W&M ScholarWorks W&M ScholarWorks
Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects
1971
A Study of the Exotic Game Bird Introduction Program in the A Study of the Exotic Game Bird Introduction Program in the
Sandy Point Area of Virginia 1970-1971 Sandy Point Area of Virginia 1970-1971
Hans Wachtmeister College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd
Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Natural Resources Management and
Policy Commons
Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Wachtmeister, Hans, "A Study of the Exotic Game Bird Introduction Program in the Sandy Point Area of Virginia 1970-1971" (1971). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539624718. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-aavx-ff06
This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected].
A STUDY OF
THE EXOTIC GAME BIRD INTRODUCTION PROGRAM
IN THE
SANDY POINT AREA OF VIRGINIA
1970 - 1971
A T h e s is
P re se n te d t o
The F a c u lty o f th e D epartm ent o f B io lo g y
The C o lleg e o f W illiam and Mary i n V irg in ia
I n P a r t i a l F u lf i l lm e n t
Of th e R equirem ents f o r th e Degree o f
M aster o f A r ts
By
Hans F . E. W achtm eistar
1971
4,057 Lvi Sk»7Bio/.f i l l
w f ?c o o ,£
APPROVAL SHEET
T h is t h e s i s i s su b m itted in p a r t i a l f u l f i l l m e n t
th e re q u ire m e n ts f o r th e d eg ree o f
M aster o f A r ts
A uthor
A pproved , A ugust 1971
M itc h e l l A m . B yrd , Ph„D
, k ~ ,G a rn e tt Re B rooks, J r . , Ph0l3®
S t e w r t A. Ware, Ph.D .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
X w ish t o th a n k D r. M itc h e l l A. B yrd , chairm an o f th e com m ittee ,%
u n d er whose gu idance t h i s r e s e a r c h was conducted and who e d i te d t h i s
th e s is * S in c e re th a n k s a re a l s o e x p re sse d t o D r. S te w a r t A. Ware f o r
h i s su g g e s tio n s d u r in g th e p r e p a ra t io n o f th e t h e s i s and re a d in g o f th e
m a n u sc rip t, and D r. G a rn e tt R, B rooks, J r . , f o r h i s i n t e r e s t i n and
a n a ly s is o f th e m a n u sc r ip t.
X am a l s o g r a t e f u l t o Mr. D ennis H a r t , V irg in ia S ta t e Game Farm
S u p e rv iso r f o r h i s c o o p e ra tio n and a s s i s t a n c e , and t o Game B io lo g i s t ,
F a i r f a x S e t t l e , who a s s i s t e d in th e c o l l e c t io n o f th e d a ta .
R ec o g n itio n sh o u ld go a l s o t o th e in h a b i ta n t s o f th e Sandy
P o in t a r e a . T ab le 26 o f th e Appendix c o n ta in s a l i s t o f peo p le whose
e f f o r t s r e s u l t e d in th e c o l l e c t io n o f a la r g e p o r t io n o f th e d a ta i n
t h i s t h e s i s . A p p re c ia tio n i s e x p re sse d e s p e c ia l ly t o Mr. Adolph H u la ,
Mr. Lem S m ith , Mr. M. R. D o tso n , Mr. S ta n le y H u la , S r . , and Mr. A. N«
Hofmeyer who w i l l in g ly gave me read y a c c e s s t o t h e i r farm s „ making
t i l l s i n v e s t ig a t io n p o s s ib le .
S p e c ia l acknow ledgem ent i s due my w if e , E l iz a b e th , f o r ty p in g
th e rough d r a f t and f o r h e r encouragem ent and p a t ie n c e b o th d u r in g
th e r e s e a r c h and in th e p r e p a ra t io n o f t h i s m a n u sc r ip t.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS • i i i
LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v i i
LIST OF FIGURE* * « . . . . • • • » » . • • • e . • • « « • • • ux
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . x
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ............................ 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE . 4
F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n Program < » • • • . « • * • • • • 4
\i V i r g in ia ’ s Role i n th e F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n Program • ?
M o rp h o lo g ica l and E c o lo g ic a l C h a r a c te r i s t i c s o f P h as ian u sC O l c f e l C n S . . . . . * a a . * . . e • . a . . . . . . 10
; O b se rv a tio n s o f P h e a sa n ts i n Sandy P o in t , C h a r le s C ityC ounty , V i r g in i a , 1958-\June 1970 » . • • • • • • • • • 14
DESCRIPTION OF TEE SANDY POINT AREA .................................. 18
Sandy P o in t 18
Tomahund p ian ta tiL on . . . . . . . <• . . . . . . * . . . . . 20
METHODS AND MATERIALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Census M ethods • 22
F i e l d O b se rv a tio n Census 22
Landowner In te rv ie w s » • • • • • . • • • • • • • • * • 23
Brood C ounts 23
F a l l F lu sh in g Count Census 24
iv
Page
Cock Crowing Count Census » « . • • • « • • • • • • • • Zk
N est C ounts . • • • « • * « e • « * • • • • . . • • * 25
Crop and Land-Use P r a c t ic e s • • • « < > • • • • « < > • • • • • 25
T rap p in g • • » • # • » « • • * » * • • • » » * • • • * • • 26
O th e r W ild l i fe O b se rv a tio n s • • • « • • • • » « • * • • • • 27
Food H a b its 2?
C lim a tic I n f lu e n c e s 28
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ............................ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Census M ethods • • • • * • • • « • • & • » • • • • » » • • <£»9
F ie ld O b se rv a tio n Census • • • » • • • » • * • « » > • 29
Landowner In te rv ie w s • * • « « « * • * • • • • • • • « 39
Brood Counts « • • • * « * « • • » ' « * * • • • « • » 42
F a l l F lu sh in g Count Census • • • • » V » . • * * • • • 4 4
Cock Crowing Count Census . « « » • • • » • • • • • * 45
N est C ounts • « • » • • « » • • • • • • « • • « • • • 51
Crop and Land-Use P r a c t ic e s . . * « * • • • • • • • • • * • 51
T rapp ing 55
O th er W ild l i f e O b se rv a tio n s • • • • « • » • • « » • • * * » 55
$ ood H a b its • « « « • • • • * * * a • • * • » • * • » * • • 56
C lim a tic I n f lu e n c e s « • • « • • • « « • » • • • « • • « • • 59
GENERAL DIS C US SION • • • » • « « « ■ « • • • • « • « • ■ • » • • 6<c
APPENDIX ......................................................................... . . . . . 68
S e c t io n A - Age C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f J u v e n ile P h e a sa n ts • • • 69
S e c t io n B “* H aD ita t Dau& o * * » . « » e « s o 9 • « « • « » « 71
S e c t io n C - Crop and Land-Use D ata * • » » * . * « . * > < 8?
S e c tio n D - O b se rv a tio n s o f O ther W ild l i fe » # 92
v
Page
S e c t io n E - W eather D ata • • « • « • • • • • • • * • • * • 95
S e c t io n F - Census Method Forms « « • • « • « , • • • • ■ « • 109
S e c t io n G - I n h a b i ta n ts o f th e Sandy P o in t A rea • • • • • • 115
LITERATURE CITED .................................................. . . 117
LIST OF TABLES
T ab le Page
1 . P h e a s a n t O b se rv a tio n s by S e a so n ? June 1970-June 1971 . 32
2 . P h e a s a n t O b se rv a tio n s June 197O-June 1971 * * • • • • • 33
3* P h e a sa n t O b se rv a tio n s P e r Man/Hour June 1970-June 1971. 34
4 . P h e a sa n t O b se rv a tio n s R eported by Landowners From J u ly 1970 t o J u ly 1971 . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . 40
5. B rood S i z 0“Ags D a ta . « . . . . • . * « * « * « • 43
b* C ro w in g -C o c k In d ic e s (1965-1970) • . . . • » . • • • * 46
■p P h e a sa n t Crow Count Census D uring 1971 • * * . . . « ft 4?
. ,:S, * * * - Crop and Land-Use D ata (1970-1971) Summary T ab le . . a 53
9..,■ t
O b se rv a tio n s o f O th e r W ild l ife (1970-1971) Summary T a b le • 57
1 0 . T em p era tu re D ata (June 1 970-Juno 1971) Summary T ab le • 60
1 1 . Age C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f J u v e n ile P h e asa n ts Used f o rD e te rm in in g Age o f Broods i n 1971 • • • • » * « ft 70
1 2 . H a b i ta t O ccupied by O bserved P h e asan ts i n th e SuramerI 97O . 9 . « . . • c 6 « « k t . a <• • «. • i .
o f. • ■ 72
13* H a b i ta t O ccupied by O bserved P h e a san ts i n th e F a l l o f 1970 . . . . . . . . . . a . . . . . ................. 75
14. H a b i ta t O ccupied by O bserved P h e asa n ts i n th e W in te r o f1970 « o . g » * e . « « « . * . 78
1 5 . H a b i ta t O ccupied by O bserved P h ea san ts i n th e S p rin g o f 1 9 7 1 ......................... .................................................... 81
1 6 , H a b i ta t O ccupied by Observed P h e asa n ts i n th e Stammer (June ) o f 19 / I ft 84
1 ? . Crop and Land—Use D a ta—3.970 . . . * » » * # « » « • * ft 88
v i i
Table Page
1 8 . Crop and Land-Use B ata-1971 • • • • • « • • • • • • • • 90
19* O b se rv a tio n s o f O th er W ild l i f e 1970-1971 93
20 . T em perature D ata (June 1970-June 1971) 96
21 . F ie ld O b se rv a tio n s Form • • • • • * » • • • » * • • • • 110
2 2 . Landowner O b se rv a tio n s Form • 113.
2 3 . F a l l F lu sh in g Count Form » . . • • « • • • • • • • • • 112
2 4 . Cock Crowing Count Form • • • • . . . • • • • . • • • • 113
2 5 . P h e a sa n t H unting R e p o r t, November 1 6 -1 7 , 1970 . • • • • 314
2 6 . I n h a b i ta n ts o f th e Sandy P o in t A rea • • • • • • • • • . 116
v i i i
LIST OF FIGURES
F ig u re Page
1 . P h easan t O b se rv a tio n D ata P eriod* June I 970-Ju n e 1971* 30
2 . H a b i ta t O ccupied by O bserved P h e a sa n ts A ccord ing t oS easo n « • « • • • • • • • « » • • • • • « • « • 36
3 . Peak D a ily Growing A c t iv i ty Based on th e A verage Humbero f C a l ls H eard D uring Ten-M inute I n t e r v a l s from One C oun ting S t a t io n on Tomahund P la n ta t io n Over a Three-D ay P e r io d i n th e Second Week o f May 1971 ^9
i x
ABSTRACT
A one—y e a r s tu d y o f th e p h e a sa n t in t r o d u c t io n program i n th e S andy P o in t a r e a o f V ir g in ia was conducted betw een June 2 6 , 1970, and Jim© 29# 1971 • The m ain o b je c t iv e was to - e v a lu a te e s ta b lis h m e n t f a c t o r s an d t o t e s t th e f e a s i b i l i t y o f l iv e - t r a p p e d p h e a s a n ts f o r use a s b r e e d e r s i n th e p h e a sa n t s to c k in g program* The r e l e a s e c o n s is te d o f 700 h y b r id s be tw een th e W estern I r a n ia n b lack n eek p h e a sa n ts (P h as ian u s coX eh icu s t a l i s c h s n s i s ) and th e C hinese r in g n e c k p h e a sa n t (P h as ian u s coX ehicus to r a u a u u s ) * The r e l e a s e was made i n th e f a l l o f 1958 and th e s p r in g o f 1959*
D u rin g t h i s s tu d y , 987 p h ea san t o b s e rv a t io n s were made on th e a r e a d u r in g 193 m an-hours o f f i e l d work* The m a jo r i ty o f th e b i r d s o b se rv e d w ere a p p ro x im a te ly 1 t o 4 m ile s n o r th w a s i o f th e o r ig i n a l r e ie a s e s i t e , w hich was o n - th e Bayview a re a i n th e s o u th e a s te rn t i p o f .'p an d y P o in t , Tcanahund P la n ta t io n w hich b o rd e rs on th e extrem e s o u th e a s te r n p o r t io n o f th e Sandy P o in t a re a s u p p o rts a la r g e concent r a t i o n o f p h e a s a n ts p r im a r i ly due t o th e a v a i l a b i l i t y o f c o v e r , such a s , j s u l t i f i p r a ro se; hedgerow s and g r a in s tu b b le ,
C ensus te c h n iq u e s c o n s is te d o f f i e l d o b s e r v a t io n s f landow ner i n t e r v i e w s , b ro o d c o u n ts , f a l l f lu s h in g c o u n ts , cock crow ing c o u n ts , an d v n esb c o u n ts . C ensus r e s u l t s in d ic a te d t h a t s u b s t a n t i a l numbers o f p h e a s a n t s were p r e s e n t and t h a t r e p ro d u c tio n was ad eq u a te enough t o /^support an e s ta b l i s h e d p o p u la t io n . S p rin g b re e d in g p o p u la t io n s w ere s m a l l , y e t a f a i r number o f b ro o d s - 57 o b s e rv a t io n s — were see n .
I n t h e s tu d y , c l im a t ic in f lu e n c e s a re a l s o d is c u s s e d . Crowing a c t i v i t y re a c h e d a peak a t th e end o f A p r i l and th e n e s t in g began in th e rd-ddle o f A p ril* No d a ta gave ev id en ce t h a t h ig h te m p e ra tu re s d u r in g in c u b a t io n was d e t r im e n ta l t o re p ro d u c tiv e s u c c e s s ,
Xn IS1&7 and 1 988 , th e in h a b i t a n t s o f th e s tu d y a r e a f e l t t h a t t h e r e was a* d e f i n i t e d e c re a se i n th e number o f b i r d s s e e n , b u t r e p ro d u c t io n seem s t o have b een good th e p a s t two y e a r s . I t i s f e l t t h a t t h i s a r e a s u p p o r ts an e s ta b l i s h e d p o p u la tio n o f p h e a s a n ts and i s cons id e r e d by many ’to be th e m ost s u c c e s s fu l e s ta b lis h m e n t o f p h e a sa n ts i n th e S o u th e a s t*
x
A STUDY OF
THE EXOTIC GAME BIRD INTRODUCTION PROGRAM
IN THE
SANDY POINT AREA OF VIRGINIA
19?0 - 1971
INTRODUCTION
D uring th e y e a r s s in c e 1881, n e a r ly e v e ry s t a t e o f th e un io n
h a s a tte m p te d t o e s t a b l i s h th e r in g -n e c k e d p h e a s a n t. However, s u c c e ss
f u l e s ta b lis h m e n t h as been a t t a i n e d p r im a r i ly i n th e n o r th e rn h a l f o f
th e c o u n try . T here a re a number o f th e o r ie s co n cern in g th e re a so n s
why t h i s e x o t ic b i r d has n o t done w a ll i n th e S o u th , b u t no r e a l e v i
dence has been found t o e x p la in i t s la c k o f s u c c e s s . P r iv a te and
s t a t e game b re e d e rs c o n tin u e t o r e le a s e p h e a sa n ts and o th e r e x o t ic
s p e c ie s i n th e S o u th , hop ing f o r t h e i r s u c c e s s fu l e s ta b lis h m e n t .
Over th e y e a r s n o t o n ly has th e la n d a v a i la b le f o r h u n tin g
d e c r e a s e d , .b u t a l s o th e h a b i t a t , w hich a t one tim e su p p o rte d n a t iv e
game, b i r d s , no lo n g e r i s s u i t a b l e . Man, by changing th e env ironm ent
th ro u g h la n d u se p r a c t i c e s such a s d ev e lo p in g la r g e suburban a r e a s and
c le a n - fa rm in g , i s one o f th e cau ses o f t h i s change. Due t o th e in c re a s e
i n th e number o f h u n te r s and th e d e c re a se o f n a t iv e bobw hite q u a i l
h a b i t a t , game b i o l o g i s t s and a d m in is t r a to r s su g g e s ted th e in t ro d u c t io n
o f f o r e ig n game s p e c ie s t o supplem ent th e n a t iv e game b i r d s o f c u l t i
v a te d a r e a s (N elson 1 9 6 4 ).
A c tin g upon t h i s s u g g e s t io n , th e V irg in ia Commission o f Game
and In la n d F i s h e r i e s , c o o p e ra tin g w ith th e U n ited S t a t e s B ureau o f
S p o r t F i s h e r i e s and W i l d l i f e » e n te re d th e F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n
Program In 1958* The f i r s t r e le a s e c o n s is te d o f ?G0 h y b r id s betw een
th e W estern I r a n ia n b lac k n e ck p h e a sa n t (p h a s ia n u s c o lc h ic u s t a l i s c h e n s i s )
and th e C hinese r in g n e c k p h e a sa n t (P h asian u s c o lc h ic u s to r q u a tu s ) . The
3
r e le a s e was made i n th e f a l l o f 1958 and th e s p r in g o f 1959 i n th e
Sandy P o in t A rea o f C h a r le s C i ty C ounty . T h is r e le a s e i s c o n s id e re d
by many t o be th e m ost s u c c e s s fu l e s ta b lis h m e n t o f p h e a s a n ts i n th e
S o u th e a s t .
T h is s tu d y was i n i t i a t e d t o c o l l e c t a l l r e le v a n t in fo rm a tio n
and t o e v a lu a te th e c u r r e n t s t a t u s o f th e p h ea sa n t i n th e Sandy P o in t
a r e a . The m ain o b je c t iv e was t o e v a lu a te e s ta b lis h m e n t f a c t o r s and t o
t o s t th e f e a s i b i l i t y o f l i v e - t r a p p e d p h e a sa n ts f o r use a s b re e d e rs in
th e p h e a sa n t s to c k in g p rogram . The o b s e rv a tio n s and in fo rm a tio n were
g a th e re d (1 ) by in te rv ie w in g p eo p le who were r e l a t i v e l y f a m i l i a r w ith
th e Sandy P o in t a r e a , such a s lan d o w n ers , spo rim en , Highway p e r s o n n e l ,
m a il c a r r i e r s , and S o i l C o n se rv a tio n S e rv ic e members and (2 ) by d i r e c t
f i e l d ob s e r r a t i o n s •
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
F o re ig n Game Im re s t i g a t i o n Frogram
The f i r s t s u c c e s s fu l in t r o d u c t io n o f th e r in g -n e c k e d p h e a sa n t
i n th e U n ited S t a t e s was in 1881 by 0 , N* Denny i n ■ W illam ette V a lle y ,
O regon (W a lc o tt 19^5) * A t o t a l o f 26 w ild tra p p e d p h e a sa n ts was
r e s p o n s ib le f o r t h i s o r ig i n a l e s ta b lis h m e n t (B ent 1963) , S in c e 1881,
s t a t e game d e p a rtm e n ts and p r iv a te in d iv id u a ls have r e le a s e d la r g e
num bers o f e x o t i c game b i r d s . M ost a t te m p ts , how ever, have ended i n
f a i l u r e .
1 A f te r W orld War I I , th e i n t e r e s t i n e s ta b l i s h in g e x o t ic game
b i r d s i n v a r io u s s t a t e s in c re a s e d g r e a t l y , r e s u l t i n g i n th e e s t a b l i s h
m ent o f th e F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n Program in (B ohl 1968) ,
The program i s sp o n so red by th e I n t e r n a t i o n a l A s s o c ia t io n o f Game F is h ,
and C o n s e rv a tio n C om m issioners, th e W ild l i fe Management I n s t i t u t e , and
th e U n ited S t a t e s F is h and W ild l i fe S e rv ic e (Bump I .968) ,
Modern la n d p r a c t i c e s , such a s c ls a n - fa rm in g , u se o f heavy
m a c h in e ry , an d u se o f p e s t i c i d e s and h e r b ic id e s have r a d i c a l l y a l t e r e d
th© en v iro n m e n t, o f te n t o th e d e tr im e n t o f n a t iv e w i l d l i f e s p e c ie s .
T hese f a c t o r s s u g g e s t th e p o s s ib le f e a s i b i l i t y o f in tro d u c in g e x o t ic
s p e c ie s w hich m ig h t be b e t t e r ad ap ted t o th e changed c o n d i t io n s s
H a r t (X 9?l) c i t e d th e d e c l in e i n p o p u la tio n s iz e o f th e p r a i r i e
c h ic k e n a s an exam ple o f th e d an g er o f modern la n d use p r a c t i c e s , The
h a b i t a t o f th e p r a i r i e ch ick en l i e s p red o m in a n tly i n th e p e t hoi© a re a s
o f W isco n sin , Iow a, M in n eso ta , and th e D ak o tas . The d r a in in g o f th e s e
a re a s h as red u ced c o n s id e ra b ly th e number o f p r a i r i e ch ickens* However,
th e la n d h a s been changed i n to h a b i t a t , s u i t a b le f o r v a r io u s s p e c ie s o f
p h e a sa n ts and o th e r e x o t ic game b i r d s .
