Vol. 8, No. 12 
Page 2 
tame hay (322 nests per 100 acres) and harvested tame hay (310 nests per 100 acres) 
on the 100, 10-acre plots on the Sibley Study Area during 1963; on a per acre basis, 
all other cover types had lower nest densities (Table 2). 
In 1964, seeded roadsides exceeded all other cover types in rate of nest 
establishment (381 nests per 100 acres). The cover type having the second highest 
rate was unharvested tame hay, with 281 nests per 100 acres. Next, in descending 
order, were strip cover, harvested tame hay, small grains, pastures, and non- 
agricultural areas, with 218, 187, 61, 50, and 20 nests per 100 acres, respectively. 
Nest densities on seeded roadsides and in all other cover types decreased in 
1965* However, the density of nests on seeded roadsides (260 per 100 acres) still 
was higher than in any other cover type on the study area; next was harvested 
tame hay with 140 nests per 100 acres. All remaining cover types, except strip 
cover (110 nests per 100 acres), had fewer than 100 nests per 100 acres. 
Data show that nest densities in four of the six cover types on the 100, 10- 
acre plots on the study area decreased from 1963 to 1964; only strip cover and 
small grains had increased densities. Nest density on seeded plots increased from 
1963 to 1964. In 1965, nest density on seeded roadsides was considerably below 
that of the preceding year, and slightly lower than in 1963- 
The acceptability of seeded roadsides to nesting hens has been apparent during 
each of the last 3 years. The low breeding population in 1965 resulted in the 
decreased nest densities in seeded roadsides and in all other cover types, compared 
with those of 1963 and 1964. 
Table 2. Densities of established pheasant nests on seeded roadside plots and in 
six other cover types, Sibley Study Area, 1963, 1964, and 1965- 
Cover Type 
Estab1ished 
Nests per 
100 Acres 
1963 
1964 
1965 
Seeded Roadsides 
290 
381 
260 
Unharvested^Tame Hay 
322 
281 
96 
Strip Cover 
194 
218 
110 
Harvested Tame Hay 
310 
187 
140 
Sma11 Grains 
35 
61 
10 
Pastures 
114 
50 
20 
Nonagricultural Areas 
30 
20 
10 
* Includes roadsides, fencerows, waterways, etc. 
3* Factors Inf1uencinq Distribution and Abundance of Pheasants W. L. Anderson 
Hunters interviewed recently on the Neoga Area reported that a minimum of 38 
cocks were bagged at Neoga during the 1965 hunting season, November 13 through 
December 12. Four additional cocks were crippled but not recovered. Although the 
kill of cocks in 1965 was less than the kills during the first 3 years of the gene 
pool experiment, i 960 through 1962, it was equal to the kill in 1 963 (Table 3)* 
