Vol. 23 , Wo. 9 
Page 3 
Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Ma ni puiation - V/-66-R R.L. Westemeier, 
J.E. Buhnerkempe 
Analysis of annual population fluctuations with nesting success for the 
greater prairie chicken has shown that approximately a 50% nest-success rate is 
needed to maintain a stable population on the sanctuaries in Jasper County 
(MV/RL 22(9) :3). Nest-success rates were below 50% in 6 of the past 7 years at 
Bogota; thus it was decided that some predator control measure would be 
desirable. 
In recent studies dealing with predator control, lithium chloride (LiCl) 
was found to be a safe, nonlethal, potential control agent. Predators consuming 
LiCl-treated bait become nauseous and thus are aversely conditioned to that 
particular bait. Unfortunately, LiCl is still relatively untested as a possible 
agent for reducing egg predation. 
This spring on 18 March, 2k dummy nests, each containing 2 domestic chicken 
eggs, were distributed on the Yeatter-Field-McGraw sanctuary unit. The eggs 
were injected with 1.5 cc of LiCl solution (1 g LiCl to 2 cc H 2 0). These dummy 
nests were checked weekly from 2k March to 2k June. A fresh injected egg was 
added to each nest each week until a clutch of 7 treated eggs was reached. If a 
nest was destroyed, it was recorded and a new dummy nest was initiated 5 yards 
away. 
Over the 1^-week test period, there were 70 instances of predation on the 
2k dummy nests with a total of 150 to 326 eggs {kS%) eaten by predators. 
Predation on the dummy clutches was variable among weeks, but a gradual decline 
was evident over the test period. We cannot say if the decline in predation 
represented control or was due to factors such as increased cover density or 
availability of alternate foods. However, we doubt that the LiCl-treated eggs 
significantly reduced nest predation. The availability of dummy clutches may 
have increased predation. Of the 17 prairie chicken nests of known fate found 
on the Yeatter-Field-McGraw sanctuary unit, only 7 were hatches. This *i1% nest- 
success rate was the 5th lowest success rate in 13 years on this unit. Also, 
all of the k ring-necked pheasant nests found on the unit were destroyed. 
However, on the Donnelley Sanctuary (no injected eggs), 5 of the 7 prairie 
chicken nests hatched (71%) and 1 of the 2 pheasant nests hatched. 
Ecology and Management of White-tailed Deer - W-37“R C. M. Nixon, 
L. P. Hansen, 
J. E. Chelsvig 
During late winter I960, 21 deer were captured and marked in and around 
A1lerton Park, k miles southwest of Monticello, Piatt County, Illinois. Four of 
these deer, 3 adult females and 1 fawn female, were fitted with radio-transmitter 
collars. Each radio-monitored deer moved a relatively long distance away from 
the park. In some cases, the exact date of movement is known and in others there 
are a number of possible dates. 
An attempt was made to relate some weather conditions to the time and 
direction of travel for each monitored deer. Table 2 lists distance, direction, 
and dates of movement for each deer, and weather conditions. 