C e r ta in a r e a s i n t h i s c o u n try have n e v e r been o ccu p ied b y more
th a n one o r two game b i r d s , and some a r e a s do n o t su p p o rt any s p e c ie s
(Bump 1968) . Bump and Bump (1971) s ta te d t h a t o r i g i n a l l y n o t o n ly
game b i r d s b u t a l s o mammals were in c lu d e d i n th e program . S in ce n a t iv e
game b i r d s have n o t done w e ll and game mammals have n o t s u b s t a n t i a l l y
been a f f e c te d by modern la n d use p r a c t i c e s , th e program lias c o n tin u ed
o n ly w ith th e p ro p a g a tio n o f e x o t ic game b i r d s . A no ther f a c t o r in
d e le t in g th e mammal i s t h a t b ig game s p e c ie s a re som etim es known t o
have d is e a s e s such a s r in d e r p e s t and hoof-and-m outh d is e a s e (B'ohl
1968) , w hereas e x o t ic game b i r d s a r e r e l a t i v e l y f r e e from d is e a se s ,,
*. The p u rp o se o f th e F o re ig n Game Bird. I n tr o d u c t io n Program i s
two, f o ld (H ardy 1966) : (1 ) F e d e ra l and s t a t e b i o l o g i s t s s e l e c t ty p e s
of. b i r d s c a p a b le o f e s ta b l i s h in g and m a in ta in in g th r iv in g p o p u la t io n s
i n n ic h e s n o t p r e s e n t ly occup ied by n a t iv e game b i r d s . T h is i s done
by m atch ing th e e x o t ic b i r d f o r e ig n game s p e c ie s and c lim a te and h a b i
t a t a d a p ta t io n s w ith th e c lim a te and h a b i t a t c o n d it io n s o f s e v e ra l
s t a t e s . Only w ild tra p p e d b re e d in g s to c k a r e b ro u g h t i n to th e s e
s t a t e s where a h ig h d eg ree o f c o m p a la b il i ty can be d em o n stra ted (Halt,
1969a ) . (2 ) The e s ta b lis h m e n t o f e x o t ic game b i r d s i n a r e a s where
n a t iv e game b i r d s a l r e a d y e x i s t b u t a re n o t abundan t would in c re a s e
th e h u n tin g p o t e n t i a l .
The s te p s , (Hardy 196*0 and (Chambers 1965a ) , t h a t m ust be
fo llo w e d i n t h i s program in c lu d e* d e t a i l e d e c o lo g ic a l a p p r a i s a l o f
game d e f i c i e n t h a b i ta t s ? o r ig in a l s e le c t io n o f ty p e s o f f o r e ig n game
6
s p e c ie s t h a t co u ld p o s s ib ly occupy and become e s ta b l i s h e d i n t h i s "new"
n ic h e ; a c q u ir in g q u a ra n tin e c le a ra n c e f o r s e le c te d b i r d s w ith su b se
q u en t t r a n s p o r t a t io n from th e n a t iv e h a b i t a t s t o s t a t e p ro p a g a tio n
f a c i l i t i e s ; p ro p a g a tio n and c o n d it io n in g b i r d s f o r l i b e r a t i o n ; co n d u c t
in g r e l e a s e s ; and m ost im p o r ta n t ly , co n d u c tin g fo llo w -u p s tu d ie s t o
d e te rm in e th e r e s u l t s o f a tte m p te d e s ta b l is h m e n ts .
The F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n Program i s a c o o p e ra tiv e S ta t© -
F e d e ra l p r o j e c t . I n 1951* th e r e w ere seven member s t a t e s , i n 1961
f o r t y f iv e s t a t e s , and i n 19? 0 f o r t y s ix s t a t e s (Bump and . Bump 1971)»
and th r e e U .S. t e r r i t o r i e s (B ohl and Bump 1 9 7 0 ). Of th e 46 c o o p e ra tin g
s t a t e s , 32 o f them have a c t i v e l y p a r t i c ip a t e d i n th e p rogram . Over 1.50
s p e c ie s o r s u b sp e c ie s o f f o r e ig n game b i r d s have b een e v a lu a te d and 26
o f ,; th e se have been recommended f o r t r i a l r e l e a s e s (R obinson 1 9 7 0 ),
A g r e a t d e a l o f t im e , r e s e a r c h , and money has gone i n t o t h i s
p rogram , T here have b een e s ta b lis h m e n ts o f c e r t a i n s p e c ie s , b u t th e r e
have a l s o been n o ta b le f a i l u r e s . Bump f e e l s t h a t th e m ain re a so n f o r
th e s e f a i l u r e s h as b een th e r e l e a s e o f to o few e x o t i c s o v er to o s h o r t
a p e r io d o f t im e , and t h a t a t l e a s t 200-300 w ild - t r a p p e d o r 3 t o 4
tim e s t h a t number o f s t a t e game farm b i r d s sh o u ld be r e le a s e d on a
s in g le a r e a f o r a t l e a s t th r e e y e a r s (R obinson 1 9 6 8 ).
S u m re ll (1971) s t a t e d t h a t T e n n e sse e , M is s o u r i , K entucky, and
L o u is ia n a a r e p h a s in g o u t o f th e program becau se th e y have com pleted
t h e i r work and r e s e a r c h , and no new s p e c ie s 02* s u b sp e c ie s a r e a v a i la b le
f o r p ro p a g a tio n i n t h e i r r e s p e c t iv e s t a t e s . I t i s v e ry l i k e l y t h a t i n
th e n e x t few y e a r s th e number o f c o o p e ra tin g s t a t e s w i l l d e c r e a s e , b u t
th e p ro p a g a tio n o f f o r e ig n gam© b i r d s w i l l p ro b a b ly c o n tin u e on a s t a t e -
b y - s t a t e b a s i s o r by p r iv a te b ree d e rs*
7
V ir g in ia *s Role i n th e F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n Program
I n 1958 V irg in ia e n te re d i n t o th e F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n
Program u n d e r th e d i r e c t i o n o f Mr. D ennis H a r t , th e S ta t e Game M anager
(H a rt 1 9 ? 0 a ) . B efo re 195&* th e r e had been a few u n s u c c e s s fu l e x o t ic
game b i r d r e l e a s e s b y p r iv a te lan d o w n ers . I n 19^7» r in g n e c k p h e a s a n ts
w ere r e le a s e d p r iv a t e ly on C edar I s la n d i n Back B ay, V irg in ia (T ay lo r
1971)• The r e le a s e was c o n s id e re d s u c c e s s fu l f o r y e a r s , b u t th e popu
l a t i o n was m a in ta in e d o n ly "by r e s to c k in g e v e ry y e a r .
From 1957 t o 19&6, V irg in ia h as r e c e iv e d n in e d i f f e r e n t s p e c ie s
o r s u b sp e c ie s o f p h e a s a n ts and two p a r t r id g e s t o t a l i n g ^33 b i r d s from
th e F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n Program* These b i r d s were u sed a t th e
gape farm f o r p ro d u c tio n o f p u re s t r a i n s and c ro s s e s f o r e x p e r im e n ta l
s to c k in g . S in c e th e f i r s t r e le a s e in 1958 , th e r e h as been a t o t a l o f
- IJ2 ire le a se .s w ith 36 fj&o b i r d s r e le a s e d (T a y lo r 1 9 7 1 ).
The su c c e ss i n e s ta b l i s h in g p h e a sa n ts i n d i f f e r e n t h a b i t a t s i n
V ir g in ia i s d ep en d en t upon s e le c t io n and m ain tenance o f w ild n e ss i n
b re e d in g s to c k (H art 1963)• The fo llo w in g te c h n iq u e s a re u sed a t th e
V ir g in ia S ta te Game Farm t o b re e d f o r w ild n e s s , c o lo r , dev elo p m en t,
and norm al h e a l th .
The V ir g in ia S ta te Game Farm lo c a te d i n Cum berland, V i r g in ia ,
•was fo rm e r ly in v o lv e d i n a l a r g e - s c a l e p ro d u c tio n o f w ild tu rk e y s
(M e le a g ris g a llo p a v o s i l v e s t r l s ) and bobw hite q u a i l (C o lin u s v i rg ia n u s
, b u t h as been c o n v e rted t o r a i s in g e x o t ic game b i r d sp ec ie s*
B reed ing p h e a s a n ts a r e penned in harem b re e d in g pens 9x12x6 f e e t
h ig h w ith an optimum b re e d in g r a t i o o f f iv e hens t o one cock (H art
1963) . B e s t r e s u l t s a re u s u a l ly o b ta in e d by m ating y e a r l in g h ens w ith
2 -y e a r -o ld co c k s , o r y e a r l in g cocks w ith o ld e r hens (H art and M itc h e l l
8
19^7)* The b re e d in g s to c k a re u s u a l ly k e p t f o r o n ly on© b re e d in g seaso n
and n ev e r lo n g e r th a n th r e e y e a rs , a t w hich tim e th e y become p a r t o f an
e x p e rim e n ta l r e l e a s e (H a rt 1971)*
The b re e d in g s to c k a r e p la c e d i n b re e d in g pens i n th e m iddle
o f F e b ru a ry , a b o u t s ix weeks b e fo re th e norm al commencement o f egg
la y in g (H art 1963)• The hens l a y th r e e c lu tc h s betw een th e b eg in n in g
o f A p r i l and th e l a s t o f Ju n e , a v e ra g in g 30 sg g s p e r hen (H art 1971)*
T h is n u m b e r .v a r ie s depend ing upon th e p a r t i c u l a r s p e c ie s o r su b sp e c ie s '
o f p h e a s a n ta I n I 96A th e av erag e number o f eggs p e r hen ( f o r th e W estern
I r a n ia n r in g n e e k c r o s s ) was 39 (Chambers 1965a) > and i n 19&5 a v e r
age number was A l (Chambers 1 9 6 6 ), The b re e d in g s to c k rem ain i n th e
harem p ens u n t i l J u ly , a t w hich tim e th e y a re t r a n s f e r r e d t o co lo n y ,
ground bo ttom o r c o n d it io n in g pens where th e y rem ain u n t i l t h e i r
r e l e a s e i n th e fo llo w in g f a l l o r s p r in g . Some a r e used a s b re e d in g
s to c k f o r th e fo llo w in g s p r in g .
,v The eggs a re c o l le c te d th r e e tim e s a d a y , and a re s to r e d i n
c a s e s i n a m ech an ica l egg c o o le r . The te m p e ra tu re i n th e c o o le r i s
a b o u t 55 d e g re e s F . w ith a r e l a t i v e h u m id ity n e a r 80 p e r c a n t . A t
w eekly i n t e r v a l s , th e eggs a r e removed from th e c o o le r and a llo w ed to
warm up t o room te m p e ra tu re b e fo re b e in g p la c e d i n in c u b a to r s . The
in c u b a tio n p e r io d i s 2A d ays w ith a te m p e ra tu re o f 99 i / 2 ° F . ( fo rc e d
d r a f t ) and a r e l a t i v e h u m id ity o f 50 p e r c e n t (H a rt 19&3* and H a rt
197Gb).
A f te r th e eggs h a tc h , th e young p h e a s a n ts , num bering 200 to
300 , a r e p la c e d i n co lony b ro o d e r h o u se s . The houses m easure 12x14x8
f e e t h ig h and c o n ta in a k e ro sen e b ro o d e r h e a te r (H a rt and. M itc h e l l
19^7)• The p h e a sa n ts rem ain i n th e b ro o d e r ho u ses f o r s ix w eeks. D uring
9
t h e i r l a s t t h r e e weeks i n th e ho u ses th e y a r e a llo w ed t o v e n tu re o u t
s id e on co v e red w ire r u n s , b u t o n ly f o r a few h o u rs a day (H a rt 197Ob,
and H a r t 1971)*
M ien th e young p h e a s a n ts a re s ix weeks o ld , th e y a r e p la c e d i n
in te r m e d ia te , c o n d it io n in g p en s f o r th r e e weeks*, These pens a re
10x40x6 f e e t h ig h , and, a r e r a i s e d 4 f e e t above th e ground. There i s
a b o u t 10 f e e t o f c o v e r , 30 f e e t o f exposed w ir e , and most- im p o rta n t o f
a l l . , no a r t i f i c i a l h e a t . Only am bien t h e a t i s a v a i la b le t o th e young.
D uring t h i s p e r io d , m o is tu re in d u c e s th e fu n c tio n in g ; o f th e young
b i r d ' s u r o p y g ia l g la n d . The u ro p y g ia l g la n d p roduces an o i l y su b stan ce
w hich l u b r i c a t e s th e f e a t h e r s and a l s o p r o te c t s th e b i r d i n c e r t a i n
w e a th e r c o n d i t io n s (H a rt 1 9 7 0 b ).
-g A t th e end o f th e s e th r e e w eeks, th e young a re t r a n s f e r r e d t o
ground b o tto m p en s w here th e y rem ain u n t i l th e y a r e r e le a s e d i n th e
f a l l o r th e e a r l y s p r in g o f th e n e x t y e a r . T here a re e ig h t d i f f e r e n t
ty p e s o f g round b o tto m p e n s , a l l o f w hich a r e b u i l t w ith d im en sio n s o f
102x109xd f e e t . F o r b i r d s 9 t o 14 weeks o ld th e r e a re a p p ro x im a te ly
23 sq u a re f e e t p e r b i r d . F o r o v e r -w in te r in g p h e a s a n ts , th e r e a re
betw een 30 and 40 sq u a re f e e t p e r b i r d (H art 1970b, and H a rt 1971) •
A t th e tim e o f an e x p e r im e n ta l r e l e a s e , th e a d u l t p h e a sa n ts
a r e ta k e n a t n ig h t t o a p re d e te rm in e d a r e a i n c a r ry in g c r a t e s . The
c r a t e s m easure 2 f t , x 3 f t . x 10 i n . h ig h , and can hold, a maximum o f
f iv e b i r d s . A t th e r e l e a s e s i t e , one o f two r e le a s e m ethods may be
em ployed, th e d i r e c t r e l e a s e o r th e g e n t le r e l e a s e (Chambers 196.5b)•
The d i r e c t r e l e a s e i s commonly employed by th e V irg in ia Game Farm w ith
g e n e r a l ly good r e s u l t s . I n t h i s ty p e o f r e l e a s e , th e b i r d s a re r e le a s e d
d i r e c t l y i n t o th e w ild from th e c a r ry in g c r a t e s . The g e n t le r e le a s e
10
h a s been u sed s p a r in g ly i n V ir g in ia (H art 1 9 7 0 b ), K entucky (N elson
196*0> S ou th C a ro lin a (R obinson 1968) , Texas (May 1971)» and M is so u r i
(Chambers 19&9) • Covered r e le a s e pens a re u se d and can v a ry i n s iz e
from 10x6x3 f e e t h ig h (H a rt 1 9 7 1 ) , t o a s l a r g e a s 75^150x7 f e e t h ig h
(Chambers 1965b ) , Food and w a te r a re p ro v id e d f o r th e p h e a s a n ts in
th e pen# A f te r a s h o r t p e r io d o f c o n d i t io n in g , ra n g in g from a few
d ay s t o a w eek, th e p h e a s a n ts a re a llo w ed t o le a v e th e p en . The
ground l e v e l e x i t s a re opened a t n ig h t e n a b lin g th e b i r d s t o le a v e th e
pen i n th e m orning when th e y d is c o v e r th e open e x i t s .
The pu rp o se o f b o th r e le a s e m ethods i s t o p la c e a s u f f i c i e n t
number o f c o n d itio n e d b re e d e rs i n a g iv en r e l e a s e a re a d u r in g th e
n e s t in g s e a so n . Roby (1951) and E l l i s and A nderson (1963) r e p o r t t h a t
s u r v iv a l was n o t m arked ly in f lu e n c e d b y th e ty p e o f r e le a s in g method
, . used-, The s p e c i f i c s i t u a t i o n w i l l l i k e l y d e te rm in e th e method t o .be
em ployed. H ardy (1964) s t a t e d t h a t c e r t a in f a c t o r s such a s th e s p e c ie s
o f .p h ea san t b e in g r e l e a s e d , th e e x te n t o f e x p e c te d d i s p e r s io n from th e
r e l e a s e a r e a , th e number o f b i r d s a v a i la b le f o r r e l e a s e , and th e tim e
o f y e a r th e r e l e a s e i s b e in g co n d u c ted , would have t o be c o n s id e re d
when s e le c t in g th e d i r e c t o r g e n t le i*elease m ethod.
The m ain o b je c t iv e o f th e Gam© Farm, i s t o produce b i r d s w hich
w i l l become e s ta b l i s h e d i n th e w ild . H a rt (1971) f e e l s t h a t i n th e
f u tu r e th e b re e d in g o f e x o t ic game b i r d s w i l l be p u t i n t o th e hands o f
th e p r iv a te gam e-bird, b r e e d e r s , and t h a t th e V irg in ia S ta te Game Farm
w i l l f u n c t io n i n a n o th e r c a p a c i ty .
Morphq1 op;i c a i and E c o lo g ic a l C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f P h as ian u s c o lc h ic u s
The s p e c ie s P h as ian u s c o lc h ic u s c o n s is t s o f 23 su b sp e c le ss fo u r,
b la c k -n e c k e d , s ix w h ite -w in g ed , th r e e K irg h iz , one o liv e -ru m p e d , and
n in e gray-rum ped p h e a s a n ts (B ohl 1 9 ?0 , and Bump 1971) • The ran g e o f
P h as ian u s c o lc h ic u s i s from th e n o r th e rn C aucasus th ro u g h C e n tr a l A sia
t o C hina (D elaco u r 1959)*
The m ost s u c c e s s f u l r e l e a s e s o f p h e a sa n ts i n V ir g in ia have been
th e t a l i s c h e n s i s c r o s s , a h y b r id betw een th e W estern I r a n ia n B lackneck
(P . jg* t a l i s c h e n s i s ) from I r a n and th e C hinese r in g n e c k ( ? . c . t o r q u a tu s )
from th e Im p e r ia l V a lle y , C a l i f o r n ia . These h y b r id p h e a sa n ts a p p a r e n t ly
had th e p ro p e r co m b in a tio n o f c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s w hich en ab le them t o s u r
v iv e u n d e r th e en v iro n m e n ta l c o n d it io n s o f V ir g in ia (V irg in ia Commis
s io n o f Game and In la n d F i s h e r i e s 1960b), S in c e th e m a jo r i ty o f
p h e a sa n ts w hich were r e le a s e d i n V irg in ia were h y b r id s , i t i s im p o rta n t
t o -describe: th e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f b o th th e C h inese r in g n e c k and th e
W estern I r a n i a n B lack n eck .
. The, c o lo r o f / th e C hinese r in g n e c k cock h a s b e en --d e sc rib e d • by
D elaco u r (19^5) and A lle n (1965) a s b r i g h t l y c o lo re d j th e r e d c o lo r i s
more r e s t r i c t e d t o th e b r e a s t , w ith y e llo w and orange f l a n k s , a y e llo w
u p p e r b a c k , g ra y s h o u ld e r s , and a g ree n rump. The m ost n o t ic e a b le
f e a tu r e o f th e cock i s i t s b ro ad w h ite c o l l a r . The fem ale i s n o t o n ly
r a t h e r p a le i n c o lo r b u t a l s o i s m o ttle d w ith brow ns and b u f f a lo n g th e
b ac k , neck and s id e s .
The B lackneck p h e a sa n t i s th e m ost p u rp le o f a l l th e t r u e phea
s a n ts and h a s no t r a c e o f w h ite neck r in g s (A lle n 1965)- The cock h as
s tro n g c o p p e ry -re d to n e s o v er th e s id e s , b r e a s t f and b a c k , w ith a d a rk
g re e n -p u rp le head and n e ck , and brown sh o u ld e rs (D elaco u r 1959)• Com
p a re d w ith th e C h inese r in g n e c k h e n , th e B lackneck hen i s d a rk e r and
more m o tt le d . The B lackneck p h e a sa n t w eighs 1 1 /2 t o 3 1 /2 pounds and
i s th e l a r g e r o f th e two b i r d s . The h y b r id cocks may have th e w h ite
neck r in g which; i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f th e C hinese r in g n e c k (V irg in ia
Commission o f Game and In la n d F i s h e r i e s 1 9 6 0 a).
The n a t iv e ran g e o f th e W estern I r a n ia n B lackneck p h e a sa n t was
r e p o r te d by Bump ( 1968) a s b e in g i n wet t o d ry , so u th e rn and southw es
t e r n c o a s t a l a r e a s a lo n g th e C asp ian Sea i n N o rth e rn I r a n , In. I r a n ,
Bump ( I 963) r e p o r te d t h a t th e W estern I r a n i a n was abundant where th e
te m p e ra tu re v a r ie d from a l i t t l e above t o a l i t t l e below f r e e z in g i n
th e w in te r , t o 95 d e g re e s i n th e summer, w ith an an n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n
o f 30 t o 60 in c h e s . The h a b i t a t o f th e W estern I r a n ia n B lackneck i s
c u l t i v a t e d la n d s and a d ja c e n t w ooded-brush a re a s? s e m i- t ro p ic a l to
lo w er te m p e ra te zone v e g e ta t io n 5 f i e l d s o f r i c e , w hea t, c o rn , c o t to n ,
to b a c c o , and su g a r cane ( V irg in ia Commission o f Game and In la n d F is h
e r i e s 1960b ) .
