Vol. 13, No. 2 
Page 3 
from Neoga and utilize ail of the sodium in this grit. While it is possible 
that a pheasant could ingest 2.6 g of unsorted grit per day, it is inconceiva¬ 
ble that a pheasant could consume as much as 11.5 g daily. It is also 
inconceivable that all of the sodium in the unsorted grit would be physiologi¬ 
cally available to pheasants. Thus, unless pheasants are capable of selecting 
grit or other materials that are rich in sodium, this element appears to be 
deficient at Neoga during periods when the birds feed heavily on grains and 
seeds. 
4. Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipul at ion J. A. Ellis, 
D. R. Vance 
For 32 consecutive days from December 23, 1969, to January 26, 1970, snow 
depth of 3 inches or greater occurred on the Forbes and Dale areas. Also, on 
several occasions temperatures were below 0° F. Such extensive periods of 
snow cover are generally thought to be detrimental to quail. Posthunt censuses, 
completed in early February, when compared with the prehunt censuses and 
harvests on the study areas, indicated modicum population losses due to these 
conditions. 
In early November, population densities of 26 and 37 quail per 100 acres 
were recorded on the Forbes and Dale areas, respectively. Hunters harvested 
16 quail per 100 acres on Forbes, and the posthunt census indicated a 
population of 8 quail per 100 acres. A loss of 2 per 100 acres, or 20 percent, 
was attributed to normal winter mortality and the extreme weather conditions. 
On Dale, hunters harvested 32 quail per 100 acres, and 9 per 100 acres 
were recorded during the posthunt census. These results indicated that we 
underestimated the November population, that birds migrated onto the study 
area after the prehunt census, or both, and that no population loss could be 
attributed to the weather conditions. 
Covey sizes on both areas during the posthunt census were similar to 
those recorded in previous posthunt censuses. Thus, because of favorable 
habitat conditions, primarily extensive areas of woods, brush, and food 
patches, quail populations on Dale and Forbes survived the inclement period 
without excessive losses. 
Mr. Paul Matthews, Assistant Project Leader since September, 1968, 
has resigned as of March 15, 1970, to accept a position in West 
Virginia. Mr. David Russel Vance, who has worked for the Survey 
on temporary, part-time, and full-time basis since June 1963 has been 
employed to replace Paul. Russ obtained a Master's degree at the 
University of Illinois in January, 1970. 
5* Responses of Pra?rie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L. Westemeier 
Prairie chicken booming grounds may be divided into "regularly used" and 
"uncertain status" categories. Generally, a booming ground of uncertain status 
Involves less than five or six cocks and the cocks are highly irregular in 
their presence from day to day and from time to time on any given morning. 
