Vol. 8, No. 3 
Page 5 
The grass tracts on Section 28 are the only ones on the study area which 
support good quality nesting cover. An examination of the booming grounds in this 
area demonstrates the tendency for booming grounds to be located near grass tracts 
and the numbers of cocks per ground to remain highest near the tracts. Each 
year the booming ground on Section 21 was moved about 0.25 mile in the direction 
of the nesting cover on Section 28. 
6. Rabbit Management 
J. A. Bailey, R. J. Siglin 
. utopsy of rabbits found dead along highways or trapped on experimental areas 
indicates that the 1965 breeding season for cottontails in central Illinois began 
during the second week of March. Virtually all female cottontails in this area 
are now pregnant and will bear litters during the first full week in April. These 
Utters will be in nests for about 2 weeks after they are born. The practice of 
burning grassy areas, ditch banks, and weedy patches should therefore be avoided 
m central Illinois during the period April 4-24 if rabbit production is being 
considered. a 
Cottontails have a 28-day gestation period and usually breed immediately after 
trT '” er ' S , b ° rn ; We can ther efore expect other peaks of littering to occur 
, nH U " . ay du " e and July 1 ‘ Vulnerability of nestling cottontails to burning 
,ii. ^ In 9 wi e greatest for about 2 weeks after each of these dates in central 
I inois. The dates of littering and the critical periods should be a week earlier 
in southern Illinois and perhaps a week later in northern Illinois. 
As the summer progresses, individual adult female rabbits will stop breeding, 
ut those born in April, May, and perhaps June will begin to breed. It is not 
known whether the breeding periods of juvenile cottontails are synchronized in 
the manner described above for adults. Thus, although cottontails may continue to 
breed until next September, we cannot be sure that there will be synchronized 
breeding and peaks of littering after July. 
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