The n a t iv e ran g e o f th e C h inese r in g n e c k i s i n E a s te rn C h in a ,
T o n k in , and In d o c h in a (D e laco u r 19^*5) • The C hinese r in g n e c k h as been
in tro d u c e d i n th e v e ry h o t and d ry Im p e r ia l V a lle y , C a l i f o r n i a , and
a l s o i n th e c o o le r and more humid a r e a o f Oregon s t a t e (A lle n I 965) •
The C h inese r in g n e c k p r e f e r s a g r i c u l t u r a l a r e a s w ith dense b ru sh o r on
th e edge o f w oods, e s p e c i a l l y p in e woods (Bohl and Bump 1 9 7 0 ).
W estern I r a n i a n B lackneck p h e a sa n ts r e le a s e d i n K entucky from
I 96I - I 966 w ere o b se rv ed u t i l i z i n g m ost o f th e co v er ty p e s a v a i l a b l e ,
in c lu d in g p a s tu r e s , w o o d lo ts , c u l t iv a te d c ro p s , fen ce ro w s, o rc h a rd s ,
and i d l e la n d . D uring th e w in te r when co v er was a t a minimum, th e
p h e a s a n ts were o b se rv ed i n i d l e f i e l d s , t h i c k e t s a lo n g d i t c h e s , p a s
t u r e s , fe n e e ro w s , c o r n f i e l d s , woods, and hedgerow s. W ith th e coming
o f sp r in g and th e em ergence o f new v e g e ta t io n and th e s t a r t o f 'b re e d in g
a c t i v i t i e s , th e h e a v ie r co v er a v a i la b le i n th e i d l e f i e l d s and t h i c k e t s
13
a p p e a re d t o be u t i l i z e d l e s s b y th e b ird s * T here-w as w id esp read
s c a t t e r i n g o v e r th e a r e a a t t h i s tim e (N elson 19&8) •
The fo o d o f th e p h e a sa n t v a r i e s a c c o rd in g t o a v a i l a b i l i t y
d u r in g th e d i f f e r e n t se a so n s o f th e y e a r . The fo o d u s u a l ly c o n s is t s
o f weed s e e d s , f r u i t s , b e r r i e s , i n s e c t s , g re e n fo o d , and c u l t iv a te d
c ro p s . P h e a s a n ts have a l s o b een known t o consume s n a k e s , m ice , sm a ll
c r u s ta c e a n s , and m o llu sk s (B ent 19^3» and A lle n 1 9&5) •
Corn i s th e m ain d i e t o v er th e g r e a t e r p a r t o f th e p h e a s a n ts 9
A m erican r a n g e . W hile i t i s a good so u rce o f V itam in A, co rn i s a l s o
th e p o o r e s t so u rc e o f ca lc iu m (A lle n 1965)* C alcium i s v i t a l in
r e p ro d u c t io n , g ro w th , and o th e r p h y s io lo g ic a l p ro c e s s e s o f b i r d s
4(L& bisky, H a rp e r , and G re e le y 1 9 6 4 ), Where a la c k o f ca lc iu m e x i s t s ,
^ p h easan ts u s u a l ly do n o t e s t a b l i s h se I f -m a in ta in in g p o p u la tio n s* .Dale
.,:(I9 5 4 ) r e p o r t s t h a t i t i s v e ry l i k e l y t h a t th e la c k o f ca lc iu m in th e
s o i l o f th e co rn b e l t p re v e n ts i t from b e in g th e b e s t o f th e N orth
A m erican p h e a s a n t ran g es*
t The c o n te n ts o f th e g iz z a rd o f a W estern I r a n i a n B lackneck h e n ,
w hich wa3 k i l l e d i n K entucky i n 1962, in c lu d e d seed s o f h o r s e n e t t l e
(Solanum c a r o l in e n s e ) , w heat (T r i t i c u m. s p p . ) , sumac (Rhus s p p . ) , b e g g a r-
weed (Desmodium s p p . ) , m ilkw eed (A s c le p ia s s p p , ) , K orean le sp e d e z a
(L espedeza s t i p u l a c e a ) » c le a v e r s (Galium s p p , ) , ro s e (Rosa s p p . ) , b u t -
tonw eed (D io d ia t e r e s ) , haw thorn (C ra taeg u s s p p , ) , b la c k b e r ry (Rnbus
s p » ) f and fra g m e n ts o f g ra s sh o p p e rs and g u t . The c ro p o f a W estern
I r a n i a n cock c o l l e c te d i n K entucky in 1965 c o n ta in e d 69 f u l l k e rn e ls
o f y e llo w , c o m (Sea m ays) (N elson 1968) , No in fo rm a tio n o f fo o d h a b i t
s tu d i e s o f th e W estern I r a n ia n B lackneck p h e a sa n t o r th e C hinese r in g
neck was a v a i l a b le i n t h e i r n a t iv e ra n g e s .
On© m ethod o f d e te rm in in g th e ty p e o f h a b i t a t u t i l i z e d i n th e
e a r l y m orning b y th e cocks i s th e u se o f crow ing c a l l c e n s u se s . These
have been co n d u cted i n v a r io u s s t a t e s and seem t o be th e m ost e f f e c t i v e
m ethod o f sam pling a b re e d in g p o p u la tio n o f p h e a sa n t m a le s , e s p e c i a l l y
when num bers a r e low and th e b i r d s a r e d is p e r s e d . K im b a ll, K ozieky ,
and N elso n (1956) found t h a t th e maximum s e a s o n a l crow ing p e r io d f o r
R ingnecks i n S o u th D akota l a s t e d d u rin g th e e n t i r e month o f May.
B io lo g i s t s i n V i r g in ia and K entucky have found t h a t th e crow ing in t e n
s i t y o f th e t a l i s e h e n s i s c ro s s re a c h e s a peak d u r in g th e t h i r d week in.
A p r i l (H ardy 1963b ) . I n th e s t a t e o f W ashing ton , N e lso n , B u ss , and
B a in es ( I 962) d e te rm in e d t h a t th e peak crow ing o c c u rre d on A p r i l 5#
195?t and 011 A p r i l 1 7 , 1959* 'H ardy (1962) r e p o r te d t h a t i n T e n n essee ,
the,..maximum crew ing p e r io d i s from th e l a s t h a l f o f A p r i l th ro u g h th e
f i r s t h a l f o f -May.
, N elson (1 964 , 1968) r e p o r te d t h a t o b s e rv a t io n s o f i n t r a -
s p e p i f i e s t r i f e among p h e a s a n ts showed i t t o be c o n fin ed t o "the
f i g h t i n g o f cocks d u r in g th e b re e d in g s e a so n . A lso no i n t e r - s p e c i f i c
r e l a t i o n s h i p s betw een p h e a s a n ts and n a t iv e game s p e c ie s were observed*
O b se rv a tio n s o f P h e a sa n ts i n Sandy P o i n t .C h a r le s C i ty C o u n ty , V i r g in i a , 195 b -Ju n e , 1970
I n 195b , V ir g in ia Game B io lo g is t s d e s ig n a te d th e Sandy P o in t
a r e a o f C h a r le s C i ty C ounty a s th e i n i t i a l t e s t p l o t f o r s to c k in g
p h e a s a n ts i n V i r g in ia . The p h e a s a n ts o f th e i n i t i a l m ating c o n s is te d
o f a c ro s s betw een th e im p o rted I r a n ia n B lackneck p h e a s a n ts and th e
C h inese r in g n e c k p h e a sa n t o f th e C a l i f o r n ia Im p e r ia l V a lle y s t r a i n ,
A t o t a l o f 700 h y b r id s from th e i n i t i a l m a tin g s were s to ck e d i n th e
Sandy P o in t a r e a i n S eptem ber o f 1958, 120 hens and 180 c o c k s , and in
15
March o f 1959» 190 h en s and 210 c o c k s . There have n o t been an y f u r t h e r
r e l e a s e s i n t h i s a r e a (H a rt 1969a and 1969b)®
Brood r e a r in g and w in te r s u r v iv a l o v er th e p a s t tw e lv e y e a rs
have su g g e s te d an e s ta b l i s h e d and s e l f - s u s t a i n in g p o p u la t io n . A lthough
th e i n i t i a l p la n t in g s d id n o t d is p e r s e w id e ly , few er b i r d s have been
seen by landow ners i n r e c e n t y e a r s , A d e f i n i t e d e c l in e i n th e p o p u la
t i o n ap p e a rs t o have o c c u rre d from 1965 t o 1968 . H a rt (1969c) r e p o r te d ,
,;T here i s ev id en ce t h a t we do n o t have a s ta g n a tin g p o p u la t io n a t
Sandy P o in t , I n s p i t e o f th e r e l a t i v e i s l a n d e f f e c t t h e r e , th e r e i s
a n obv ious movement o f b i r d s a c ro s s th e fomahund C reek i n t o a g r i c u l t u r a l
t r a v e l la n e s le a d in g tow ard New K ent C ounty , A p p a re n tly th e Sandy
P o in t s to c k in g i s fe e d in g a d i s p e r s a l s to c k in g t o th e N o r th .”
, S in c e 1959* Game B io lo g i s t s , n o ta b ly Herman T u t t l e , have
v i s i t e d Sandy P o in t many tim e s t o in te rv ie w • landow ners and t o conduct
p h e a sa n t crow ing c en su se s and f lu s h in g co u n t c e n s u se s . Sandy P o in t h as
b een . v i s i t e d o n ly th r e e t im e s i n th e l a s t tw e lv e y e a r s f o r th e purpose
o f -e x te n s iv e s tu d y .
From May 26 t o June 26 , 1959# & p h e a sa n t b rood o b s e rv a tio n
s tu d y was co n d u c ted . F i f t e e n landow ners r e p o r te d se e in g 21 b ro o d s
and 171 young o r 8 ,1 4 young p e r b rood (H art 1 9 7 0 a ).
I n 1962 , th e a r e a was v i s i t e d once i n M arch, Ju n e , and J u ly .
On J u ly 1 1 , T u t t l e and C. H. S h a f f e r , th e S u p e rv is in g Game B io lo g i s t ,
made a 3“h o u r day b reak c o u n t. They o b serv ed 27 co ck s , 11 h e n s , 55
young, and 9 b ro o d s . The av erag e s iz e o f th e b ro o d s was s ix (H a rt
1969b ) ,
On J u ly 1 , 3,9 6 3 » Game Commission B io l o g i s t s , to g e th e r w ith
D r, G a rd in e r Bump o f th e U .S . B ureau o f S p o r t F i s h e r i e s and W i ld l i f e ,
16
made a 2- 1 /2 -h o u r d ay b reak su rv ey o f Sandy P o in t and o b serv ed 25 m ature
p h e a s a n ts , 13 b ro o d s , and 77 young. A lso i n 19&3» Herman T u t t l e made
o b s e rv a tio n s o f p h e a s a n ts on s ix n o n -c o n se c u tiv e days (H a rt 1969b ) ,
D uring th e n e x t th r e e y e a r s th e a re a was v i s i t e d a t o t a l o f
12 days i n 1964, 11 d ays i n 1965» and 4 days i n i 960 f o r p u rp o se s o f
p h e a sa n t crow ing c en su se s and g e n e ra l f i e l d o b s e rv a t io n s .
On F e b ru a ry 2 1 , 1 966 , Lem S m ith , a p ro m in en t landow ner on
Sandy P o in t , r e p o r te d th e d is c o v e ry d u r in g th e p a s t h u n tin g seaso n
o f th e rem ains o f a t l e a s t two p h e a s a n ts and o f an e m a c ia te d , y e t
s t i l l l i v i n g , p h e a s a n t . The b i l l s o f th e th r e e b i r d s w ere s p l i t , .
w h ich , le d him t o conclude t h a t th e r e was a la c k o f ca lc iu m o r some
o th e r -m in e ra l i n th e b a s ic d i e t o f th e b i r d s (H art 1 9 7 0 a ) ,
On O ctober 2 7 -2 8 , 1969i F a i r f a x H, S e t t l e , D i s t r i c t One Game
B io lo g is t,^ a c c o m p a n ie d by tw o o th e r V irg in ia n b i o l o g i s t s , f lu s h e d
20 m a le s , 28 fe m a le s , and one unknown i n a 5 1 / 2-h o u r su rv ey u s in g
dogs* A lso Mr, S e t t l e conducted crow ing co u n ts from I 965 t o 1970
(H art 1969b ) «
I n th e f a l l o f 1968 , C o lo n e l Hugh M. R u tled g e b egan t o e n l i s t
th e n e c e s s a ry a id o f th e l o c a l landow ners a g a in f o r th e p r e s e n t in t e n
s iv e s tu d y o f th e p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n . F o r 11 d a y s , betw een O ctober 4 ,
19 6 8 , and March 1 ? 19 6 9 * he v i s i t e d w ith th e landow ners and p e r s o n a l ly
observed 34’ cocks and 9 hens (R u tledge and H art 1969)*
Most o f te n th e p h e a s a n ts were observed i n th e N o rth e rn end o f
th e Sandy P o in t a r e a where th e lan d o w n ers ’ d w e llin g s a re lo c a te d . Not
o n ly were more b i r d s seen i n th e in h a b i te d a r e a , b u t a l s o th e y were
n o ta b ly l e s s wary o f i n t r u d e r s th a n th e p h e a sa n ts i n th e u n in h a b i te d
so u th e rn a re a (R u tled g e and H a rt 1969)•
R u tle d g e and H a l t (1969) s t a t e d t h a t d is c u s s io n s w ith th e a re a
r e s i d e n t s in d ic a te d a d e c l in e i n th e number o f p h e a sa n ts seen o v e r th e
p a s t few y e a r s , w hich th e y a t t r i b u t e d t o th e r e c e n t in c re a s e i n th e
fo x p o p u la t io n and t o i l l e g a l sh o o tin g on th e u n in h a b ite d a r e a o f
S andy P o in t .
I n th e s p r in g and f a l l o f 19&9 and 1970 , G era ld B la n k , P re d a to r
T ra p p e r S u p e r v is o r , d id some tr a p p in g i n th e a re a and tra p p e d 10 g ra y
fo x e s and 18 r e d fo x e s w ith 8 young i n d e n s . A lso , on A p r i l 8 , 1970,
he saw 42 p h e a s a n ts a s he d rove and w alked h i s t r a p l i n e (H art 1 9 7 0 c )«
DESCRIPTION OF THE SANDY POINT AREA
Sandy P o in t
Th© Sandy P o in t a r e a c o n s is t s o f a b o u t t e n sq u a re m ile s o f
g e n e ra l fa rm in g c o u n try lo c a te d i n th e p o in t - o f C h a r le s C i ty County
.b e tw een th e James and Chickahom iny R iv e r s . The a r e a i s a c c e s s ib le
o n ly by Route 613 . W hile th e e a s t s id e i s b o rd e re d by f o r e s t , th e
n o r th s id e i s b o rd e re d b o th b y f o r e s t and th e Tomahund C reek w hich
em p tie s i n t o th e James R iv e r . The area, i s c o n s id e re d w e l l p r o te c te d ,
and th e amount o f i n i t i a l d i s p e r a l was s l i g h t .
The a r e a c o n s i s t s o f two m ain ty p e s o f s o i l* H elena and
Wickham' on th e P iedm ont R iv e r T e rra c e s w ith in th e C o s ta l P la in R eg ion .
Most o f th e s o i l h as an 8 -10 in c h l a y e r o f t o p s o i l . The s u b s o i l t e x
t u r e .Is loam y, f i n e s a n d s , s a n d y -e la y loam , and s i l t y c la y ( P o r te r
and Epperson 1 9 6 3 ). The d ra in a g e sequence ra n g e s from e x c e s s iv e t o
w e l l d ra in e d . The pH o f th e t o p s o i l v a r i e s betw een 5*5 t o 6 .5 . A f te r
lim e h as been sp re a d on th e la n d e v e ry two o r th r e e y e a r s , th e pH i s
a p p ro x im a te ly 6 .2 (D avis 1 9 7 1 )e
Though th e a r e a i s d iv id e d i n t o t e n fa rm s ra n g in g i n s iz e
from 50 a c re s t o 936 a c r e s , th e r e a re o n ly f o u r landow ners who farm
th e e n t i r e Sandy P o in t a r e a . Adolph H u la , S ta n le y H ula S r « , Lem
S m ith , and h i s e l d e s t so n , John S m ith , e i t h e r fa rm o r r e n t th e o th e r
seven fa rm s .
The f l a t , f e r t i l e s o i l i s w e l l s u i t e d f o r a g r i c u l t u r a l p r a c
t i c e s such a s r a i s i n g sm a ll g r a in f o r C e r t i f i e d S eed . The e n t i r e a re a
1 8
19
i s i n t e n s iv e ly farm ed w ith th e p ro d u c tio n o f w h e a t, b a r l e y , so y b ean s,
and some m ilo , A p o r t io n o f th e la n d i s a n n u a lly u se d f o r th e p ro d u c
t i o n o f c o rn , A p p ro x im ate ly 288 a c r e s a re i n perm anent p a s tu r e
e n a b lin g th e s m a l l - s c a le p ro d u c tio n o f b e e f c a t t l e , John S m ith a l s o
i s engaged i n r a i s in g hogs w ith th e number v a ry in g betw een 500~?00
an n u a lly #
The p r a c t i c e o f p la n t in g soybeans im m ed ia te ly a f t e r th e sm a ll
g r a in h a s b een h a rv e s te d and th e g r a in s tu b b le h as been plow ed u n d er
i s c a l l e d d o u b le c ro p p in g . T h is m ethod h as been u sed s u c c e s s f u l ly
f o r th e p a s t 12 t o 13 y e a r s .
F o llo w in g th e h a r v e s t o f c o m , so y b ean s , and m ilo i n th e f a l l ,
■the. w as te" c ro p such a s s ta l lc s and g r a in s tu b b le i s im m ed ia te ly plow ed
guilder# M ost o f th e a r e a i s th e n p u t i n t o f a l l p la n t in g o f sm a ll g r a in ,
/the .- '’re m a in d e r b e in g l e f t b a re d u r in g th e w in te r t o be p la n te d i n co rn
.and m ilo th e fo llo w in g s p r in g .
A lthough e x c e l l e n t co v e r c o n d i t io n s e x i s t e d d u r in g th e l a t e
^sp ring and summer, th e f a l l h a r v e s t g r e a t ly red u ced them® T h e re fo re ,
w in te r co v e r was q u i te l i m i t e d . The m ain ty p e s o f co v e r u t i l i z e d
d u r in g t h i s p e r io d were g r a in f i e l d s , w o o d lo ts , hedgerow s, fe n c e rc w s ,
and some w id e ly s c a t te r e d i d l e la n d , such a s t h i c k e t s , b ru sh p i l e s ,
and broom sedge, A 5 2 -a c re f i e l d o f i d l e land, su p p o rte d a f a i r l y h ig h
c o n c e n tr a t io n o f p h e a s a n ts d u r in g th e w in te r ,
A th i r t e e n - a c r e f i e l d w hich had been p la n te d in S e r ic e a
le s p e d e s a f o r a t l e a s t tw e lv e y e a r s p r i o r t o 1970 i s lo c a te d i n th e
n o r th e rn ex trem e c o rn e r o f th e Sandy P o in t a r e a . The f i e l d h as been
i n s o i l bank th e l a s t e ig h t y e a r s (1 9 6 2 -1 9 7 0 ), and was t o be c u t a t
l e a s t e v e ry two y ea rs* However, from 1966 t o 1970 th e f i e l d h a s been
l e f t t o g row . B ecause o f t h i s n e g le c t , t h i s f i e l d once th e m ost p ro
d u c tiv e s i t e f o r p h e a s a n ts , became one o f th e l e a s t p ro d u c tiv e a r e a s
on Sandy P o i n t . The S e r ic e a le sp e d e z a f i e l d p ro v id e d n e s t in g co v er i n
th e s p r in g an d e a r l y summer, and e x c e l l e n t c o v e r from p r e d a to r s d u r in g
th e re m a in d e r o f th e y e a r . The t h i r t e e n - a c r e f i e l d i s p la n te d i n
sm a ll g r a i n (S m ith 1971) ,
Tomahund P la n ta t io n
Tomahund P la n ta t io n w hich i s owned and o p e ra te d by A rth u r N,
Hofmeyer and h i s two so n s i s s i t u a t e d a p p ro x im a te ly 7 /1 0 o f a m ile
w est o f t h e C hickahom iny R iv e r b r id g e . The fa rm encom passes 8?5 a c r e s
of. w h ich th e n o r th and w e s t s id e s a r e b o rd e re d by f o r e s t , and th e e a s t
s id e by w oodland and th e James R iv e r , The Tomahund C reek w hich l i e s
d i r e c t l y a c r o s s from th e ex trem e s o u th e a s te rn p o r t io n o f th e Sandy
P o in t a r e a b o rd e r s on th e s o u th s id e o f th e fa rm , T h is farm i s w e l l
p r o te e ts c i, and th e p h e a s a n ts th e r e show a m inim al amount o f d is p e r s a l ,
away from th e a r e a , r e s u l t i n g i n p ro b a b ly th e l a r g e s t c o n c e n tr a t io n o f
p h e a s a n ts p e r a c r e i n V i r g in ia , The o r i g i n a l p h e a sa n ts on Tomahund
P la n t a t i o n v e r y l i k e l y d is p e r s e d from th e r e l e a s e s i t e on Sandy P o in t
a c r o s s th e m arsh a r e a o f Tomahund C reek ,
The s o i l i s o f th e Molena and Wickham ty p e w ith a tw e lv e in c h
l a y e r o f t o p s o i l . The s u b s o i l c o n s is t s o f 8 t o 10 f e e t o f sandy loam .
