized in the 
analysis as an AP. The questions were not identified as either AP or GMP on 
the questionnaire. 
Three hundred copies of the questionnaire were distributed among seven 
tores where upland game licenses were sold in Champaign, Douglas, and Ford 
counties; store merchants agreed to ask hunter licensees to fill out the 
questionnaire over-the-counter. However, merchants were often hesitant to 
0 f ,. U T n5ee !’ and for this r «son °">y 66 completed forms 
were collected I week after the opening of the 1977-78 upland game season. 
Sxt y -three °f the completed forms were filled out by residents of central 
Illinois, 16 of these residents owned or rented farmland. 
A significantly greater (P<0.005) portion of the farmers considered AP 
r * ncreas ' n 9 upland game than did nonfarmers. Farmers 
nked the eight AP as follows, in order of declining importance: leaving 
vegetation undisturbed along waterways, minimum tillage/fall plowing, partici- 
'? a set ‘ a side program, controlling spread of urban areas, eliminating 
For nl T" 9 mow,n 9' and restrict i ng use of agricultural chemicals. 
F nonfarmers, delaying roadside mowing was ranked as more important than 
chemicl s" 9 SeVT 6 ?- ° f urban areas and restrictin 9 the use of agricultural 
?nd?ca«d'rhar T- perce " t , of . the *>™ers and 98 percent of the nonfarmers 
veru imnor^n^ ! ng. or delaying roadside mowing was either somewhat or 
very important for increasing upland game. 
