SI ol . 9, No. 1 
Page 3 
ning on July 25, in 1 96 3 would have destroyed no nests, but in 1964 would have 
destroyed nearly 30 percent of the nests which eventually hatched. In I 965 , no 
nests were established after June 16, and the last nest hatched on July 19; mowing 
undertaken after July 25 would have destroyed no active nests. 
Table 2. Seasonal distribution of the establishment of pheasant nests on seeded 
and on managed control roadside plots, Sibley Study Area. 
Dates 
Seeded Plots 
Managed Control 
P lots 
1963 
1964 
1965 
1963 
1964 
1965 
April 15-May 5 
3 
1 
1 
2 
0 
0 
May 6 — 19 
5 
4 
5 
5 
0 
3 
May 20-June 2 
4 
3 
3 
6 
2 
5 
June 3-16 
5 
4 
4 
1 
3 
2 
June 17-30 
3 
2 
0 
2 
1 
0 
July 1-14 
0 
3 
0 
0 
1 
0 
July 15-28 
1 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
Tota1s 
21 
17 
13 
16 
7 
10 
3 . Factors I nf 1 uenc i nq Distribution and Abundance of Pheasants V/. L. Anderson 
While the final outcome of the gene pool experiments at Neoga and Bellmont 
will not be known for several years, it seems probable that none of the strains of 
pheasants introduced on the two areas possessed genetic makeups, as they existed 
at times of release, that were compatible with the environmental conditions 
characteristic of southern Illinois. This conclusion points out the need to find 
other subspecies and strains of pheasants of the genus Phasianus that are potentially 
capable of maintaining permanent populations outside the established pheasant range 
in the state. 
Several of the numerous forms of Phas ianus , representing diverse geographical 
regions and climatic conditions, might be suitable for southern Illinois. 
Taxonomists recognize 2 species and 34 subspecies of Phas ianus , which collectively 
occur in a natural wild state from the southern foothills of the Caucasus Mountains 
along the Black Sea east across Asia to Korea, Manchuria, Formosa, and Japan. In 
addition to these forms, it is possible that at least a few of the established 
populations in North America may also contain pheasants suitable for the southern 
counties of Illinois. 
Accounts in the literature indicate that pheasants were initially established 
in North America with stock obtained from China (probably from the vicinity of 