F o u r h u ndred a c r e s o f th e farm i s open la n d , th e m a jo r i ty o f
w hich i s p la n te d e i t h e r i n sm a ll g r a in f o r th e p ro d u c tio n o f C e r t i f i e d
Seed o r i n h y b r id c o rn . A lso , l i k e m ost o f th e fa rm e rs on Sandy P o in t ,
Mr, -Hofmayor d o u b le c ro p s . D uring th e l a s t two y e a r s , he h as p la n te d
sm a ll g r a in b y a new fa rm in g m ethod c a l l e d n o ~ t i l l a g e p la n t in g . A f te r
21
th e w heat and b a r le y a re c u t , th e soybeans a re p la n te d . The g r a in
s tu b b le from th e w heat and b a r l e y i s n o t plow ed u n d e r , b u t r a t h e r l e f t
s ta n d in g . The n o - t i l l a g e p la n t in g h as g iv e n th e p h e a s a n ts more co v er
and w aste g r a in f o r f e e d .
E x c e l le n t co v er c o n d it io n s e x i s t e d d u r in g th e s p r in g and summer
o f 1967-1971• I n th e w in te r , th e r e was more th a n enough co v e r w ith
a p p ro x im a te ly 135 a c r e s o f g r a in s tu b b le from th e soybeans w hich
rem ained o v er th e w in te r t o be plow ed u n d e r i n th e s p r in g . E x te n s iv e
m a l t i f l o r a ro s e hedgerow s, fe n c e ro w s , and two w o o d lo ts were a l s o
u t i l i s e d a s c o v e r . Along th e edge o f th e f o r e s t , s m a ll p a tc h e s o f
g r a in - m ilo , so y b ean s , and g r a in sorghum - were l e f t from one s p r in g
t o a n o th e r , th u s p ro v id in g e x c e l l e n t co v er and f e e d f o r th e -pheasants*
> Even though Tomahund P la n ta t io n i s n o t a p a r t o f Sandy P o in t f
. I t w i l l be In c lu d e d i n f u t u r e r e f e r e n c e s t o Sandy P o in t , The c h a r a c -
' t e r i s t i c s o f Tomahund P la n ta t io n and Sandy P o in t a re s im i l a r enough t o
j u s t i f y t h i s co n v en ie n t co m b in a tio n .
METHODS AND MATERIALS
Census M ethods
D u rin g th e co u rse o f t h i s s tu d y , s i x d i f f e r e n t ap p ro ach es were
u se d t o e v a lu a te th e s u c c e ss o f th e p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n i n th e Sandy
P o in t a re a * They a r e d e s c r ib e d i n th e o rd e r i n w hich th e y were s t a r t e d
i n th e s tu d y .
F i e ld O b se rv a tio n Census
' F i e l d o b s e rv a t io n co u n ts were made on th e s tu d y a re a d u r in g th e
p e r io d , Ju n e 25# 1970# t o June 29# 1971# an an e f f o r t t o d e te rm in e w here
the> c o n c e n t r a t io n o f p h e a s a n ts e x i s te d i n th e Sandy P o in t a r e a , th e
m ain ty p e o f h a b i t a t u t i l i s e d by th e b i r d s i n d i f f e r e n t sea so n s o f th e
y e a r , and. th e g e n e r a l s t a t u s o f th e p o p u la t io n . *
The p ro c e d u re e n t a i l e d co v e rin g th e e n t i r e a re a i n o rd e r t o
d e te rm in e where th e b i r d s co u ld be fo u n d . W hile some o f th e a r e a co u ld
be co v ered by e a r , th e m a jo r i ty was covered by w a lk in g . Hay f i e l d s ,
p a s tu r e , and i d l e la n d were c a r e f u l ly s e a rc h e d , a s were wooded a r e a s ,
g r a in f i e l d s , d i tc h b a n k s , and edges o f hedgerow s. A l l p e r t in e n t i n f o r
m atio n was re c o rd e d on d a ta form s a s shown i n T ab le 21 o f th e Appendix#
The rout© fo llo w e d rem ained a p p ro x im a te ly th e same each tim e
th e a r e a was v i s i t e d * In c e r t a i n tim e s o f th e y e a r , how ever, some
a r e a s w ere n o t v i s i t e d because o f th e i n s u f f i c i e n t h a b i t a t c o v e r , and
th e u n l i k e l i n e s s o f f in d in g any p h e a s a n ts i n th o s e p a r t i c u l a r p la c e s .
22
23
T h is , i n t u r n , a f f e c t e d th e amount o f tim e s p e n t i n th e f i e l d on a
p a r t i c u l a r v i s i t .
Landowner In te rv ie w s
I n te rv ie w s w ith th e r e s id e n t s o f Sandy P o in t o c c u rre d on a s
many o c c a s io n s a s tim e w ould a llo w . N orm ally t h i s was i n th e ev en in g s
a t th e end o f th e w orking day o r on th e w eekends. From th e s e i n t e r
v ie w s , th e o b s e rv e r hoped t o l e a r n in fo rm a tio n co n cern in g th e m ain
c o n c e n tr a t io n s o f p h e a s a n ts , th e ty p e o f h a b i t a t s u t i l i z e d , and th e
tim e o f d ay th e b i r d s ap p ea red m ost a c t i v e . A la n d o w n e r 's o b s e rv a tio n
form a s shown i n T able 22 o f th e Appendix was g iv e n o u t t o 23 in h a b i
t a n t s o f Sandy P o in t ,
Brood C ounts
b Brood co u n ts were conducted e x te n s iv e ly i n 1970 , b u t o n ly i n
th e months o f May and June i n 1971. T h is was done a lo n g w ith th e f i e l d
o b s e rv a t io n s tu d y , d u r in g w hich tim e th e a re a was v i s i t e d on 112 d i f f e -
. r e n t days from June 26 , 1970 , t o June 2 9 , 1971. O b se rv a tio n s were made
from th e c a r and by w alk in g in. dense c o v e r . The form u sed t o re c o rd
b ro o d c o u n ts i s shown i n T ab le 21 o f th e A ppendix.
The b rood coun t te c h n iq u e s were s im i la r t o th o se u se d i n o th e r
s t a t e s . The o b s e rv e r v i s i t e d th e a re a e a r l y i n th e m orning a n d /o r
l a t e i n th e e v e n in g , c o n tin u in g th e s e a rc h a s lo n g a s th e b ro o d s were
v i s i b l e . When p o s s ib l e , th e t o t a l number o f young i n a brood were
co u n ted e i t h e r b y f lu s h in g th e b rood o r by o b se rv in g them i n open areas®
A lso d u r in g th e s tu d y , th e number o f hens w ith o u t young were reco rded*
When a b rood o r any young p h e a sa n t was s e e n , th e o b se rv e r t r i e d t o
d e te rm in e th e app ro x im ate age o f th e young. The age o f th e young seen
24
i n th e s p r in g o f 1971 was e s t im a te d a c c o rd in g t o th e c r i t e r i a g iv e n i n
T ab le 11 o f th e A ppendix (W agner, B esadny, and K abat 1965) .
F a l l F lu sh in g Count Census
Due t o th e l a c k o f tim e and p e rso n n e l n e c e s s a ry f o r an e f f i
c i e n t c o u n t, a f lu s h in g co u n t was conducted o n ly once on O cto b er 26 ,
1970* The o b s e rv e r , w ith Game B io lo g is t s S e t t l e , C a rp e n te r , and
T a y lo r , u se d f o u r dogs t o s e a rc h th o ro u g h ly th e Sandy P o in t a r e a ,
e x c lu d in g Tomahund P la n t a t i o n , f o r th r e e and th r e e - f o u r th h o u r s . The
m ethod u se d was s im i la r t o th e p ro ce d u re d e s c r ib e d b y H ardy ( 1963a ) .
The number and sex o f th e b i r d s seen o r f lu s h e d d u r in g th e cen su s were
re c o rd e d on a fo rm o f th e ty p e shown i n T able 23 o f th e A ppendix ,
Cock Crowing Count Census
■ I n 196j?f a crow ing co u n t ro u te o f .15 s t a t i o n s was e s ta b l i s h e d
i n .the Sandy P o in t a r e a b y V ir g in ia Game B io lo g i s t , F a i r f a x S e t t l e .
S in c e th e n , he h as conducted a cen su s a t l e a s t once each s p r in g . I n
the., s p r in g o f 1971* th e ro u te was expanded t o 16 s t a t i o n s when th e
s o u th e a s te rn ex trem e a r e a o f Sandy P o in t became a c c e s s ib le by c a r .
The r o u te was ru n i n a s im i la r manner a s was f i r s t d e s c r ib e d
b y K im ball (1949) and l a t e r by H ardy ( 1963a ) . The o b s e rv e r began th e
co u n t o n e - h a lf horn1 b e fo re l o c a l s u n r i s e , and coun ted th e t o t a l number
o f c a l l s and th e number o f d i f f e r e n t cocks h e a rd a t each s t a t i o n f o r
two m in u te s . I n s te a d o f s to p p in g e v e ry mil© betw een s t a t i o n s a s
p r e s c r ib e d by K im ball (1 9 4 9 ), th e d is ta n c e v a r ie d from 1 /2 m ile t o 3 /4
m ile . The e n t i r e r o u te was a p p ro x im a te ly t e n m ile s long*
D uring A p r i l and May o f 1971 , th e ro u te was ru n e ig h t t im e s .
The in fo rm a tio n form u sed t o r e c o rd th e crow ing cocks d u r in g th e su rv e y
25
i s shown i n T a b le 2h o f th e Appendibc.
On May 10* 1 2 , and 1 4 , 1971 , a crow ing co u n t cen su s was ta k e n
t o d e te rm ine th e peak d a i l y crow ing a c t iv i t y * A s t a t i o n on Tomahund
P la n t a t i o n was u sed f o r t h i s s tu d y . The cen su s l a s t e d from 90 m in u tes
b e fo re s u n r is e u n t i l 90 m in u te s a f t e r s u n r i s e . D uring t h i s t im e , th e
t o t a l number o f c a l l s were re c o rd e d a t 10 -m inu te i n t e r v a l s . The form
shown i n T ab le 2A o f th e A ppendix was u sed f o r t h i s p a r t i c u l a r c e n su s .
N est C ounts
D uring th e s tu d y , th e r e were c o n c e n tra te d e f f o r t s on f iv e
d i f f e r e n t o c c a s io n s i n th e s p r in g o f 1971 t o lo c a te n e s ts* The tim e
s p e n t i n t h i s s tu d y t o t a l e d 11 l / 2 h o u rs . The a r e a se a rch ed c o n s is te d
o f .h e d g e ro w s , fe n c e ro w s , d i tc h b a n k s , t h i c k e t s , p a s tu r e , hay f i e ld s # and
i d l e land*
Crop and Land-use P r a c t ic e s
sj, Xn o rd e r t o g e t a com plete p ic tu r e o f th e r e l a t io n s h i p o f th e
p h e a s a n ts t o th e u se o f th e la n d , th e 'fo llo w in g d a ta were g a th e re d ;
t o t a l a c re a g e o f eac h fa rm , ty p e and th e amount o f c ro p s , th e c ro p p in g
p a t t e r n s , am ount o f co v er and game fo o d , th e ty p e o f s o i l , w e a th e r
d a t a , and changes i n la n d u se p r a c t i c e s s in c e 1953 when th e p h e a s a n ts
w ere f i r s t r e l e a s e d .
The in fo rm a tio n a b o u t th e t o t a l ac rea g e o f fa rm s , and th e ty p e
and amount o f c r o p s , and th e cro p p in g p a t t e r n s were o b ta in e d from th e
f o u r l a r g e s t lan d o w n ers i n Sandy P o in ts Adolph H u la , John S m ith ,
S ta n le y H u la , S r . t and Norman H cfm eyer« These f o u r men w ere a b le t o
s u p p ly th e needed in fo rm a tio n s in c e th e y c u l t i v a t e th e e n t i r e Sandy
P o in t a r e a . D ata on ly f o r th e grow ing seaso n s o f 1970 and 1971 were
26
c o l l e c te d . T ab le 26 o f th e A ppendix p r e s e n ts a l i s t o f th e c o o p e ra tin g
Sandy P o in t r e s id e n t s who w ere in te rv ie w e d f o r th e p u rp o se o f g a in in g
in fo rm a tio n ab o u t th e in f lu e n c e s and e f f e c t s e x e r te d by them on th e la n d
an d , t h e r e f o r e , i n d i r e c t l y on th e p h e a s a n ts .
L iv e - t r a p p in g o f p h e a s a n ts was conducted from Ja n u a ry 30 u n t i l
March l h , 1971» u s in g a K en tucky-type r u f f e d g ro u se t r a p . The m ain
p u rp o se o f th e t r a p p in g was t o o b ta in b i r d s t h a t co u ld be u sed a s
b re e d in g s to c k a t th e S ta te Game Farm . A seco n d ary purpose was th e
c o l l e c t i o n o f d a ta co n c e rn in g w e ig h ts , movement and c o n c e n tr a t io n o f
p h e a s a n ts .
The K en tu ck y -ty p e r u f f e d g rouse t r a p i s composed o f th r e e
w ire .s e c t io n s w hich a r e s ta k e d t o th e g round . The s id e s . were- made o f
c h ick en w ire and th e to p co v ered w ith f i s h n e t . The c e n te r s t r u c tu r e
was .c lo v e r - le a f i n shape w ith d im ensions o f 25 in c h e s h ig h , 56 in c h e s
wide-, and 30 in c ite s betw een th e tw o e n tr a n c e s . The w ire e n t r a n c e s , 13
in c h e s h ig h , wore b e n t inw ard a t an a n g le so t h a t th e opening was
w ide enough f o r a p h e a s a n t t o e n t e r .
E x ten d in g outw ard from each door o f th e c e n te r s t r u c tu r e was
& p ie c e o f w ire m easu ring 17 in c h e s h ig h by 10 f e e t lo n g . T h is con
n e c te d th e c e n te r w ith th e two o th e r s t r u c tu r e s o f th e t r a p . The end
s e c t io n s were c i r c u l a r w ith one d o o r and m easured 25 in c h e s h ig h and
3^ in c h e s i n d ia m e te r . The e n t i r e t r a p m easured a p p ro x im a te ly 29 f e e t
i n le n g th a
The t r a p p in g s a tte m p te d in th e .57- a e r e f i e l d owned by th e
P e te r s o n fam ily * The f i e l d i s i d l e la n d , c o n s is t in g o f broom sedge,
27
t h i c k e t s , b ru sh p i l e s , and tw o m arsh a r e a s . The a r e s was c o n s id e re d -
i d e a l f o r t r a p p in g b ecau se o f th e ty p e o f co v er and b ecause o f i t s known
p o p u la t io n o f p h e a s a n ts a s d e te rm in e d from p re v io u s o b s e rv a t io n s .
The t r a p was b a i t e d w ith s h e l le d and cracked, c o m . D uring
th e f i r s t f o u r days o f t r a p p in g , th e d o o rs o f th e t r a p were c lo se d
w ith co m s c a t t e r e d aro u n d th e o u ts id e i n a n a t te m p t t o a t t r a c t b i r d s
t o th e s i t e , A f te r t h i s p e r io d , th e d o o rs were opened and b a i t was p la c e d
in s id e th e t r a p w ith some c o m i n th e v i c i n i t y o f each o f th e four* d o o rs .
A t w eek ly i n t e r v a l s , th e t r a p was s h i f t e d around . F o r th e
f i r s t two w eeks, th e t r a p was checked tw ic e a d a y , in th e m orning and
e v e n in g , b u t d u r in g th e l a s t f o u r w eeks, i t was v i s i t e d o n ly once a d a y .
O th e r W ild l i f e O b se rv a tio n s
Whenever th e s tu d y a r e a was v i s i t e d , a l l o b s e rv a tio n s o f c e r
t a i n w i l d l i f e s p e c ie s seen w ere r e c o rd e d . S p e c ie s in c lu d e d i n th e
o b s e rv a t io n s w ere b i r d and mammal p r e d a to r s a s w e l l a s game s p e c ie s .
Food H a b its
The f i r s t h u n tin g seaso n f o r p h e a s a n ts i n V irg in ia was opened
on November 3,6-17, 1970, D uring th e two d a y s , n in e cock p h e a s a n ts were
k i l l e d i n th e Sandy P o in t a r e a . A l l sp o rtsm en who sh o t a p h e a s a n t w ere
r e q u e s te d t o com plete a fo rm o f th e ty p e shown in T able 25 o f th e Appen
d ix , They w ere in te rv ie w e d p r im a r i ly w ith th e i n t e n t o f o b ta in in g
v i t a l in fo rm a tio n a b o u t p h e a s a n t c o n c e n tr a t io n , h a b i t a t u t i l i z a t i o n ,
and th e w e ig h ts and ag es o f th e co ck s . The p ro ced u re o f D ale (1956) to
d e te rm in e th e age o f th e cocks was u se d . S p u r le n g th i s a r a p id m y t o
e s t im a te th e age o f th e c o ck s .
28
S e c o n d a r i ly , th e c ro p s were removed from seven cocks w ith a
p o c k e t k n ife i n o rd e r t o d e te rm in e th e fo o d h a b i t s o f th e b i r d s . On
December 5» 1971, t h e i r c o n te n ts w ere p la c e d i n seven s e p a ra te e n v e l
opes and d r ie d a t 80°C f o r 48 h o a r s . A t th e end o f th e d ry in g p e r io d ,
th e en v e lo p es th e n were p la c e d i n a d e s s i c a to r u n t i l December 10 , when
th e c o n te n ts th e n were w eighed on a S a r to r iu s - 2 4 0 0 - D ig i ta l A n a ly t ic a l
B a la n c e .
C lim a tic I n f lu e n c e s
From J u ly 2 1 , 1970 , t o June 30 , 1971» th e te m p e ra tu re and
h u m id ity w ere re c o rd e d on a hyg ro th e rm o g rap h . The hygro therm ograph
was s e l f o p e ra t in g f o r a w eek, a t w hich tim e th e c lo c k mechanism had
t o be wound. A s ta n d a rd U .S . W eather B ureau W eather House was s e t up
i n th e b ack y ard o f M« R. D o ts o n 's p r o p e r ty t o s to r e th e hygro therm o
g ra p h . A w et and d ry b u lb h yg rom eter was u sed p e r i o d i c a l ly t o en su re
th e - a cc u ra c y o f th e hyg ro th e rm o g rap h .
The d a ta f o r th e p e r io d June 1 , 1970, t o J u ly 2 1 , 1970 , and
f o r days on w hich th e hyg ro therm ograph was n o t f u n c t io n in g were
o b ta in e d from th e m onth ly p u b l i c a t io n , C l im a to lo g ic a l D ata - V i r g in ia ,*
w hich i s p u b lis h e d by th e U .S . W eather B ureau . The town o f W illiam s
b u rg , V i r g in ia , was u sed a s th e w ea th e r s t a t i o n f o r th e s e a d d i t i o n a l
w ea th e r d a t a . The ap p ro x im ate d is ta n c e from W illiam sb u rg t o th e
W eather S t a t i o n on th e s tu d y a re a i s 23 m ile s .
The c l im a to lo g ic a l d a ta f o r V ir g in ia were u sed t o o b ta in th e mean
a n n u a l r a i n f a l l and te m p e ra tu re from 1 9 6 7 t o 1970 , and th e amount o f r a i n
f o r each month d u r in g th e s tu d y p e r io d , Ju n e , 1970 , t o Ju n e , 1971 •
♦ C lim a to lo g ic a l D ata - V irg in ia (1967-1971)•
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
C ensus M ethods
F ie ld O b se rv a tio n Census
D uring th e c o u rse o f th e s tu d y , a t o t a l o f 987 p h e a sa n t
o b s e rv a t io n s was made (T ab le 1 ) , F o r ty -o n e p e r c e n t o f th e b i r d s
se e n ware on Tomahund P la n ta t io n * T ab le 2 r e p r e s e n ts d a ta on SQ?
p h e a s a n ts o b se rv ed , sh o w in g -th a t 804 b i r d s were a d u l t s . Among th e
a d u l t .b i r d s were 449 co c k s , 344 h e n s , and 11 b i r d s o f unknown sex*
An o v e r - a l l t o t a l o f 3* 35 a d u l t b i r d s were o b se rv ed p e r m an-hour o f
f ie ld '.w o rk (T ab le 3)* I n A p r i l of. 1 9 7 1 # 'H d a y s , t o t a l i n g 18 h o u r s 9
w ere sp e n t i n th e f i e ld * D uring t h i s tim e 175 b i r d s were re c o rd e d
w ith a - ,b ird /m an -h o u r in d e x o f 9*61 w hich was th e h ig h e s t f o r any month
o f th e ;s tu d y p e r io d . On S eptem ber 21 , 1971#-23 d i f f e r e n t b a r d s , 15
cock s and 8 h en s w ere seen i n a 2 1 /2 h o u r p e rio d *
F ig u re 1 and T ab le 3 show th e v a lu e s o f th e a d u l t b i r d s
o b se rv e d p e r m an-hour f o r each m onth. T here a r e two d e f i n i t e p e a k s ,
one i n November, 1970 , o f 6 ,2 4 and th e o th e r i n A p r i l , 1971» o f 9*61*
Th© November peak can be e x p la in e d by th e la c k o f h a b i t a t u t i l i z a t i o n ,
an d some g ro u p in g o f b i r d s i n t o f lo c k s* I n A p r i l , th e c o c k s , o f w hich
t h e r e were 125 o b s e rv a t io n s (T ab le 2) , were engaged i n crow ing and
c o u r ts h ip and hence w ere e a s i e r t o o b se rv e . The h en s (50 o b s e rv a t io n s )
w ere d i f f i c u l t t o f i n d , and co u ld o n ly be observed by flu sh in g them o u t
fro m sm a ll g r a in f i e l d s .
