Mol. 15, No. 2 
Page 3 
per 100 acres was recorded on Forbes in 1971, an increase of 25 percent 
over the kill in 1970. The harvest in 1971 was 60 percent less than the 
peak harvest of 23.4 quail per 10C acres recorded in 1 968 . 
The harvest on Dale in 1971, 16.5 quail per 100 acres, was 18 percent 
less than the kill recorded in 1970 , and 50 percent less than the peak 
harvest of 32.2 quail per 100 acres recorded in 1969* 
The harvests in 1971 represented 58 percent and 75 percent of the 
estimated prehunt populations on Forbes and Dale, respectively. The 
long-term mean rate of exploitation was 62 percent of the prehunt 
populations for Forbes and 69 percent of the prehunt populations for Dale. 
5. Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L. Westemeier, 
D * R• Vanee 
The sanctuary system for prairie chickens has expanded from 77 acres 
acquired in 1 962 to the present acreage of 1,322 acres. These sanctuaries 
include 11 acquisitions totaling 862 acres near Bogota in Jasper County and 
4 acquisitions totaling 460 acres in Marion County near Kinmundy and Farina. 
The acquisitions were initially made by the Prairie Chicken Foundation of 
Illinois (297 acres) and tne Prair.e Grouse Committee (PGC/ of the Illinois 
Chapter - The Nature Conservancy (1,025 acres). During the summer of 1970, 
the Illinois Department of Conservation, acting through the Illinois Nature 
Preserves Commission, acquired five sanctuaries totaling 410 acres from the 
PGC. The PGC is using monies received for these lands to purchase addition 
sanctuaries. Currently, negotiations are being made for the PGC to purchase 
three additional tracts at Bogota, totaling 180 acres. Also, in Marion 
County, three tracts of 80 acres each are being considered for purchase. 
One tract of 12 acres, containing a farmstead near the village of Bogota, 
is to be sold off the 175-acre Fuson Farm. Thus, if all these negotiations 
are successful, the sanctuary system will total 1,030 acres in Jasper 
County and 700 acres in Marion County. The long-term goals of land 
acquisition call for a 1,500-acre sanctuary system in both Jasper and 
Marion counties. 
