Vol . 11, No. 7 
Page 3 
4. Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation J. A. Ellis 
After 2 years of participation in experimental management programs on Forbes 
and Dale, some general statements can be made regarding these programs: The 
programs resulted in increased quail populations on the experimental management 
zones on both areas. Quail responded favorably to the sharecropping-burning 
program on Forbes with a major population increase in only 1 year, but 2 years 
were required on the experimental management zone on Dale before the quail popu 
lation responded to controlled burning. The sharecropping-burning program on Forbes 
drastically altered the habitat during the 1st year. Prior to establishment of 
this program, most of the open land in this zone had reverted to rank stands of 
grasses and weeds. Renovation by establishing row crops on half of the open land 
during the 1st year was probably the single most important factor in creating 
quality habitat for quail. 
Two years of controlled burning on Dale resulted in significant increases in 
the amount of bare ground and emphasize that the amount of bare ground was probably 
the key to successful quail management. Sharecropping and large-scale burning 
appeared to be adequate and economical tools for providing bare ground and also 
resulted in the occurrence of native legumes and other important quail foods. 
For successful quail management, it is now evident that frequent manipulation 
of the habitat is required. Burning is necessary probably every other year, and 
where sharecropping is used, row crops should be established every 3-4 years. 
Rotations occurring at longer intervals than these would fail to maintain the 
desired habitat conditions. 
The Game Division has initiated a sharecropping management program in the 
northwest portion of the Forbes Area. This portion of Forbes had previously been 
managed by the establishment of annual food patches. 
5 . Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat M anipulation R. L. Westemeier 
Midsummer mowing for hay and perhaps close mowing for weed control or for 
booming grounds appear to be among various methods of maintaining attractive nesting 
cover for prairie chickens. Six prairie chicken nests have been found in 1968 in 
four fields, on sanctuaries at Bogota, which were mowed between late June and mid- 
July, 1967. The mowed fields consisted of a 0.5-acre experimental plot of south¬ 
land brome ( Bromus inermis var.), one nest; a 4.5-acre field of timothy ( Phieum 
pratense ) and red clover ( Trifoliurn pratense ) , one nest; an 18-acre field of weedy 
sweet clover ( Melilotus spp.) and red clover, two nests; and a 20-acre field of 
timothy, two nests. 
Regrowth after hay harvests in 1967 in the brome plot and in the 20-acre 
timothy meadow left residual cover about 10 inches and 18 inches in height, 
respectively, for the period of nest initiation (early April) in 1968 . The timothy 
field was left in a totally undisturbed condition for the nesting season of 1966 
and 1967 but contained no nests either year, in spite of its excellent location-- 
within £ mile of the largest booming ground in the Bogota Area. Two nests in this 
field in 1968 are evidence that the midsummer hay harvest in 1967 improved the 
attractiveness of the field for nesting. The 4.5~3cre field of timothy and red 
clover was also mowed for hay, and, in addition, was mowed to ground level in 