29
30
rHrd o
rH
P CDC
c Po•H+■> 1
tH ttfI> o
© u ■cCD C \
3 0) rHu* ,Q
•rt O CDtr.
+->C3
a n
O')flS ••o *o
& OpL, *H
J-4 <U 0<
10.00
J u n e
May
A p r i l
M a rc h
F e b r u a r y
J a n u a r y
D e c e m b e r
N o v e m b e r
O c t o b e r
S e p te m b e r
A u g u s t
J u l y
J u n eo ooo o oo o o o
O'. CQ C" LO y m CV! rH
A d u l t B i r d s O b s e r v e d P e r M a n -h o u r
TABLE
32
rH
SiOCDcd©
W H
rOmCo
•H-P«|5
rH©
?© ON CD r H
X>O ©s•p pSi *"3CDesJJ§
O h
rHcd-p
OEH
> 5faDc "ST1
to «O h
CO
&►55!m
-POj©CO
•hrP
©fs ©
CO §*~3
QO^hCOCN.CO'^cMNOCHCVJ'n J o .v o c m o n no no cm c o cp I c o
rH i—1 1 On
I I I I co t I I CO rH
OH4
CO
CMrH
CO v o CO O n -4 4 - H !N- 4 - H (H CO
rH
O NO -CM CO
CM
I NO 00 v o rH rH NO H CM -4
I 00 COo -
00
rH NO CM CO ^ 4 CO O - COOO rH - 4 CO CO rH
CMr -rHCO
>*CMCO
CO O CO rH VO rH O n OO 0 0 CO H H H v o O n
COCM
i—I £>~ CM
VO«
O -CM
P4 O -P 10 *H -P E O
CO CJ
O P5
uCOcd
%•rl *H
cd
m v ! p . 6_ w H cd O
PiP•r ’S
CO
CDrHcd-PoEh
- 2O
Eh
o-psi©oo©
O h
TABL
E
33
CM
mfi rHo O -
•H Ovp rHcd> ©U 90; Pto •“3
, o 1o O'■'v-
p Ov« tHcd© ©
c© q
P *~3£3
toC
P oa •Hcd P© ©cd >©P ©a. w
,.QO
Jh X © ©
- P CO ©
I
©
■8om
gsoJh
w
ooO
•H
©
£O
*HP©
©OTe
On4 COOMnrOCONCO -PI N i O W N ^ H r i ^ N N W H O
r H r H 0 0
i i i t oo to t i i t t i i
CM O Cr~\ iH rH I CM CM rH
I I I I I t -3* rHvO
\D ncv-co CO J 0 - r H
S i l l I vO CM
cnCOrH
O - Ov CO VO ( S 0 \ 0 0 ^ CM O *0\vO 0 ^ 0 0 3 CM CM H H CO-3- I.oS
3 I S 3 H ^AO SA’A i A O O OvCNrHaQu^vrs H C^N H H -3"rH
O O O'- O- Ov Ov r-l rH i i
§ 3H> *“3
OO -O v O
O [—'I O—' O'- I o v O v U tH ©5 *9p & w ©
-pW) O r -P q © o <jj CO o
o oO - O -Ov Ov rH rH I I ^ U © ©
'i'i © © > Oo © S Q
!—t1—I O-0 - Ov Ov rH rH1—I I O--
' h ° >J-r rHttctJ§ aJ^ h S
rH0— |—j Ov i—I O—1—I O'— O v * Ov,HrH rH I •H I ©u qOr a} 9
H>
WtH<d
POEh
TABLE
3 k
cp
US£
rH ^ P- © On P-i s—ImCo
*riP
©53piS
erf O
0 0 P o" p S3 Crfw erf ©
O .
ONrH
©§
*“3
w
■s ©-rH >ra £©p co
3 8■*=3
Ofa
?H©CH
3©
IQ *H £ Ph£
*H
P£©pJCO
3w ©rN *Herf f£n
a
i—i Cti
Poen
<3•rH
-P£Ei
CO
©£
P OS3 •Herf Pw erferf >© £
P ©PH w
pO
'E*HS-»©PmS3O
•HPerf
©Wg
CO o CK H O .rf- O £V(S4- H^o On CNOOOMDO(MCN.!NrlO\OVM30 2 H P u n n O C P C p p \ p C O - p 0 2
UNON
CP
O O O O O O O O O U P O U N O UN O O O O UN UN UN UN O CM O
H N O D CO ''C lCO P 4 - H ^A O O >-P P - H C P Cvl 02 rH rH rH rH
OO
C PONrH
^}- NO C P UN OO p c a v o H O n ;—j UN UN rH rH rH rH r-»
On P OP On UN CO OP IN CO IN UN p - no pC v U N H H 3 t N C N - N H O
i—I rH 00
OIN
O O O n {N IN- rH ON ON I H r i P
© k 3 S 3 S’
H 3> < !
OINO n O i—I IN
I O n £ rH © I
P £s ©© p
p oPhP © O CO O
o o(N IN O n ON i—I rH
I 1 £ £ © ©
P P 12 £ © © > o o © 55 Q
i—irH ININ ONON i—( i—| i—( i—I I I N IN rH
j>3 On On rH C—f?« IP o
£ P £ erf © erf H> cts a
g - § 3I—J IN On
I ON rH rH I
! © £ >5 £P« Vrf P H S ^
©rHerf
PO
E-t
35
The h a b i t a t and th e r e f o r e th e landow ner *s p ro p e r ty w hich was
o ccu p ied b y a b i r d when o b se rv ed was r e c o rd e d . R e s u l ts a r e l i s t e d i n
T a b le s 1 2 , 1 3 , 1 4 , 1 5 , 16 o f th e A ppendix and shown g r a p h ic a l ly i n
F ig u re 2 . The summer o f 1971 i s n o t in c lu d e d i n F ig u re 2 b ecau se
J u n e , 1971 , 'was th e o n ly month o f th e summer t h a t was in c o rp o ra te d i n
th e s tu d y . The f ig u r e s r e v e a l t h a t th e co rn f i e l d s w ere n o t u t i l i z e d
t o a g r e a t e x te n t by th e p h e a s a n ts . Im m ed ia te ly a f t e r h a r v e s t in g , th e
co rn was plowed u n d e r and th e r e f o r e d id n o t su p p ly a so u rce o f fo o d in
th e w in te r . Soybeans w ere im p o r ta n t i n th e summer and f a l l f o r fo o d
and c o v e r . G ra in f i e l d s w ere u t i l i z e d b y th e p h e a s a n ts i n a l l th e
s e a s o n s , p a r t i c u l a r l y d u r in g th e s p r in g . A t o t a l o f 51*8 p e r c e n t o f
th e b i r d s were o b se rv ed i n th e s p r in g i n g r a in f i e l d s . Hay f i e l d s
w ere u t i l i s e d o n ly i n th e summer and f a l l . I d l e l a n d , in c lu d in g weed
andi broom sedge f i e l d s and b r i a r t h i c k e t s , were u sed a l l y e a r ro u n d ,
e s p e c i a l l y d u r in g th e w in te r when th e amount o f co v er was low . A
t o t a l o f 4 2 .4 p e r c e n t o f th e b i r d s were seen i n th e i d l e l a n d s . P as
t u r e s ap p ea red t o be u sed v e ry r a r e l y due t o t h e i r s c a r c i t y . A pproxi
m a te ly 7 pen c e n t o f th e s tu d y a r e a was in p a s tu r e . Plowed f i e l d s and
f i e l d s l e f t i n summer f a l lo w were u se d i n th e s p r in g and summer due t o
th e p re se n c e o f i n s e c t s and worms a s a so u rce o f fo o d , e s p e c i a l l y f o r
young p h e a s a n ts , and th e in c r e a s e d number o f plowed f i e l d s and f i e l d s
i n summer f a l lo w . Woods were u t i l i z e d d u r in g a l l se a so n s f o r r o o s t in g
s i t e s f o r b o th th e cocks and th e h e n s , and- th e edges o f woods were
commonly in c lu d e d i n a co ck 8 s t e r r i t o r y . Fence rows and hedgerow s a l s o
p ro v id e d e x c e l le n t co v e r th ro u g h o u t th e y e a r . I n th e w in te r , 29«5 p e r
c e n t o f th e b i r d s o b se rv ed w ere i n hedgerow s. D itch b an k s were u t i l i z e d
i n th e summer, w in te r , and s p r in g f o r t h e i r c o v e r . A lthough few b i r d s
3 6
Figure 2Habitat Occupied by
Observed Pheasants Accord5.ng to Season
37
Per cent of Observations
Habitat Type
Corn
Soybeans
Grains
Hay_
Idle Land
Pastures
P1owed Fields
Wood;
Fenderows
Hedgerow;
Ditchbanks
Barnyards
Pia Pens
Roads
— F
10% 20% I s
- Sp
w
" F
Sps
Sp
w— Sp- s— w
Sp- s
w— s
- s,
- s
30%----s— 40%
w
w
w
SpW
Sp
Summer (June , July; Aug.) Fall (Sept., Oct.; Nov.) Winter (Dec., Jan.; Feb.) Spring (Mar., Apr.; May)
50% — _ r- ..
Sp
38
were n o ted i n b a rn y a rd s and p ig p e n s , th e s e a r e a s were u sed o c c a s io n a l ly
f o r fe e d in g p u rp o se s . Roads were u t i l i z e d in a l l th e s e a s o n s , e sp e
c i a l l y in th e f a l l and th e s p r in g .
O b se rv a tio n s o f i n t r a s p e c i f i c r e l a t io n s h ip s among p h e a s a n ts
w ere co n fin e d t o th e o c c a s io n a l f i g h t i n g , c o u r t in g , and m ating d u rin g
th e b re e d in g se a so n . The f i r s t f ig h t i n g was observed betw een two cocks
i n th e e a r l y m orning o f March 13 , 1971* T hree in s ta n c e s o f cock
f ig h t in g w hich in v o lv e d s ix in d iv id u a l b i r d s were o b serv ed on A p r i l 1 2 ,
1971 , on Tomahund P la n t a t i o n . D uring one f i g h t , a hen was w ith in fo u r
f e e t o f th e c o ck s . An u n s u c c e s s fu l a t te m p t o f a cock t o m ate w ith a
hen m s o b serv ed on A p r i l 3 , 1971« C o u rtin g m s o b serv ed a s l a t e a s
J u ly 6 , 1971* i n th e edge o f a wood l o t .
No e x te n s iv e w in te r f lo c k in g by sex was o b se rv e d . F iv e cocks
were seen on November 1 ^ , 1971* i n th e ro ad o f Tomahund P la n ta t io n . Gn
F e b ru a ry 1 1 , 1971» e ig h t hens were f lu s h e d from a hedgerow on M rs.
G a r r i s o n 's p r o p e r ty . The la c k o f l a r g e s in g le - s e x f lo c k s was p ro b a b ly
due t o th e r e l a t i v e l y low p o p u la t io n s iz e and th e m ild w in te r c o n d i t io n s .
No in s ta n c e s o f any c o n f l i c t betw een p h e a sa n ts and n a t iv e game
s p e c ie s were n o te d , e x c e p t th e u s u a l p r e d a to r -p re y r e l a t i o n s h i p s . On
J u ly 3 1 , 1970 , an unknown s p e c ie s o f hawk was r e p o r te d t o have k i l l e d
a young p h e a s a n t . A lso i n th e l a t t e r p a r t o f A u g u st, a g ra y fo x was
seen ru n n in g a f t e r a hen w hich ap p eared t o have a b roken w ing . However,
when th e fo x approached to o c lo s e ly , th e hen f le w o f f (Hofmeyer 1 9 7 0 ).
T h is ty p e o f b e h a v io r has b een d e s c r ib e d by th e words " in ju ry - f e ig n in g "
o r "broken-w ing d is p la y " and h as been o b serv ed in k i l l d e e r (B erg er
1 9 6 1 ).
39
D uring th e s p r in g o f 1971» seven cocks on s ix d i f f e r e n t
o c c a s io n s were ob serv ed i n two pens w ith a number o f h o g s . P h e a sa n ts
have a l s o been seen i n th e c lo s e p ro x im ity o f c a t t l e i n th e p a s tu r e s .
On S eptem ber 15» 1 970 , a co ck , h e n , and a covey o f te n q u a i l
were f lu s h e d from a b ru sh p i le * On F eb ru a ry 1 8 , 1971 a & hen and two
q u a i l were f lu s h e d from a broom sedge f i e l d . I n b o th c a s e s , no i n t e r -
s p e c i f i c s t r i f e was n o t ic e d .
Landowner In te rv ie w s
The in te rv ie w s w ere c a r r i e d o u t w ith a l l o f th e r e s id e n t s o f th e
s tu d y a r e a , some o n ly once and o th e r s a s many a s 20 t o 30 t im e s . Of
th e 23 fo rm s o f th e ty p e shown i n T able 22 o f th e A ppendix t h a t were
d i s t r i b u t e d , 1 0 , or 4 3 .5 p e r c e n t , were r e tu r n e d . E ig h t p e o p le , o r
p e r c e n t , to o k p a r t i n re c o rd in g p h e a sa n t d a ta f o r th e e n t i r e
s tu d y p e r io d . One in h a b i t a n t moved away i n November. The r e s u l t s o f
th e landow ner*s o b s e rv a t io n s a re p re s e n te d i n T able 4 . F iv e hundred
and s e v e n ty - s ix o b s e rv a t io n s o f p h e a sa n ts were made w ith an in d e x o f
2 .1 9 b i r d s o b se rv ed p e r s ig h t - d a y . The r a t i o o f cocks t o hens was
1:1«3» More b i r d s were seen i n th e s p r in g o f 1971 th a n any o th e r
s e a so n .
A lso , i t was le a rn e d from th e in te rv ie w s t h a t th e m ain concen
t r a t i o n o f p h e a s a n ts i n Sandy P o in t e x i s te d i n an a r e a o f c lo se p r o x i
m ity t o th e m a jo r i ty o f th e r e s i d e n t i a l d w e ll in g s . Tomahund P la n ta t io n
a l s o su p p o rts a l a r g e c o n c e n tr a t io n o f b i r d s . P h e a sa n ts w ere o bserved
m o s tly a lo n g th e edge o f ro a d s and i n th e g r a in s tu b b le o f sm a ll g r a in .
The r e p o r t s show t h a t th e p h e a s a n ts were m ost a c t iv e i n th e m orning
betw een 7 :0 0 -8 s 00 A.M. and i n th e l a t e ev en in g betw een 6 :0 0 -7 :0 0 P.M.
No a t te m p ts t o s e a rc h o u t th e p h e a sa n ts w ere made by th e r e s i d e n t s .
40
-3-
PQ
£H
COC0bOJZCO
m o o o
toc^ .80
-pCJ w ;H ^ o oo
Pi
CO£Ji
c$ tof e -g
oo
o■n£oSf-l
Cn orH
CM
CH
£>-cm
CO
in
rH
CMi—!
in
onH
cn
CN- I I I
I I 1
ON
-P}-»H
O NOcn
NO CM
i n CM rH i I I
cm i in s i t
00
cnrH
cn
CM
CM CM
CM ON CM CM in
CM
CM
o-
oH
O n
CMrH
rH
CM
Or—1
in CM
O i—I
,d-p•a
CO0-Po co 1W 1
a)3
cn PI to a W• • -Po XP< tt
■acdo P3 PS i—1 Q• • • tj •
Hi a <u a fH
I
©o
R«B ccsJ oPI COCO I—1•H*HUo •« O
<D>30B too rHa ctf
-P* OE-«
Pr
cn
morH
i—Io-
oNO
ocn
inCM
cn
TABL
E 4
(con
tinu
ed)
41
© aCTj
to
Q
HcsJ
PGEri
ViT3o
h mlS\ IH fc£
O{H
Oo pq n-O H W
§ O JH
ox>
£*5
VOO -
CM
inH
•CM
O noCM
O -CM
•CM
OOQ £>-vO
oI—I
oo HCv-cn
Oni—1 •
CM
cn£N>
ONCM
HVO -S in H
CMOH
{>- CMVOCM
CO i—i i—itv. in onc—i i—i
VO00
inCM
crvCM
incn
v oCM
VOo -in
cn
v oCM
cn cn
vo n~CM
H
cn
pr i
CMVO
00
O vi—1
H
v o in
CM
in
CM
i—iCM
cn
-a-H
C“-H
OO -
£op m•rj P& o oCO Q w
• • poo PcJ Q
s m •5EJ
■ 3w 1
ctf
w
p .H
•* 2
O C-' u•^5 ^4
etf
«
a
5it01
•H
OQ o
?•!
s>>©
ow
H«$
Po£H
I t was th e g e n e ra l f e e l i n g o f th e landow ners t h a t p h e a sa n ts
had b een q u i te p r e v a le n t from 1958 t o 19&7 • g ro u p s o f 20 t o 30 ,
b i r d s were f r e q u e n t ly seen i n th e r o a d s , and on one o c c a s io n i n
Decem ber, 19&7» two h en s were p e rch ed on a box lo o k in g i n a k i tc h e n
window (D otson 1970) • I n th e f a l l o f 19&2, i t to o k two dogs 1 1 /2
h o u rs t o f lu s h 23 p h e a s a n ts o u t o f a S e r ie s a le sp e d e z a f i e l d (Sm ith
1 9 7 0 ),
I n 1 967 and 1 9 6 8 , n o t o n ly were a l e s s e r number o f b i r d s
ob serv ed b u t a l s o th e number o f young i n brocxLs ap p ea re d t o be
d e c re a s in g a s compared w ith th o se b ro o d s seen i n th e p a s t . The d e c l in e
i n p h e a s a n ts was a t t r i b u t e d t o two f a c t o r s . One was th e l a r g e number
o f fo x e s i n th e a r e a , w hich a s a common p r e d a to r o f p h e a s a n ts , were
b e l ie v e d t o have k i l l e d many o f them . The second f a c t o r was th e 1 3 -
a c re f i e l d o f S e r lc e a le sp e d e z a w hich had b een in S o i l Bank from 1962
t o 1970 b u t w hich had been a llo w ed t o grew up and rem ain u n c u t s in e s
1966 . As a r e s u l t , th e m ost p ro d u c tiv e n e s t in g s i t e was d e s tro y e d .
, The landow ner in te rv ie w s a r e d i f f i c u l t , t o i n t e r p r e t q u a l i t a
t i v e l y , and a re o n ly p re s e n te d h e re w ith th e hope o f g iv in g some id e a
a s t o th e s t a t u s o f th e p o p u la t io n .
Brood C ounts
Broods w ere o b serv ed d u r in g th e summer o f 1970 and 1971.
T ab le 5 shows t h a t i n 1970 , 157 o b s e rv a t io n s o f young and 57 o b se rv a
t i o n s o f b ro o d s were made. From th e s e d a ta i t may be seen t h a t th e
av e rag e b rood s iz e was 2 .8 . I n 1 9 ?1 , f o u r b ro o d s c o n ta in in g 26 young
w ere observed w ith an av e rag e b rood s iz e o f 6„5« The l a r g e s t b rood
seen i n 1970 c o n s is te d o f e ig h t young, t h i s number b e in g o b serv ed in
tw o d i f f e r e n t 9-week o ld b ro o d s . On June 29 , 1971, a lo n g th e edge o f
43
- pat
n
<DbDf©
•Hcn
* 8oPQ
o to^ io N •H OS© rCj fHbfl O
ctf*4 • O© O CH> S ON
«g{ I—i
etfTO -p M C© EH
30
H©
1
t—I CHON i—IOchONI—1
©hi;
u n■
NO
O
CO
oeUN,
O
ON
o■3-
{>-mCM
UNNO
oorH
O•
ON
O«
o n
Cn.
