MONTHLY WILDLIFE RESEARCH LETTER 
LIBRARY 
Department of Conservation and Natural History Survey, Cooperating 
Glen C- Sanderson and Helen C. Schultz, Editors 
Urbana, Illinois October, 1968 Vol. II, No. 10 
1. Pheasant Popu1 at ions and Land Use S. L- Etter, R. E. Greenberg 
Analysis of the mean number of pheasant chicks in broods judged to be 
completely counted along roadside transects in July and August during the period 
1962 through I 968 revealed significant differences (£ =^0.025) in observed brood 
sizes among years. Higher than average brood sizes were observed in 1962 and 1967 
(5*5 and 5-4 chicks, respectively) while lower than average brood sizes were 
observed in I 963 and 1964 (4.5 and 4-3 chicks). Observed brood sizes in 1965; 1966, 
and I 968 ( 5 * 1 ; 5-1; and 4.9 chicks) were near the average for the 7-year period. 
The percentages of broodless hens observed along the same transects in August 
during these years also showed significant differences among years (P = ^0.01). 
Lower than average percentages of broodless hens were observed in 1962, 1967 , and 
1968 (7, 20, and 21 percent, respectively) and higher than average percentages of 
broodless hens were observed in 1963; 1964, and 1 966 (39; 35; and 32 percent). The 
percentage of broodless hens in I 965 (26 percent) was near the average for the 7 - 
year period. 
While the percentage of broodless hens in August is an index only to the 
reproductive success of hens surviving to that time, the above data suggest that the 
average number of chicks per brood is greater during years when the proportionate 
reproductive success of breeding hens is high than in years when proportionate 
reproductive success is low. Consequently, it appears that population indices should 
take into account differences in brood sizes as well as in numbers of broods in 
order to reflect more precisely the magnitude of population changes among years. 
2. Manipulation of Pheasant Habitat G- B. Joselyn 
Seeding of the Ford County Management Unit was accomplished between August 20 
and September 4. Of the 65 farm operators having acreage on and abutting the 16 - 
square-mile area, 61 cooperated in the program. The 61 cooperators accounted for 73 
of the 81 miles ( 90.1 percent) and 149*2 of the 165-2 acres of roadside (90-3 per¬ 
cent) on the management area. Approximately 56 of the 81 miles (115-2 acres) were 
completely seeded; 7 miles (14.4 acres) were seeded in part, and in part designated 
for nitrogen application because «f good stands of brome grass. Slightly over 10 
t*v» les ( 19-6 acres) are to receive nitrogen during spring, I969, and were not needed. 
Roads i dec «-f four nonenoperat i ng farmers totaled 8 miles (16 acres). 
Six phases of activity were involved in the seeding operations: (I) fertilizer 
