Vol. 17 } No. 2 
Page 2 
Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Hanipul at ion J. A. Ellis 
The posthunt censuses of quail were conducted on the Dale and Forbes areas 
the last 2 weeks of January 197^- Weather conditions were generally good during 
this period, enabling dogs to locate and hold quail coveys. Twelve coveys con¬ 
taining 152 quail (13*8 per 100 acres) were located on the Dale Area. The post¬ 
hunt estimate for 1974 was 16 percent greater than in 1973> 14 percent greater 
than the long-term mean for the area (11.8 quail per 100 acres), and represented 
a reduction of 58 percent from the prehunt estimate of 1973 * 
On Forbes, 15 coveys containing 142 quail were found during the posthunt 
census. The estimated posthunt density (5*8 quail per 100 acres) was 3 percent 
greater than the estimate for 1973 ^ 17 percent lower than the long-term mean for 
the area (7*0 quail per 100 acres), and represented a decline of 72 percent from 
the prehunt estimate of 1973 - 
Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L. V/estemeier, 
D. R. Vance 
Three preceding reports (HWRL 16 (7* 9> 10)) outlined abnormal weather con¬ 
ditions and a high rate of predation as factors contributing to the poor nest 
success of prairie chickens at Bogota in 1973* A third and interrelated factor 
involved the food base of predators. During the searches for prairie chicken 
nests, data are recorded for quail, doves, rabbits, songbirds, and small mammals, 
which make extensive use of the sanctuaries. The numbers of nests, per acre, of 
bobwhites, meadowlarks, dickcissels, field sparrows, rabbits, and small mammals 
(prairie voles and southern bog lemmings) all showed sharp reductions in 1973 
compared with the years 1 966 through 1972. It was curious that the nests of red¬ 
winged blackbirds and ground-nesting mourning doves were about the same in number 
as in previous years. The nests of additional species were also recorded, but 
these sample sizes were too limited to be meaningful. 
Thus, it appears that many of the staple foods of predators were in short 
supply in 1973 ^ which therefore brought about more intensive utilization of the 
prairie chicken resource at Bogota. 