CM
NO
CM
Om
onCN-CM
NO
CM
CM O n CM
CM rH
CN- H
CM O NOON rH
CM O NOON H
ON i—I
CO
UN
O -CM
CO
OnrH
ONrH
OrH
ON
NO CMCO
NO CMCO
T5©&o-p
f>5'S '5§
© ou
o
ON'
to© o
Uo
CM
TO©
NO
ou
o
ON'
CM
TO©
CO
TO§ © o © JH £
o ON
cn
TOrj ks% I do ©U J2
CDCM rH
rH rH c3rH ^ -Pp O& E- i
oON
UNNO
CO
CM
i—1NO
CN-UN
ONCOrH
NOCM
UNrH
44
t h e c o m f i e l d , th e o b s e rv e r saw a hen and t e n young on S ta n le y H u la £
S r . "s p r o p e r ty . The m ain ty p e s o f h a b i t a t u t i l i z e d by th e b ro o d s
w ere e i t h e r soybean f i e l d s o r hedgerow s.
The number o f b ro o d s and young seen each month d u r in g th e
s tu d y p e r io d i s r e c o rd e d i n T ab le 2 . J u ly and A ugust w ere th e m ost
p ro d u c tiv e m onths w ith young t o t a l i n g 73 i n J u ly and 57 i n A ugust and
w i th th e b ro o d s num bering 20 and 23 f o r th e r e s p e c t iv e m onths. On
f o u r o c c a s io n s th e cock accom panied th e hen and young and o n ly tw ic e
was a cock seen a lo n e w ith th e young. F o r ty -o n e hens were o b serv ed
w ith o u t young betw een June and A ugust o f 1970. These b i r d s m ost l i k e l y
in c lu d e d th o s e h en s t h a t had a l r e a d y b ro u g h t o f f a b ro o d o r w ere i n th e
p ro c e s s o f d o in g so f o r Septem ber o r O c to b e r. On O ctober 1 2 , 1970 , a
h e n w ith th r e e e ig h t-w e e k -o ld c h ic k s was seen i n a g r a in sorghum p a tc h
on Tomahund P la n t a t i o n . T h e re fo re , th e young p ro b a b ly h a tc h e d .ou t
d u r in g th e t h i r d week o f A u g u st. T h is i s c o n s id e re d t o be l a t e i n
th e s e a so n f o r p h e a s a n ts . H atch ing would o ccu r n o rm a lly betw een th e
m id d le .o f May and th e m idd le o f J u n e . However, D ale (195^) r e p o r te d
t h a t h en s can l a y th r e e c lu tc h e s o f eggs i f th e two e a r l i e r ones a r e
d e s tro y e d d u r in g la y in g o r d u r in g th e e a r l y in c u b a t io n p e r io d .
F a l l F lu sh in g Count Census
D uring th e 3 3 A h o u rs o f s e a rc h in g , f iv e cocks and n in e hens
w ere f lu s h e d from h a b i t a t c o n s is t in g m ain ly o f i d l e la n d and hedge
ro w s, The t o t a l number o f b i r d s f lu s h e d no d o u b t w ould have been much
h ig h e r th a n 14 i f Tomahund P la n ta t io n had been in c lu d e d i n th e s e a rc h .
The f lu s h in g co u n t in d e x f o r O ctober 2 6 , 1970, was .4 4 , T h is
v a lu e was o b ta in e d b y u s in g th e fo llo w in g form ulas
45
^ ~ (a-fb)c
X =* F lu sh in g co u n t in d e x ( b i r d s f lu s h e d p e r raan-dog h o u r)
a » Number o f o b s e rv e rs
b *» Number o f dogs
c *= Number o f h o u rs o f s e a rc h
Y * T o ta l number o f b i r d s o b se rv ed
The f lu s h in g co u n t in d ic e s from p a s t y e a r s "were: 1 .3 8 f o r March. 19^5»
1 .2 ? f o r November, 19&5, and 1 .2 4 f o r O c to b e r , 1969* The November,
I 965 and 1969 c e n su se s in c lu d e d Tomahund P la n ta t io n . The 1970 in d e x
can n o t be com pared w ith th e p a s t in d ic e s becau se th e e n t i r e Sandy P o in t
a r e a , was n o t c o v e re d . AH.so th e d e te rm in a tio n o f th e sex r a t i o from one
cen su s a lo n e i n 1970 w ould n o t be r e l i a b l e . T h e re fo re , th e e x a c t sex
r a t i o o f p h e a s a n ts i n th e s tu d y i s n o t known.
Cock Crowing Count Census
( D uring th e p e r io d from 19&5 th ro u g h 1989* Game B io lo g is t
F a i r f a x S e t t l e co n d u cted crow ing co u n t c en su se s on t e n d i f f e r e n t o cca
s io n s . H is r e s u l t s ( S e t t l e 1971) i n T ab le 6 show t h a t th e peak o f
crow ing a c t i v i t y i s re a c h e d i n th e l a t t e r p a r t o f A p r i l and e a r l y p a r t
o f May.
B eg inn ing on A p r i l 9 , 1971* th e a r e a was v i s i t e d e ig h t t im e s and
a cock crow ing co u n t cen su s was co n d u c ted . The r e s u l t s o f th e crow ing
co u n t cen su s a r e p re s e n te d in, T ab le 7* The r e l a t i v e l y low p o p u la t io n
o f cocks i n th e a r e a p ro b a b ly a llo w ed a more a c c u ra te cen su s th a n i s
u s u a l when u s in g t h i s m ethod. The h ig h e s t number o f crow ing c a l l s ,
35? o c c u rre d on A p r i l 25 , 1971, and th e lo w e s t , 1 0 , on May 2 7 , 1971«
46
TABLE 6
Crcrwing-Cock In d ic e s (1965-1970)
Pat© .RunNumber o f
S ta t io n sC ro w in g -In d ices
A verage Number C a l l s P e r S ta t io n'
5*4-65 15 2 .2 0
5- 15-65 15 2 .0 0
,.5^-19-65 15 1 .5 3
4- 19-66 15 2 . 2?
.5—5-66 15 1 .9 3
5^a:L-66 15 3 .0 7
5- 26- 6? 15 1 .9 3
4- 30-69 15 1 .6 0
4- 2.9-70 15 1 .7 3
5 -1 3 -7 0 15 1 .3 3
TABL
E
47
H
&rH
bD5S
Q10fS©£o
o
oo
uo. ps05(0PS©
P.<
(0©o
•H
■sVbDfu
o
©
■soJtoesS©XCm
r~i
•H
T3G
H
T5©W > C ?H © © W w
STJ © ©
■ s r ,o ©o ©
sRo
«H ©o c o^ -H© -P X OS § -P p cn
CN- (N- o n c n c n CN- c n CN-00 CM Ov c n » n CM CM nO• • • • • • • •rH CM i—1 CM rH rH i—1
u ^ f P c n t r > r H H C V 2 0
NO cn CN-
vO C N . C ' NC fN C O ^ - r - } v O H CM CM CM rH H r-i
00CM o S
ONCM
* n<TN
c nCM
ON i—i COi—! OrH
NOrH
NOi—1 NOrH
*nrH
inrH
NOrH
NOrH
vnrH
©-PrS
Q
NOON rH
■A AOCM
i-3-
» nCM
Avr\
Ivnoo
ivn
no*Tvn
CN.CM
Ivn
48
The crow ing in d ic e s f o r th e s e two d a te s w ere 2 ,2 7 and , 6 7 , The h ig h e s t
number o f i n d iv id u a l cocks h e a rd crow ing was 27 on A p r i l 16 . On A p r i l
25* s ix te e n d i f f e r e n t cocks were h e a rd crow ing on Tomahund P la n t a t i o n ,
and. on A p r i l 2 0 , f o u r te e n in d iv id u a l cocks were h e a rd crow ing on Sandy
P o in t p r o p e r . B oth th e s e f i g u r e s , 16 and 1 4 , were h ig h s d u r in g th e
c e n s u s . T ab le 7 shows t h a t th e m ost a c t iv e crow ing to o k p la c e i n th e
l a s t two weeks o f A p r i l and ta p e re d o f f t o a ,6 7 crow ing in d e x by th e
end o f Kay. Some s p o ra d ic crow ing o c c u rre d in Ju n e , The lo w e s t tem
p e r a tu r e a t th e s t a r t o f th e cen su s was 34°F and th e h ig h e s t a t th e
c o n c lu s io n was 59°F« The mean te m p e ra tu re d u r in g th e e n t i r e p e r io d
was 48 °F .
. , On. May 1 0 , 1 2 , and 1 4 , 19719 a cen su s was ta k e n - to d e te rm in e
th e tim e o f th e g r e a t e s t d a i l y crow ing a c t i v i t y . The e a r l i e s t c a l l
h e a rd was a p p ro x im a te ly 50 m in u tes b e fo re s u n r i s e . The crow ing some
tim e s c o n tin u e d up t o 3 1 /2 h o u rs a f t e r s u n r i s e . The m a jo r i ty o f
crowing: c a l l s o c c u rre d betw een 10 m in u tes b e fo re s u n r is e t o 10 m in u tes
a f t e r s u n r i s e . D a ily crow ing a c t i v i t y was 31*3 f o r th e tim e i n t e r v a l ,
from 10 m in u te s t o s u n r i s e . The h ig h e s t a c t i v i t y was 34 c a l l s p e r
10 m in u te s from s u n r is e t o 10 m in u tes a f t e r s u n r i s e . The in c r e a s e and
d e c l in e i n i n t e n s i t y b e fo re and a f t e r t h i s p e r io d i s d em o n stra ted i n
F ig u re 3 , V a r ia t io n i n th e fre q u e n c y o f crow ing among in d iv id u a l cocks
was a l s o o b se rv e d . On May 1 4 , one cock crowed 16 t im e s , w h ile a n o th e r
crowed th r e e t im e s d u r in g th e same 20-m inu te p e r io d .
The d a ta i n F ig u re 3 do n o t a g re e w ith th e f in d in g s o f N e lso n ,
B u ss , and B a in es (1962) i n W ashington o r Hardy (1963b ) i n T en n essee .
I n b o th c a se s th e h ig h e s t d a i l y crow ing a c t i v i t y was from 30 t o 20
m in u te s b e fo re s u n r i s e . T aber (1949) found t h a t i n a 3 4 9 -ac re m arsh
**9
0) TJ GP G O3 3 o
0 G ,G 0& *H cd COP B S
0 0G C H ,G0 0
P GP
*u O CCl) U) •HCO C Gcd O rOX) U
3*HP
O■H
K*\rO cd Up p 0•H T5 CO Pucn > H•H cd cn
0 P 0 G cdU U X •rH *Q3 cd Pcn (0 G 0
*H CT! r—i 3 0fa c p C U•«H cd o &£ o PO 0U P G cd •o o 0
nrH
>» p B 0 o>rH 0 0 > rH•H £) n 0 tcd B p >*
*0 3 G cdC CO o s
M rH •Hcd 0 cd P P0) 0) > cd o
DU <d p pU 0 G ^0 P Cd 0> G 1—1 0Cd •H a. 5
5 0
06 08 0 L
09 08
J 0 ^
080 Z01
0
01
OZ
08
080901
080 6
inco ocnmro O
COin o
rHm
No. Crowing Calls Per 10 Minute Intervals
Bef
ore
Sun
rise
A
fter
S
un
rise
51
a r e a i n Dane C ounty , W isconsin* t h a t a t y p i c a l crow ing peak was re a c h e d
40 m in u tes b e fo re s u n r is e and th e n d e c l in e d r a p id ly . He a l s o r e p o r te d
t h a t th e r e was a g r e a t d e a l o f v a r i a t i o n due t o th e w ea th e r c o n d i t io n s .
T h is was shown by a d e c l in e i n th e number o f co ck s 'c ro w in g on e i t h e r
w indy , c o ld , o r c loudy m o rn in g s . K ozicky (1952) in Iowa su p p o rte d
T a b e r 's work showing a h ig h d eg ree o f v a r i a b i l i t y betw een c o u n ts .
N est C ounts
D uring th e s tu d y , o n ly two n e s ts have been r e p o r te d by la n d
ow ners. These were fo und i n c i d e n t a l t o o th e r a c t i v i t i e s such a s
p low ing u n d e r w heat i n June o f 1970 and c u t t in g h ay i n J u ly o f 1970.
The n e s t s i n th e w heat and hay c o n ta in e d 12 and 10 eggs r e s p e c t iv e ly .
No n e s t s were found by th e o b s e rv e r .
On June 1 1 , 1971» & young p h e a sa n t was p ic k e d up by a fa rm e r
w h ile p low ing u n d e r b a r le y a t n ig h t . By u s in g th e d a ta i n T ab le 11
o f . 'th e A ppendix , th e age o f th e b i r d was e s tim a te d t o be a p p ro x im a te ly
th r e e weeks and p ro b a b ly h a tc h e d around May 22 , B u ss , Meyer and E ab a t
(1951) r e p o r te d t h a t s in c e th e av erag e e a r3 y c lu tc h s iz e i s a b o u t 13
eggs and th e in c u b a tio n p e r io d i s ab o u t 23 d a y s , f o r t y days would be
th e minimum le n g th o f tim e betw een th e la y in g o f th e f i r s t egg and
th e h a tc h in g d a te . T h e re fo re , th e hen t h a t p roduced th e th re e -w e e k -
o ld p h e a sa n t p ro b a b ly w ould have s t a r t e d la y in g i n th e t h i r d week o f
A p r i l , betw een th e 15t h and th e 1 9 th .
Crop and Land-use P r a c t ic e s
The g e n e ra l ty p e o f fa rm in g on th e Sandy P o in t a r e a a p p e a rs
t o be e x c e l l e n t f o r th e s u c c e s s fu l e s ta b lis h m e n t o f th e h y b r id p h e a s a n t .
A d e t a i l e d d is c u s s io n o f th e la n d and th e la n d -u se p r a c t i c e s h as been
52
entered earlier in this paper in the section describing the study a r e a s .
The results in Table 17 and 18 of t ha Appendix show that the acreage of crops with the type of land-use in a landowner's farm, totals more than the actual acreage of his farm. This is because the farmers double crop. Land which is planted in wheat, barley, or oats is harvested and then immediately planted in soybeans or milo. Sometimes the land is left in summer fallow in an attempt to combat the spread of Johnson's Grass which causes a great deal of destruction to crops. No attempts were done to add up the amount and percentage of crops and land-use for each individual farm since in most cases, for the reasons stated above, it came to more than 100 per cent.
The results in Table 8 show that the amount of crops grown has not changed substantially over the past two years. About 53 p e r
cent, of the land consists of woods which prevents the pheasant from readily dispersing, Small grain, such as wheat, barley, grain sorghum, milo, and oats, is planted on 2 6 ,7 -2 9 ,2 per cent of the land. Soybeans, the largest single crop, was planted on 23,^ per cent of the area in 1970 and 2 0 ,9 pez* cent in 1971 • Com which is the main staple in the diet o f pheasants in their range in this country represented only 7 p e r cento There was an increase of 175 acres o f land left in summer fallow in 1971 as compared with 1970, Also pasture showed an increase from 22? acres to 381 acres, Since 1958, the general trend has been to plant approximately the same amount of crops each year,
A crop-rotation plan of three years was generally followed, resulting .in a need for more fertilizer in order to keep the soil productive* For each crop the amount of fertilizer per acre is generally
53
TABLE 8
Crop and Land-Use Data.-1970-1971 Summary T ab le
C rops and L and-use1970A cres . * _
1971A cres
Corn 35 8 .0 7 .3 32 7 .5 6 ,6
S oybeans 1152 .0 2 3 .4 1029 .0 2 0 .9
G ra in -T o ta l 1 437 .0 2 9 .2 1313 .0 2 6 .7
1# Wheat 6 9 2 .0 1 4 .0 61 0 .0 1 2 .4
2 . B a r le y 6 1 5 .0 1 2 .5 58 3 .0 ■1 1 .8
3* G ra in Sorghum 2 .0 .1 3 .0 •1
4.. M ilo 93 .0 1 .9 5 7 .0 1 .2
5 ® O ats 3 5 .0 .7 6 0 . G 1 .2
H ay -T o ta l 4 4 .0 .9 4 4 ,0 .9
1 , S e r ic e a le sp e d e z a 3 5 .0 .7 3 5 .0 .7
C lo v e r 9 .0 .2 9 .0 .2
P a s tu re 2 2 7 .0 5 .6 381 .0 7 .7
Woods 2633 .0 5 3 .4 2583 .0 5 2 .4
I d le Land 1 7 0 ,0 3 .5 1 6 2 ,5 3 .3
Summer F a llo w 1 0 1 .0 2 .0 2 7 5 .0 5 .6
Mi s ee l l a n e ous(hedgerow s, h o u se s , fe n c e ro w s ; r o a d s )
9 5 .0 1 .9 8 5 .0 1 .7
T o ta l A creage o f F a rm 's 4927 .0 49 2 7 .0
5^
th e fo l lo w in g : f o r sm a ll g r a in , 30 pounds o f n i t r o g e n , 50- 2,00 pounds
o f p h o sp h a te , and 50-200 pounds o f p o ta s h a r e sp re ad a t th e f i r s t
p l a n t in g . N ear th e f i r s t o f th e y e a r , 70-100 pounds o f n i t r o g e n i s
sp re a d on th e sm a ll g r a in . D uring th e p la n t in g o f c o m , 150 pounds
o f n i t r o g e n , 100 pounds o f p h o sp h a te , and 100 pounds o f p o ta sh i s
a p p l ie d t o th e la n d . F o r m ilo , 100 pounds o f n i t r o g e n i s p u t on a f t e r
th e sm a ll g r a in i s h a r v e s te d . Soybeans do n o t need any f e r t i l i z e r .
E very two o r th r e e y e a r s a to n o f lim e w hich i s v e ry h ig h i n ca lc iu m
c o n te n t , i s sp re a d on e v e ry a c re o f t i l l a b l e la n d .
Even th o u g h th e am ounts and ty p e o f c ro p s seem t o be b e n e f i
c ia l . t o th e p h e a s a n ts , t h e r e have been some d e t r im e n ta l p r a c t i c e s
d u r in g th e p a s t 13 y ea rs* I n th e m iddle o f th e 196Q*s, th e c le a r in g
o f - f i e l d s , hedgerow s, fe n c e ro w s, w oodlots., and i d l e t h i c k e t s was m ost
e x te n s iv e s N ot o n ly d id t h i s r e s u l t i n a co n tin u o u s l o s s o f fo o d ,
c o v e r , and r o o s t in g s i t e s , b u t a l s o p re s e n te d a v e ry s e r io u s t h r e a t
t o th e s u r v iv a l o f th e p h e a s a n ts . I n th e l a s t th r e e y e a r s , e s p e c i a l l y
i n .3*971, th e r e h as b een an in c re a s e in p a s tu r e la n d . I f th e p a s tu r e
la n d i s n o t g ra z e d to o i n t e n s i v e l y , i t w i l l g iv e th e p h e a sa n ts more
a v a i la b le h a b i t a t f o r n e s t in g , and th e e f f e c t o f th e d e c re a se i n
hedgerow s, e t c . , may be c o u n te rb a la n c e d .
Plow ing u n d e r o f sm a ll g r a in a t n ig h t i n th e m idd le o f J u n e ,
1971, acco u n ted f o r th e l o s s o f a t l e a s t f o u r , th re e -w e e k -o ld c h ic k s .
T h is p r a c t i c e co u ld be v e ry d e t r im e n ta l t o th e p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n .
Some mowing h a s o c c u rre d d u r in g th e n e s t in g se a so n , and h as acco u n ted
f o r th e d e s t r u c t io n o f eggs and th e d e a th o f h e n s .
The amount o f w aste g r a in rem ain in g from th e h a rv e s t in g o f
c e r t a i n c ro p s i s s m a ll . Im m ed ia te ly a f t e r th e sm a ll g r a in i s h a r v e s te d ,
soybeans o r m ilo i s p la n te d . On some o c c a s io n s , th e co rn s t a l k s have
b een plow ed u n d e r th e same day i t was h a rv e s te d . Of a l l th e fa rm e rs ,
o n ly A r th u r Hofmeyer u s e s n o - t i l l a g e fa rm in g , and su b se q u e n tly h i s
la n d s u p p o r ts a h ig h c o n c e n tr a t io n o f p h e a sa n ts (T ab le 1 ) .
T rapp ing
A lthough th e r e ap p e a red t o be betw een 10 and 15 p h e a s a n ts i n
th e t r a p p in g a r e a , th e t r a p p in g was n o t s u c c e s s f u l . T h is was due t o
th e la c k o f p h e a s a n t c o n c e n tr a t io n and th e low p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n in
th e P e te r s o n f i e l d d u r in g th e t r a p p in g p e r io d . A lso , th e w ea th e r
in f lu e n c e d th e s u c c e s s o f th e t r a p p in g a s th e w in te r was n o t sev e re
enough t o d r iv e th e p h e a s a n ts i n t o th e t r a p f o r f e e d . Only once was
th e ground co v ered w ith snow. I t m easured one in c h and l a s t e d a p p ro x i
m a te ly f i v e h o u rs . The av e ra g e h ig h te m p e ra tu re d u r in g t h i s p e r io d
was 5 3 .4 d e g re e s , and th e av e rag e low tem p en a tu re was 32*9 d e g re e s ,
A p l e n t i f u l amount o f b o th co v er and f e e d e x i s t e d f o r th e p h e a s a n ts .
