A 
MONTHLY WJLDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Illinois Federal Aid Projects W- 66 -R and W-87-R 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Eva Steger, Editors 
NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 
MAR 1 4 1980 
' n 
Urbana, 1 11inois 
February, I 98 O 
Vol. 23, No. 2 
Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat - W- 66 -R 
R. E. Warner 
Smce roadside seedings on the Ford County Management Unit (FCMU) matured 
in 1970 , some farmers have tended to infract their agreement to delay roadside 
mowing to 1 August each year. Early mowing trends have persisted in recent 
years, even though cooperators were reminded of the 1 August delayed mowing date 
in January 1 976 . * * 
The Department of Conservation (DOC) has expanded efforts to establish 
undisturbed nest cover along rural rights-of-way in east-central Illinois. The ' 
cost-benefit ratio of seedings--determined in part by the percentage of roadside 
seedings that remain undisturbed for nesting—could be enhanced by the ability 
to identify the type of farmer least likely to infract a delayed mowing agreement 
over a period of years. 
To profile characteristics of long-term cooperators and learn farmers' 
attitudes toward roadside management (delayed mowing), a questionnaire was 
developed and administered to fanners on the FCMU in late summer I 979 . Informa- 
1 °n we "°P e to 9 a in from analysis of the completed questionnaires includes 
* Characteristies of farmers who tend to adhere to the delayed mowing date 
regularly over a period of years: farm owner or tenant, or both; priorities 
in farm operation; level of understanding of roadside management; interest 
in and knowledge of wildlife; attitude toward hunters. 
2 . 
Farmers' perceptions of roadside management: advantages and disadvantages, 
compati ility with other farm operations, effectiveness of the program 
tnr frhpacanfe r 
^ h °P e t0 promote roadside management more effectively by addressing issues 
concern to farmers (e.g., weed control, fuel savings) as well as 
o concern to biologists (e.g., phenology of nesting, delayed mowing). 
Ecology and Management of Squirrels - W-66-R 
C. M. Nixon, 
L. P. Hansen 
bv J::h!?V n V^ mty 0f tree 5< * ljirrel populations may bo strongly influenced 
lit ll ouln Lr- ^ ' f tat - Y" f ° rtu " a tely, other than qualitative observations, 
exists qu ^ tlta ‘ ,v ® information on habitat selection by fox and gray squirrels 
* Sts- As part of a 7-year study of fox»squirrels near Danville, an attempt was 
