Vol . 11, No. 4 
Page 3 
4. Responses of Bobwh i tes to Hab i tat Manipu lation J. A 1 is, K. P. Thomas 
Since 1964, the general trend in the upland-game management program conducted 
on the Forbes and Dale areas by the Division of Game has been toward reduced 
acreages of food plots. The emphasis has shifted from summer seedings of corn 
(Zea mays ), three mi 1 lets ( Panicum mi 1iaceum , Pennisetum glaucum , Setaria italica ), 
milo ( Sorghum vulgare ), and buckwheat ( Fagopyrum esculentum) toestablishment of 
wheat ( Triticum aestivum) plots in the fall. 
On Forbes, from 1964 to 1966, the number and acreages of food patches declined 
from 307 patches occupying 114 acres to 103 patches totaling 21 acres. In 1967, 
116 plots, comprising 28 acres, were established; 60 percent of this acreage was 
wheat. 
The number of summer food patches on the Dale Area remained relatively constant 
(38 - 44 ) from 1964 to 1967 , but the acreages of food plots were reduced from 36 
to 10 during the same period. The number of wheat plots on Dale increased 7 
in 1964 to 30 in 1967; the acreage of wheat decreased from 51 in 1964 to 19 in 
1967. 
One reason for establishing food patches has been to control plant succession. 
In many instances, however, food patches have been established in the same locations 
for several years. This practice does not control plant succession and negates the 
value of the food plants and associated weeds, particularly during the 2nd year. 
5 , Responses of Prairie Ch ickens to Habitat Manipu 1 at i on R. L. Westemeier 
Counts of booming prairie chickens on the Bogota Study Area between January 
24 and April 19, 1 968 , revealed a slightly decreased number o* cocks since the 
spring of 1 967 . The highest count of cocks, among 20 ear 1y-morning surveys in 
1968, was 37 (on April 10), 14 percent less than the peak count of 43 cocks (on 
March 25) in 1 967 . Highest counts of cocks at Bogota during the four springs 
1963-66 were 78, 65 , 42, and 41, respectively. 
On private farmland at Bogota, the cover types most important to nesting 
hens, including grass seed meadows, undisturbed grass, and grass hay meadows, 
declined from 595 acres in 1963 to only 219 acres in 1967. Of these 219 acres, 
85 were present in I 967 primarily because of 1-year leases made between local 
farmers and the Illinois Department of Conservation. Permanent sanctuary acreage 
has increased substantially at Bogota since 1963 (presently 687 acres in 10 tracts), 
but the amount of established nesting cover on sanctuaries did not reach sign 1 f»cant 
proportions (338 acres) until 1967. Even in 1967, 60 percent (204 acres) of the 
338 acres of nesting cover on sanctuaries was not used by prairie chickens, because 
the sanctuaries were either too new or too far away to be of immediate benefit to 
nesting hens. While all sanctuaries are located in potentially excellent sites, 
five tracts totaling 335 acres are located where prairie chickens were found 
several years ago—but not in 1 967 . All five tracts were within easy flight 
distances for nesting hens in 1967, but due to traditional habit or the newness . 
of the tracts, or both, the birds did not take advantage of the nesting opportuni¬ 
ties. 
A point of greater concern is that the number of prairie chicken nests on 
the 77-acre Yeatter Sanctuary (the oldest tract) declined from a high of 15 nests 