A lthough on F e b ru a ry 2 ? , one cock was f lu s h e d 30 f e e t from th e t r a p ,
no o b s e rv a t io n s w ere r e p o r te d o f p h e a sa n ts b e in g seen e a t in g th e b a i t .
S m a ll b i r d s , such a s sp arro w s and m o c k in g b ird s , consumed th e m a jo r i ty
o f th e b a i t .
S in ce w in te r w e a th e r i s n o t sev e re enough t o d r iv e th e p h ea
s a n ts i n t o th e t r a p i n s e a rc h o f fo o d , w hich a p p a re n t ly i s a b u n d an t,
i t i s n o t f e a s i b l e t o t r a p in th e Sandy P o in t a r e a t o a c q u ire n a t u r a l
iz e d b i r d s f o r u se e lse w h e re i n th e p h e a sa n t s to c k in g p rogram .
O th e r W ild l i f e O b se rv a tio n s
D e ta i le d d a ta re g a rd in g numbers o b serv ed o f each s p e c ie s i n
each month i s p r e s e n te d i n T ab le 19 o f S e c t io n D i n th© A ppendix .
56
The Summary T ab le 9 shows th e t o t a l number o f in d iv id u a l s p e c ie s f o r
th e e n t i r e s tu d y p e rio d *
T w en ty -e ig h t d i f f e r e n t s p e c ie s o r s u b sp e c ie s o f w i l d l i f e were
o b serv ed on Sandy P o in t w ith a t o t a l o f 54-90 a n im a ls . A pprox im ate ly
80 p e r c e n t o f th e w i l d l i f e seen c o n s is te d o f bobw hite q u a i l * m ourning
d o v es , g u l l s , and r a b b i ts * The q u a i l and doves were abundan t i n e v e ry
month e x c e p t December when o n ly two days were sp e n t i n th e f i e l d .
R a b b its were m ost common i n th e summer and e a r ly f a l l o f 1970. W ild
tu rk e y s w ere seen i n th e woods b o rd e r in g Sandy P o in t on th r e e d i f f e r e n t
o c c a s io n s . S parrow and m arsh hawks were th e m ost commonly o b serv ed
s p e c ie s o f haw ks. S ix te e n o f th e m arsh hawks w hich were o b serv ed i n
A p r i l , 1971? c o n s is te d o f 12 fe m a le s and 4 m a le s . A lthough 36 fo x e s
w ere t ra p p e d o u t o f th e a r e a i n 1969 and 1970? fo x e s had n o t been
o b serv ed s in c e th e s tu d y was conducted o n ly i n th e d a y l ig h t h o u rs .
R e s id e n ts o f Sandy P o in t re c o rd e d o n ly th r e e fo x e s s ig h te d d u r in g 1970
and 1971.
D uring t h i s s tu d y , 1293. q u a i l o b s e rv a t io n s were re c o rd e d in
193 m an-hours w orked. These d a ta are p o t e n t i a l l y u s e f u l i n t h a t i t may
be r e l e v a n t t o th e q u e s t io n o f w h eth er p o p u la t io n s o f p h e a sa n ts and
q u a i l can s u c c e s s f u l ly c o e x is t on th e same a r e a .
Food H a b its
When th e c ro p c o n te n ts were a n a ly z e d , o n ly th r e e c ro p s were
found t o c o n ta in fo o d m a te r i a l . Soybeans were p r e s e n t i n a l l th r e e
c ro p s , w h ile o n ly one c o n ta in e d 1.4-1 gram s and 58 seed s o f m ilo . The
number o f soybeans ran g ed from 18 t o 160 and t h e i r w e ig h ts v a r ie d from
3*22 gr» t o 1 8 .2 9 g r . Due t o th e sm a ll s iz e o f th e sam ple , th e d a ta
do n o t g iv e an a c c u ra te p i c tu r e o f th e fo o d h a b i t s o f th e p h e a s a n ts
57
©©
• ^© >
X} £«p ©
o
rH VO rHCJ\ O v oCM ' A rH
CM A vR 00 P- rH (A CA rH
O rH CM rn
8cd© 1 © o !
*rS •Hs °© Til P<-P cn to
© •H © cn
©Ptocd
•H5b£\M*H
©stocd
*H&td♦H>©
Ii—1O
o
©*HWto©
3to wcd po to cd to
cd to •Hcd •H cd ©to to •H toP •H to ©O hi •Hi toto to hi •H© •H to to X rH
•H O cd o> -P to X
to o o cdctf w rH £ o
D to © •HB rH XI to cd wTi •H o -U p
•H O i—1 to tocd o © o' S Pto o t j o X •tH
a © T i •H to cd OISJ O fH XI cn
W
g•Stoo©
X
• a©
©p
. pcd• s©gscd©
cdXIo<3cd
H•Ho
*HS-!
-Pcd©
cdXI
cd!
d
©o©cdl
H©Oo j
cd3toor—I Xt
=>8CVS§ !cd
rHO
•H>cd!to*©
to tocd © . cdx e •Pcd to or~t cd kJ
o o
sw cd © S
*HO to © O P< £
o o
a
o*©
aS'
, .QO
m
cd-Xtoo
-P-PO
o
<D§
«bD
s
Orx
to©©
«
st!■f©
-P•H
©WOP-t
o
XIo
Mo■8o3:
rH©tou
•HPO1cnr">cdto
o
WrH
O
©•H
©
S©
-P©tohD
X!
wtooto©!xj
0
£>Xi©
X^£pXI
TABLE
9 (continued)
73ft ©© >' i ft©wrQ
O
©
£—4©© O
•H *r!O© •HOr
Oj >■11©
•HO
CO
©g
© jnj© t=£<
•HO fta O
p3CO t-.-t
Oo
-3* 03\0 O I—icmrH
ONON
CM
CM
r—! rH
CO COr~ i
ON ON <TNNO OO n
© ©
s•Hf t
© - Pto
•H ©O >O rH> •H
toto
0!>
© cda0
OO © I> •H i cd
>.l hf© •H ift rH j W
•H •Hft cdl ftrft rQJ b lcd cdf t p I ©cd I—11 rH
-ft o f J2O o f s
W! •H j CO I®|”d|«d{cla no{wj
•H j to j
©•rncdj
cdl
cd
acdUpq
ID I
COw
•H •HrH f t ©cd © © f t© £•>
£t0 •H
f t f tO cd cd O
X I p j © toKt ft, Td
to •rl ft!*H to rH -ftto f tS3 •H CO ©© f t f t f tO © -P ©
■Hcd £
cd0
f tCd
B cd f tcd f t •H O
to rHto
O O O f t© 0 0 O
-P H -P Pf t cd f t •H
CQ Eft m O
u<D©H
©&Q3*3ooct;
© ©w©<2>O
©R*•HPCO©
«»ftoto
o
C3
§cdW"0
cdSt■o©03
£oftftcdf t
r/.i
■StStj
©
oXIto;T*©03
•g
-fttoft
3v_r>
• scdW
wo
Woo
dcoc
k Ph
ilohe
la
min
or
59
i n th e Sandy P o in t a r e a . The f o u r b i r d s whose c ro p s were em pty were
k i l l e d e a r ly i n th e m orn ing , and t h e r e f o r e , can be assum ed t o have had
no chance t o f e e d . The th r e e b i r d s w hich were k i l l e d i n th e e a r l y
a f te rn o o n were sh o t i n soybean f i e l d s , th u s a c c o u n tin g f o r th e . la r g e
amount o f soybeans in t h e i r c ro p s . I f i t had been p o s s ib le t o have
o b ta in e d th e g iz z a r d s , more fo o d ite m s may have been fo u n d .
From th e form s t h a t w ere f i l l e d o u t by th e h u n te r s , i t was
le a r n e d t h a t th e av e rag e w e ig h t o f th e n in e co ck s was 1216 gram s, th e
l a r g e s t b i r d w eigh ing a p p ro x im a te ly 3 pounds. S ix cocks w ere a d u l t
and th r e e were j u v e n i l e . I n t h i s c a s e , ju v e n i le r e f e r s t o th e f a c t
t h a t th e y h a tc h e d o u t i n th e s p r in g o r summer o f 1970. H edgerow s,
p ig p e n s , p a s tu r e , t h i c k e t s , and soybean f i e l d s were u t i l i z e d a s
h a b i t a t . F iv e p h e a s a n ts were k i l l e d on Tomahund P la n ta t io n where
th e r e seems t o be a s tro n g c o n c e n tra t io n o f b i r d s . The f o u r p h e a sa n ts
w hich were s h o t on th e Sandy P o in t p ro p e r were k i l l e d o v er a w id e ly
s c a t te r e d a r e a . One b i r d was sh o t on M. R. D o ts o n 's p r o p e r ty , one on
Lem S m ith 's and two on Adolph H u la 's .
C lim a tic In f lu e n c e s
The c lim a te o f th e a r e a d u r in g th e s tu d y p e r io d i s c h a r a c te r is e d
b y a mean an n u a l p r e c i p i t a t i o n o f 46 in c h e s and a mean a n n u a l tem p era
tu r e o f 58*8°?’a T ab le 20 o f th e A ppendix g iv e s th e d a i l y maximum and
minimum te m p e ra tu re s f o r th e s tu d y p e r io d . The w arm est day re c o rd e d
war. 96°F on A ugust 2 , 1970© The c o ld e s t te m p e ra tu re was 13°F on b o th
J a n u a ry 21 and F e b ru a ry 1 , 1971* Summary T ab le 10 p r e s e n ts th e m onth ly
w ea th e r d a ta .
A ccord ing t o th e c l im a to lo g ic a l d a ta f o r th e W illiam sb u rg
W eather S t a t i o n , from 1967 th ro u g h 1970, th e mean a n n u a l te m p e ra tu re s
TABL
E 10
60
*4CD
■a©o©Q
I
©■81oO
©
'i©-pa©
CO
- P©
5
©
•'O
©tuO -P oj cd ^ f-t© 0 > P 4
e © p-t
o*A
* A . mON*A
CM
o£>-
va
o -
0000
£N-00
CM•
O -00
*A•
ONCM
NO
CA
On
»A9
ONO
JN-NO
COe
o -vO
00«
CMNO
s
I-HSI
rHcdpt ©
i %<1 -p cd© f-t
bO © cd P-u e © © f> Eh
CO•CO>A
June NO NO• 0-3- *A
CO no
May
CM 1—1 • •
CAO- *A
Apr
il
68.3
39.2
Mar
ch NO * Af> •
U S < A
K*.li
S>©
On CM
Janu
ary
CA ON • •CA »A -3" CM
w©
Ave
rage
Te
mpe
ra t
in
a 1SI St
61
ran g ed from 57»0°F t o 5S*3°F | th e mean an n u a l r a i n f a l l was 41*85
in c h e s (U*S* D epartm ent o f Commerce. W eather B ureau 1967-1970)®
H um idity r e c o rd in g s w ere d is c o n tin u e d i n th e m iddle o f
Septem ber b ecau se o f th e im p ro p er fu n c t io n in g o f th e h u m id ity n e e d le .
D uring th e tim e th e a re a was v i s i t e d i n th e a f te rn o o n and e a r ly
e v e n in g , th e h u m id ity ran g ed betw een 30 and 80 p e r c e n t . Fewer b i r d s
w ere seen on h o t and humid (70 -80 p e r c e n t h u m id ity ) days th a n on th o se
days w hich w ere h o t b u t n o t so humid (30 -40 p e r c e n t humi di t y ) .
C lim a tic in f lu e n c e s on th e p h e a s a n ts were d i f f i c u l t t o e v a lu
a t e . The c lim a te v e ry l i k e l y a f f e c te d th e tim e o f th e b re e d in g seaso n
and th e amount o f p r o d u c t iv i ty . P ro b ab ly th e m ost im p o rta n t a s p e c t
o f the,, w ea th e r was i t s a f f e c t on th e landow ner*s fa rm in g o p e r a t io n s .
The w e a th e r d e te rm in e d th e p l a n t in g , p lo w in g , mowing, and h a r v e s t in g
a c t i v i t i e s * The c u t t in g o f b a r le y u s u a l ly o c c u rre d in th e f i r s t week
o f J u n e , and w heat was c u t around th e l a s t two weeks o f Ju n e . The
l a t e r th e h a r v e s t , th e g r e a t e r th e chances were o f a b e t t e r h a tc h o f
young p h e a s a n ts o c c u r r in g . The .h a rv e s tin g o f b a r le y i n 1965 and 1968
v e r i f i e s t h i s p o i n t . The h a r v e s t was e a r l i e r th a n u s u a l , i n th e t h i r d
week o f May, and c o n s e q u e n tly , a l a r g e number o f n e s ts and young
p h e a s a n ts were r e p o r te d d e s tro y e d .
GENERAL DISCUSSION
I t i s f e l t t h a t th e s tu d y a re a su p p o rts an e s ta b l i s h e d p o p u la
t i o n o f p h e a s a n ts , a c o n c lu s io n w hich h a s been su p p o rte d b y Game B io
l o g i s t s and F o re ig n Game I n v e s t ig a t io n program p e r s o n n e l . D uring
1970-1971 s tu d y , 987 p h e a s a n t o b s e rv a t io n s were r e c o rd e d . However,
th e t o t a l p o p u la t io n s iz e f o r th e s tu d y a r e a can p ro b a b ly be e s tim a te d
t o ran g e betw een 90 and 120 p h easan ts*
I n o rd e r t o e s t im a te p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n s i z e s , th e f a l l o r
w in te r s e x r a t i o and th e t o t a l number o f in d iv id u a l cocks h e a rd crowd
in g d u r in g th e s p r in g crow ing census m ust be known. The f a l l f lu s h in g
co u n t c en su s t h a t was co nducted i n 1969 by S e t t l e (1971) r e v e a le d a
se x r a t i o o f 3 h ens t o 1 co ck . The d a ta t h a t x*ere c o l l e c te d from th e
I 97O cen su s can n o t be depended upon i n d e te rm in in g a f a l l sex r a t i o
f o r t h a t y e a r b ecause th e o b s e rv e rs were n o t allowed, on Tomahund
P la n t a t i o n , and a m a jo r p o r t io n o f th e p o p u la t io n i s lo c a te d on t h a t
p l a n t a t i o n .
R e s u l ts from T ab le 7 show t h a t a p p ro x im a te ly 27 in d iv id u a l
cocks were crow ing on A p r i l 16 i n th e e n t i r e s tu d y a r e a • On A p r i l 2 5 ,
16 d i f f e r e n t cocks w ere re c o rd e d crow ing on Tomahund P l a n t a t i o n , and
on A p r i l 2 0 , 14- in d iv id u a l cocks were crow ing on Sandy P o in t p ro p e r .
T h e re fo re , th e r e would a p p e a r t o be ap p ro x im a te ly 30 cocks on th e
e n t i r e Sandy P o in t a r e a . Using b o th th e se x r a t i o from 1969 and th e
•number (30) o f in d iv id u a l cocks crow ing in th e s p r in g o f 1971 , th e
6 2
e s tim a te d p o p u la t io n may be d e te rm in ed t o be 120 p h e asan ts* T h is i s
an e s t im a te o f th e maximum number o f p h e a sa n ts and a more re a so n a b le
e s tim a te o f th e p o p u la t io n would range betw een 90 and 100 , b a sed on
f i e l d o b s e rv a t io n s , b ecau se i n th e sp r in g o f 1971 th e r a t i o o f h ens
t o cocks was n e a r e r t o 2s 1 th a n t o th e 3s 1 r a t i o fo u n d i n th e f a l l o f
1969*
T able 5 shows t h a t th e r e was a d e f i n i t e in c r e a s e i n av erag e
b rood s iz e from 1970 (2*8) t o 1971 (6 * 5 )• However, th e s e f ig u r e s
a re m is le a d in g and do n o t f o r e t e l l a s u b s t a n t i a l in c r e a s e i n th e
p o p u la tio n * The b ro o d s o b se rv ed i n th e l a t t e r p a r t o f th e summer i n
1970 show a d e c re a se i n th e av e rag e b rood s i z e , a s compared w ith th e
coun ts, e a r ly i n th e summer, and i f t h i s s tu d y had c o n tin u e d in t o th e
summer o f 1971 > th e b rood s iz e s coun ted in th e s p r in g would, p ro b a b ly
a l s o show a, d e f i n i t e d e c r e a s e . D ale (1958) r e p o r te d t h a t b ecau se o f
th e h ig h m o r t a l i t y r a t e among th e c h ic k s due t o p r e d a to r s and n e g l i
g e n t la n d -u se p r a c t i c e s , th e av e rag e b rood i s red u ced c o n s id e ra b ly below
th e o r ig in a l s iz e by f a l l *
N elson (196^ ) p re s e n te d d a ta on a t o t a l o f 526 b ro o d s w hich
c o n ta in e d kZZk c h in k s from h i s a re a s i n K entucky. The av erag e brood
s iz e was 8 .0 . A s te a d y d e c l in e i n th e number o f b ro o d s seen was
n o te d i n a f o u r - y e a r p e r io d a f t e r th e l a s t r e le a s e i n 1958, b u t
N elson concluded t h a t b rood s iz e and number o f eggs p e r c lu tc h
(b ased on a l im i t e d number o f n e s t s tu d ie s ) were norm al* Yet a tte m p ts
t o in tro d u c e p h e a s a n ts i n K entucky have f a i l e d . The e x a c t re a so n s a re
n o t c l e a r .
Brood d a ta p re s e n te d from T ennessee (196^ - 1969) in c lu d e s 91
b ro o d s w ith an av e rag e b ro o d s iz e o f 7 .2 (H ines 1 9 7 0 ), A nderson
64
(1964) c a r r i e d o u t s tu d ie s i n I l l i n o i s so u th o f th e e s ta b l i s h e d p h e a sa n t
range* I n i 9 6 0 , 52 b ro o d s were o b serv ed w ith a mean s iz e o f 7*4 c h ic k s
p e r broodo I n b o th c a s e s , a t te m p ts t o e s t a b l i s h perm anent p h e a sa n t
p o p u la t io n s were n o t s u c c e ss fu l*
The d a ta i n T ab le 5 do n o t a g ree w ith th e f in d in g s o f N elson
(1 9 6 4 ), H ines (1 9 7 0 ), and A nderson (1964)• The av erag e b rood s iz e s
were lo w , b u t even so i t i s l i k e l y t h a t th e b re e d in g p o p u la t io n i s
p ro d u c in g enough b ro o d s p e r y e a r t o s u s ta in i t s e l f i n th e Sandy P o in t
a r e a .
The h a b i t a t u t i l i z e d i n th e summer and f a l l b y th e p h e a s a n ts
on th e Sandy P o in t a re a a re d i f f e r e n t from th o se found in K entucky
(N elson 1964 , 1968) , T h e re , p h e a s a n ts were m a in ly seen i n co rn
f i e l d s an d o n ly seen 2 p e r c e n t o f th e tim e i n soybeans • H ow ever, i n
th e Sandy P o in t a r e a , th e re v e rs e was t r u e . • F ig u re 2 shows t h a t
a p p ro x ira a te ly 30 p e r c e n t o f th e p h e a s a n ts o b serv ed i n th e s p r in g and
f a l l were i n soybean f i e l d s w h ile th e co rn f i e l d s were n o t u t i l i z e d t o
any g r e a t e x te n t* N elson (1964) r e p o r te d t h a t co rn i s a v a i la b le a l l
y e a r round and i n la r g e q u a n t i t i e s w hereas soybean f i e l d s a re a t a
minimum* The landow ners o f Sandy P o in t p l a n t ap p ro x im a te ly 330 a c r e s
i n co rn and U 0 0 a c re s i n soybeans each y e a r (T ab le 8 ) . The r e l a t i v e l y
g r e a t e r a v a i l a b i l i t y o f soybean f i e l d s a t Sandy P o in t may e x p la in i n
p a r t th e d i f f e r e n c e i n b e h a v io r o f th e two p o p u la t io n s (K entucky and
Sandy P o i n t ) . There a r e i n s u f f i c i e n t d a ta on fo o d h a b i t s o f Sandy
P o in t b i r d s t o r e l a t e fo o d and h a b i t a t p r e f e r e n c e s , b u t i t i s presum ed
t h a t fo o d I s p l e n t i f u l , a s ev id en ced th e th e f a i l u r e o f b a i t e d t r a p s
t o a t t r a c t th e b i r d s d u r in g th e w in te r , when fo o d i s p resum ably l e a s t
a b u n d a n t•
65
A number o f t h e o r i e s have been fo rm u la te d co n cern in g th e
re a s o n s p h e a s a n ts have n o t become e s ta b l i s h e d i n s e c t io n s so u th o f
th© 4 0 th p a r a l l e l . E x c e s s iv e ly h ig h a i r te m p e ra tu re s d u r in g p r e
in c u b a t io n p e r io d , la c k o f c a lc iu m , p r e d a t io n by f o x e s , haw ks, and
p o a c h e r s , d e c re a se i n th e amount o f c o v e r , and th e change i n la n d -u se
p r a c t i c e s a re some o f th e f a c t o r s t h a t have been blam ed f o r f a i l u r e
o f e s ta b l is h m e n t .
