Vol. 13, No. 5 
Page 3 
\ 4. Responses of Bobwhites to Habitat Manipulation J. A. Ellis, 
D. R. Vance 
Results of the prebreeding censuses of quail, conducted on the Dale and 
Forbes areas in early March 1970, revealed declines in the populations when 
compared with population levels found in March 1 969 - In 1969> the prebreeding 
populations were 7.3 and 12.7 quail per 100 acres on Forbes and Dale, 
respectively. During the prebreeding censuses in 1970, 12 coveys containing 
109 quail (4.6 quail per 100 acres) were located on the Forbes Area and 10 coveys 
with 110 quail (10 quail per 100 acres) were found on the Dale Area. The pre¬ 
breeding populations in 1970 represented declines of 37 percent and 21 percent 
for the Forbes and Dale areas, respectively, from the prebreeding populations 
in 1969. 
The size of the prebreeding populations has been statistically correlated 
(£<. 005 ) with the size of the subsequent prehunt populations when the data from 
both areas were combined. When these data were considered independently for each 
area, the correlations were not significant. We can expect, therefore, that the 
prehunt populations in 1970 on Forbes and Dale will not exceed the prehunt 
populations of 19^9- 
5. Responses of Prairie Chickens to Habitat Manipulation R. L. Westemeier 
During the period of late March to mid-April, 1970, booming ground surveys 
were conducted in 12 areas in seven counties in south-central Illinois. The 
^ census areas in 1970 included all areas of the state still thought to contain 
flocks of five or more prairie chickens. An effort was made to determine the 
maximum number of cocks on each area. 
A total of 189 prairie chicken cocks were counted on 8 of the 12 areas 
censused. The Bogota Area now contains 57 percent (108 cocks) of the statewide 
population and showed an increase of 112 percent since the spring of I 969 
(MWRL 13 (4): 2). The remaining 81 cocks found in seven areas outlying the Bogota 
Area represent a loss of 9 percent from the 89 cocks found in 19^9- The losses 
between 1 969 anc * 1970 were greatest near Loogootee (24 cocks to 17 cocks) and 
Hoyleton (8 cocks to 4 cocks). Counts remained essentially unchanged in Marion 
County near Farina (28 cocks), Forbes Park (13 cocks), and Fairman (4 cocks), and 
in Fayette County near La Clede (3 cocks). Higher counts were noted on only one 
of the outlying areas--the area near Mt. Erie in Wayne County--which increased 
from 5 cocks in 19&9 to 12 cocks in 1970 . 
Thus, the prairie chicken population on the Bogota Area remains in sharp 
contrast to the remaining flocks in Illinois. If a 50:50 sex ratio is assumed, 
the statewide population numbered about 378 prairie chickens this spring. 
6. Rabbit Management G. B. Rose 
The energy assimilated by cottontail rabbits was estimated as described in 
MWRL 13(2):4-5- 
