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MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C. Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois 
February, 1974 
Vol. 17, No. 2 
Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat G. B. Joselyn 
Of the three possible approaches to management of roadsides in east-central 
Illinois, which were discussed in the last five reports (block seedings, graded 
roadsides, volunteer program), it is felt that initial efforts should be directed 
towards seeding graded roadsides. The graded program is recommended before the 
others primarily because graded roadsides represent a situation where nest cover 
is being destroyed. Given current land-use trends throughout the pheasant range 
in Illinois, it is obvious that attempts should be made to replace lost nest 
habitat where the opportunity arises. 
Approval has been obtained for a Federal Aid Project (W-85-D) that calls for 
seeding of graded roadsides in a nine-county area over a 5-year period beginning 
in 1974. Subsequent reports will present details of this undertaking. 
Ecology and Management of Sguirrels C. M. Nixon, 
S. P. Havera 
A sample of 81 cooperating squirrel hunters from the Northern Zone were sent 
questionnaires asking their preferences for opening and closing dates for the 
squirrel hunting season and for the size of the daily bag limit (four, five, or 
six squirrels). A total of 49 hunters returned their questionnaires. 
Over one-half of the hunters (57*1 percent) approved of the present September 
1 opening date, while less than 30 percent (28*5 percent) wished to open the 
squirrel season earlier than September 1. 
Hunter opinions on closing dates were not as clear-cut in the Northern Zone 
as they were in the Southern Zone (see MV/RL 17:1). Opinions were evenly divided 
(about 35 percent for each) between a November 1 and a November 15 closing date. 
Less than 30 percent of the hunters wished to extend the hunting season beyond 
November 15 . 
A narrow (53*2 percent) majority of the hunters in the Northern Zone approve 
the five-squirrel bag limit, whereas 36.2 percent prefer a four-squirrel bag limit 
and only 10.6 percent approve a six-squirrel limit. 
In summary, our sample of cooperating hunters from the Northern Zone seem to 
be aware of the dwindling forest habitat of northern Illinois and to be willing to 
limit their hunting efforts in order to preserve something of their sport. In 
general, they oppose an August opening date and favor season closure by November 
15 and a bag limit of less than six squirrels. 
NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY 
MAR 6 1974 
