Vol. 16, No. 7 
Page 2 
The timber sale will remove 761 trees and reduce the basal area 
from the present 82 ft 2 to 57 ft 2 . Based on counts of possible nest 
dens now available, the timber sale will remove 40.8 percent of the squirrel 
nest sites. If cull trees are also removed by the operator, up to 72.4 
percent of the available nest dens will be removed during the sale. 
Estimates of squirrel density ranged from 48 to 52 squirrels on the 
44-acre area, based on 10 days of livetrapping undertaken in late Hay 
1973. There were 25 individual squirrels actually tagged during live- 
trapping, 15 gray squirrels and 10 fox squirrels. 
Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation J. A. Ellis 
The mean numbers of bobwhite calls recorded per stop along standardized 
audio-census routes on the Forbes and Dale areas have been used as indices 
of fall population densities (MWRL 12(9) :2) on these areas. Analysis of 
data for 1964-72 showed significant regressions (£<0.005) between the 
numbers of bobwhite calls per listening stop and the prehunt population 
estimates obtained by censuses with bird dogs. Predicted population 
levels for fall 1973 , based on these regression formulae, are 33.9 and 25.1 
quail per 100 acres for Dale and Forbes, respectively. These estimates 
represent a 15 percent increase in the prehunt density on Forbes and an 
18 percent decrease in the prehunt density on Dale, compared with the 
estimates made in 1972. 
The unusually abundant rainfall during May and June was thought to 
have disrupted nesting activity, particularly on the Dale Area. The peak 
of whistling activity and the greatest trap response by males to cock- 
and-hen trapping usually occur the third week of June. I believe that these 
reactions by the males at this time are related and are due to nest 
attendance—probably incubation--by a majority of the hens. This year, 
however, the peak of whistling occurred the first week of July, and the 
greatest trap response by males occurred the first week of June. 
Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L. Westemeier, 
D. R. Vance 
During the 10-year period of 1963 through 1972, hatching success of 
prairie chicken nests on sanctuaries at Bogota has averaged 66.9 percent. 
Annual variations have ranged from a low of 57.1 percent in 1 967 (sample 
of 7 nests) to a high of 100.0 percent in 1966 (5 nests). Our data are 
limited for the period of 1963 through 1969; however, hatching success 
amounted to 66.1 percent in 1970 (63 nests), 66.7 percent in 1971 (62 
nests), and 64.9 percent in 1972 (86 nests). These levels of nest 
success are well above the level of approximately 50 percent or lower 
mentioned in the literature for other states. 