Y e a t te r (1950) found t h a t exposure o f eggs t o h ig h p r e - in c u b a t io n
a i r te m p e ra tu re s betw een 78° and 83°F f o r n in e h o u rs a day d u r in g a
c o n se c u tiv e sev en -d ay p e r io d showed a d e c l in e i n h a t c h a b i l i t y • E l l i s
and A nderson (1963) u s in g a -h ig h te m p e ra tu re o f 79°^ s e x p e r ie n c e d a
d e c l in e i n h a t c h a b i l i t y • N elson (1964) r e p o r te d i n h i s s tu d y two c a se s
o f in c u b a t io n p e r io d s d u r in g w hich th e a i r te m p e ra tu re s were 80°F o r
above f o r sev en c o n se c u tiv e d ays o r lo n g e r i n th e p r e - in c u b a t io n p e r io d ,
H atch in g su c c e ss was 83«3 P ^ r c e n t in th e f i r s t case and 9 ^ .9 c e n t
i n th e , seco n d , N elson (1964) concluded from n e s t te m p e ra tu re s tu d ie s
t h a t h ig h a i r te m p e ra tu re s d u r in g th e p r e - in c u b a t io n p e r io d were n o t
an e x tre m e ly im p o rta n t f a c t o r a f f e c t in g r e p ro d u c t io n .
The m a jo r i ty o f th e n e s t in g o ccu rs in A p r i l and May, and in
T ab le 20 o f th e A ppendix , th e d a ta f o r th o se two m onths show t h a t th e
a i r te m p e ra tu re n e v e r re a c h e d a c r i t i c a l p o in t f o r any le n g th o f t im e .
T h e re fo re , i t i s u n l ik e ly t h a t h ig h a i r te m p e ra tu re s d u r in g th e p r e -
in c u b a t io n p erio d , a f f e c t e d th e h a tc h in th e Sandy P o in t a r e a .
A ca lc iu m d e f ic ie n c y i n th e s o i l ap p ea rs t o p re v e n t th e e s ta b
l ish m e n t o f p h e a s a n ts i n th e e a s te r n and so u th e rn p o r t io n o f th e U n ited
S t a t e s (R obinson 1958) . C alcium i s v i t a l in r e p ro d u c t io n , g ro w th , and
o th e r p h y s io lo g ic a l p ro c e s s e s i n b i r d s (L ab isk y e t a l , 1 9 6 4 ),
66
Romanoff an d Romanoff (19^9) r e p o r te d t h a t ab o u t 93*2 p e r c e n t (2 .2
grains) o f th e s h e l l o f th e egg l a i d by a d o m estic hen c o n s i s t s o f
ca lc iu m and a p p ro x im a te ly 6 .0 p e r c e n t o f th e c o n te n ts o f th e egg i s
ca lc iu m . T h is calcium , comes from e i t h e r th e d a i l y d i e t o f th e hen o r
from h e r body r e s e r v e s o f ca lc iu m .
However, th e f in d in g s o f t h i s s tu d y ap p e a r t o in d ic a te t h a t
ca lc iu m i s n o t a l im i t in g f a c t o r i n th e Sandy P o in t a r e a . An ample
su p p ly o f ca lc iu m i s p ro v id e d by numerous sea s h e l l s o r i g i n a l l y from
th e James R iv e r , by lim e s to n e found on th e edge o f co u n ty ro a d s and
i n d r iv e w a y s , and by a r t i f i c i a l a l k a l i n i z a t i o n o f th e s o i l e v e ry two
o r th r e e y e a r s w ith lim e (Ca CO^) .
■ I n 1967 and 1968 , th e in h a b i ta n t s o f Sandy P o in t f e l t t h a t
^ th e r e was a d e f i n i t e d e c re a se i n th e number o f b i r d s se en . They
■ a ttr ib u te d th e d e c re a se t o th e p r e d a t io n o f fo x e s and t o th e la n d -u se
^changes on th e 13*~acre S e r ie e a le sp e d e z a f i e l d i n th e n o r th e rn p a r t o f
?th e s tu d y a r e a . These two f a c t o r s p ro b a b ly d id c o n t r ib u te t o th e
4d e c re a se i n th e p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n , b u t more l i k e l y th e p rim a ry f a c
t o r was th e e x te n s iv e c le a r in g and c le a n in g o f f i e l d s , hedgerow s,
fe n c e ro w s , w o o d lo ts , and i d l e t h i c k e t s . Wot o n ly d id t h i s r e s u l t i n
a co n tin u o u s l o s s o f fo o d , c o v e r , and r o o s t in g s i t e s , b u t a l s o p r e
s e n te d a v e ry s e r io u s t h r e a t t o th e s u r v iv a l o f th e p h e a s a n t . D uring
th e p a s t th r e e y e a r s , how ever, th e r e h a s been a te n d en c y t o p u t more
3-and in to p a s tu r e , t o c r e a te more d i tc h b a n k s , and t o le a v e hedgerow s
s tan d in g * T h is may w e l l a cco u n t f o r th e a p p a re n t in c r e a s e i n th e popu
l a t i o n s iz e o v er th e l a s t two years® The Sandy P o in t p o p u la t io n i s
.w e ll e s ta b l i s h e d and o f a v ia b le s i z e , and b a r r in g some changes in
la n d -u se p r a c t i c e s , e x c e s s iv e h u n t in g , o r p o a c h in g , i t w i l l p ro b a b ly
m a in ta in i t s e l f i n th e Sandy P o in t a re a i n d e f i n i t e l y .
APPENDXX
Section A ~ Age Characteristics of Juvenile PheasantsSection B - Habitat DataSection G - Crop and Land-XJse DataSection D Observations of Other WildlifeSection S - Weather DataSection F - Census Method FormsSection G - Inhabitants of the Sandy Point Area
6 8
69
SECTION A
Age C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f J u v e n ile P h e a sa n ts
70
TABLE 11
Ag© C h a r a c t e r i s t i c s o f J u v e n ile P h e asa n ts Used F or D ete rm in in g Age o f Broods i n 1971*
Age S ex H eig h t T a i l L ength
1 week B oth 3 in c h e s F e a th e r s j u s t s t a r t e d
2 weeks B oth 4 in c h e s 1 /2 in c h
3 weeks B oth 5 in c h e s 1 l / 2 in c h e s
4 weeks B oth 7 in c h e s 2 in c h e s
5 weeks B oth 7 l / 2 in c h e s 2 1 /2 in c h e s
6 weeks B oth 8 in c h e s 2 3 /4 in c h e s
? weeks Cocks 9 in c h e s 3 in c h e s
8 weeks Cocks 10 in c h e s 3 l / 2 in c h e s
9 weeks Cocks 11 in c h e s 4 in c h e s
10 weeks Cocks 12 in c h e s 4 in c h e s (P o s tju v e n i le m o lt)
11 weeks Cocks 13 in c h e s 5 1 /2 in c h e s
12 weeks Cocks 14-14 1 /2 in c h e s
6 1 /2 in c h e s
♦Wagner j s i (1965)
71
SECTION B
H a b ita t D ata
72
CVJrH
ta■803Of
J!P*wy-A§ -g“ t<D
01
SStTJ•HCX,foo
•p05s 3
73
CO
CO
I I I ! t 1 I I t I 1 I I I I I I t I I I I I I I I I r - t rH I
I c\JvO 5 1 I i vO* I I I 1 1 1 I I I I I I S I I I CM I I * 0 4 0 I
© | | ( t l g l i l l l l O \ l t a ^ l l 3 l t l 3 l l l l C M 6 CM
CM r*!
I 0 \ \ Q I 2 I | \ D ! I I I H I rH I I I ! I ! I I H I W I HrX i—S
r - i I
OI S r-i I I I H I I I I I 1 I I I I I CM I I CM I I I I I I
CD
o WO
d 0)© to COCO -p£ © CO
0) O bD d >>r~l o o rX •p d„Q u •H CO © CO © ©d d d X5 m •H d CO to to d >
£ +3 c CO CH o Is c d <0 o•P «S °8 o © d 8 o ctf j* § uCO rX V) hi d d d u d *, ?ct © «<• 9 R
d cj P <p CO •H © © © X p-l tod
•H>3 © © •H -P £ d O cj x o b.Q o ha d •HC!j H © o 10 o o © •H •H £ d ~p %* bo d 91 5-1x ; d & d *"3 CIS i-i £ d K © © ' i'S o 53 'S3
M a, o* i s Q d CXi
() represent
subtotals
TABL
E 12
(con
tinue
d)
• H <DrO
GO -cj- v£> C*N N ^ o CO* C M rH i I I I I N 1 I f O I I I N O \ H I I I * 00 * rH I O t 1
(TN i—(
O - UN JN-CO {N- •O
rH
00 cm
s 1 1 t i 1 i t i 1 f'N 1 < n 1 i t cm cm i t h cm 1 1 1 c n <r> irH w . w ' —
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I t I I I t I I I I I I
! »A C 0 ! I I CO I t I S ! 0f\ | C°v I I CM I I I I I CO I C°V 1 I Ij3* w w CM r-i
OrH
CMD-CM
COCM
ODOn
t ^ i i a s i t 1 t i l l a 1 i t 1 1 1 1 1 rH 1 t 1 1 <r\cn s
CM rH i I I t I I C— C^N^- I N I 0 O 4 H 4 - I I I I I rH I I I rH rH I 'w ' - w ' i—! CM r - i r - 1
m .p P ci *H
O CO
Qt
©■o
r-i 8 .X> 0rQ <D
1—I- p0 a$
© U_ P O ©O *r*i •r iH sd Sh O'H p © rHS hO «fl CO CJ
M
<15rH
§COl>» ©
M
0hO
x J 030 03 03w - p qjS 0 t-l0O
a j0
bDu
X>03
O- p £ 0
uO ©W P
• o cd P P© •H rH o_>© ”0 0
,P CtfCH
0OrH© 0
•H P0
. .H
x i rd© 03 • r i © 0£ rd O p H0 0 O • r i *H
£ -a Pi
u xibD af
(jhK q w ^ p;
CO
ONUN
COr - ivS
-PO
* ()
repr
esen
t su
btot
als
75
< r\rH
3
06;rH
•g
Jj-P
w •Bcd01<3©04'd©fc-©wg£*•d•H§•oo0
1'Sa
76
•p
CO
I oo o- c^co04 ^ r - i w
*H•9
to
W 43 0g <D U© o ^ torH O OO “ -H «5
9—!iH43€53
■H-p
O OO «H rHtO © ^
tO flS CO O X I ’T t W M fe M p pci a , e ;i o eo o
() re
pres
ent
sub
tota
ls
77
§•S"I©©
cn«H
ON»ncr\I i I i I
CM
ON CM WN CM o n ON
I I I -3* I 1 I H M 4 - I i I O N J j- I !
o -•
CM 1 CM
1 OrH
C'-vO S; i—1 o o rH
I t O - C— t r—I i—I I I M3 N - -3" CO -ft- CO l*N N - -ft- -ft" I J-ft- v—' CM — ' -ft- O N ----- -- rH rH
CM VO '-O i> - CM -ft-
CN-\£> ON H N H I I O-vD t i l l ' f t I -ft- I I C 'W O -3- HONHi—1 i—! v—•“ i—I I I I O- £P o 1AH -ft-
N -r-TOM
I rH I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ! 1 I J I I 8 I t I
I CM rH i ? I H I I 1 I I I I I I I CM I I 1 I I i I I I ON I ON
i p I 5 I I i 1 I I i I I J I i I I S i I 1 I i 1 i I I I ON CM rH
t I I I I I H H I 1 (N- I IN- I -ft- I CM CM CM CM
1 H I I i ! CM rH rH
ctf ©W bO© •ft w
S? •ft © W COf t£
i rH 8 .©S
-P©
ftft (0
-ft -ft (0 © o M bO f tbO •£ © rH o o 1—sft ft i—i rO •• ft •H to © to
SO -p rQ -ft -ft •H ftto
!>>CO w «T? ft >-« -P ft to ft! o
•H ft a* © ft -P °8 o fl) ft.ft cj £0 © ft o © to ft to ft f t — rdCt> cd
•5«> rH •H o •H > f t ft ft d © to •r«
W ft ,.o 0) ft ctf3
ttf£
ft o >5 © © *H -ft -p r-» f t oU Pi © ctf ft ft © rH rt m ft o to o o ©o o ft -ft tuo e bO aS CO O -ft P> -Q ft r~i o •ft
, o CO CO W H Cft fft Is.
oo,
ON
N-o v
—j © © ft
•H *HpH b
4-> f tto f t ©to to -Ni to f t b
gt*o
ftft ■g
©f t
oft
ft f t rO ft © M 3 Or© © -ft PH © •H so fcfl a f t f t f t •J-jft f t -P ft hfl f t© © •H ft •ri o £ ft
£h fft Q CQ PH Cft
() re
pres
ent
sub
tota
ls
78
oc -o \H
u-p
rH
a§E-t
o■8caelJ8Ph"d.©©CO
SrQnd•SCL
Ioo15
•3W
79
-p
rH
I O CM OO I (n <M 'w rH;-p
CO
• P i «
bOrH
(D ^ - p O <D W hcJ^JH 1jCIcs}Q**S5
<D <D © JZ P , « *HR O to O ^ "'* —!
•H £ d - P
d £ 3 p w© -H J d P da> ** o w o o
p r j ‘“ 3 c5 rH OP* fl,S h o !«
w _ . . c3 *H O En w p m PL, KbO «5 c a O ,r4 d JxJ |-HO CO O
() re
pres
ent
sub
tota
ls
80
TiH5■ £ .£■*?oo
a .E~C
in
iP'4
£-■
O s
IrH
I I I I I I I 6‘ 3
I I I I
oo i A *
VOkCO! H On C P I
CM
CV I rH I
1 S I <T\ CM rH CP C\J f—I
1 I I CPW I H H C P O P I ^ CM
H I r )
I S - 3 - I I i -3- I I I I i c n i c n s I I I I I I I r H I I I I I I
3 I I S I S I II S I 1 8 I I S 3 1 B l l f S l 1 1 1 I I t
I I r H I 1 i l l —! * I I 1 ( 1 I I I I 9 1 i I ( H I I I I I I
t ! I I 8 I I I I I I I I I S I I I t I ! I I I i I I r H I r H
I 8 V P H 4 - I 1 1 I I I I I I I I I I I i rH ! t I I I I i
CO £ ~ct$ «o© sq
c £ *r1U Pa <4 © O £-!o c o O
p o gS rH© U
X i nS 15 ,Q
X b0Uom
• ac j rH
*U0 e|
© i—IX
P 03
o -Sg
c jtS©
X l©a ,w©
rHflj©O
•H
<D
0 i—1X■BCO
>> 0 <$ H
©hD
X f0 COto Pg © o ^ o o
A 08x J ©©
03©§hO to
am f<H©
to od rH
P - i PH
tn 2 o z i
3■d o o © g -d
co»>s
P X I ©
©
to © © x l >£ £ Ti T* to oo o erf r i g
X €ti © p PH to© © X PH © •H g rHo bO o c X I x* •H OS£! rU p hO © Ci P© © •H •H o S J3 O
Pn Q OQ PH P 4 EH
S 'orH
00{>-1
CO
CM
rH
\Q()
repr
esan
t su
bto
tals
81
O
UP<
CO
©3
a
»ceCOs$j§P-*"d©010g
-d•H§•o o o -p«$vH■8
82
w-p
£>- O O - 04 CM '—
CO
©
-p
o
w 'P g © **© O ^ ho
rH O Ojd « fn *H W,J0 -d ,© Xi ®
I—ibD
•d U 3© © © K O bO o • d £ t j -Pg © © *H . . _
ix< k « pq r n «
T* ed W -H
£ rQ «i H P T j Q< cn p-h |s
() re
pres
ent
sub
tota
ls
83
rH
-K00 r-H {>- rH CM
CO
CM
i—i
Eh
I * A 0 0 rH I O n rH -3- NO ' — rH
0^rH
rH I - t C n CN I N H Cv- r \H n /H co I o'n <y~\ O s H H 1A ' A ‘ n o {V.pH CM rH H COV -> p-j
-P
j? CMrH
£>- CM |
ON■5b
torH
•• f-t *H& ja xl 2 q -p
-P rt og W rH f-4"d eg S»a ■ © © -H
f-r fc ,Q©OP,*O hD O fiTJ -P,© © *H . . _ fe K Q W &5
£ © to *H © -p ^ -d o q
. . . W O O © »riPP *-3 d rH O X< P h
P-« P* !S
rH
-O txD M
repr
esen
t su
bto
tals
84
H&HO
CD
%orH OS
a to
9 IEh Ph
X i(D<D10e :i?xf•H&o o©■s
• s
65
CO
CO
-Ql ©
b p
9 rH f tJm ,Q OT
if -9 3 _ra "w erf ^ *B® k -P erf ojj£ q a ® to rH■H O *H *H {>
?-« »H iM 0 r—| erf j—j ®M E bB co O .jq rO &W M
rH
&•P0,
i 'g© S3 bS r l rt rQ <i>P$ ®rf $ © O *4 is ,Q
O CO O fx, w O 0 ^ «
() re
pres
ent
subt
otal
s
86
rHOSPO6-t'S
-3- <r\ cm H -=}•I 1 I I I I I I I I I § I I I I I I CM
rH -c t
\oi l l oo i t o
CM rH
c5£«3jCO
©
HoS-PoEH
CM■3"
O3aJPIfc?P i
©BP«}sPiASfxjS-iPu>|W£<o•H
-PaS
©to
P»Oo
©,£3n
TJ
*r3
*8OoM3rH
9E-i
V!O
H I N I N I 1 I I 1 I I I I 1 I C 'f 'S l I I I I I 1 | 1 I N O J i A COrH
.©• r i
c?Pr
I I I I I I I I I I £ I I I I I I S I I I ?. I I I I I I I I
I I 8 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 8 I I a I I I I S I I I I
S I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 8 I I I I I I
X
COI I O 1rH t I O I I I I I I t I I I i I I ! iH I ! I I I I Ii—i
AS ©CO to© W
© © to| A a
W pS ©
aS
X X to © o toto X © rH o Ou P rH P i •• SH *H w
(0oto -B AS • §
P ! XP p:.« © U P AS o
aS to -P © qrH *H O
q o © W rH q 10© q aS •H •H > TS a3 q
q P i •H © f-i AS i—1 aS •o o r*> © © •H Xu i>> aS -g AS *rj U © 1—1 AS
d© o
o o ,-Q tuD g to ctS CO o P i is P io CO O w M
w ViP Pit o o
T j -PPi CP
£■©I‘Ppp co -H p X X
U tD aJ © as -H o gW PJ PQ CP P4
TO©§&•S
wHaSiPo£-*
repr
esen
t su
bto
tals
8?
SECTION C
Crop and Land-Use Data
8 8
i VrH
PQ
i5
O
&;T1■3
©W
*?scfi
s-i
■aedo .OfM
O
PCS
to
w
OhsjS^ tG?-3'©
US|C £ ©
Pi O
<sS
p
?fciCO
e0 vs
d>• ?-«H> 0
<*;
©©
£>I
■Scd
j—?
- daetf
»a jo
o
On .3 - H On CM • • • • •
o o H H N ' A -3" p - rH CM
o ~ t r \v o » n rH V>V\Q O - rH NO
CM CM rH rH
I i i I I
i i i i i
rH CO rHI * * I • •
--3 - On rH p - C'-'v
NO ntn I N AT| | CM
ON VO CM
O £>- O - £"- O « • • • e
0 0 ^5: VO COH n CO rH rH
I I I 1 I I I O<*
3( I
Cn- CM CM vcn £v_CM lp \ CM CM i i 9 1 i NO
I NO I
cr\
vrt
0O CO O 0 0 * I
o UN. CO NI • I I I I I • • • •O n » A Hco P ; o -=*•1—I
v r\ O n O O n n o W rH Nc n I s r \ | I rH I I I I ' I rH CM
<r>
-3 - c n £>- CTN 0 0 • • a e a S ! tC*\ OCO ^CM rH-3- CH
<r> o ~ .f3 1 ? » • 1 *n o r .^ cmCM H
. O (TNCM <N- Cn- r-j NO j I | | I | ! i CMNT\ VT\ CM H
O O O O O O O OI I • • • I * 1 1 1 1 8 • • ® •' ‘ NO CM c t CM NO
rH ^ rH rH-Cj- NO CM 3 " rH rH
CM 0 0 NO CO N O N N O O ^I I CM I I 1 I 1 I CM
»Cd©
rH<d
P
egN©
§ aP vsfcuDPi AO
CO «d© P«
p : O ©• h 0 0 rH *H $>
V
> S «g O O Uo w o
>>- p ©eg rH . .© Pi ctf rH -P
P eg Ut *H eg ^ PQ O S O
cdPo
u o© rH
CO O
■a
g iors
r j OH © «j p :IP RS
rH CM IT\ *>> rH CM«d
W
• Pus
A' gus O r-i
d O " d p .. & m
<3 CD| O s us
co id
§ou©oPJ© 0
«H T J d
• O W Pi£O «« Pi © © ©fcO US© o
p p
Ov nrH
Oo
NO0 3rH
Ovn>
egfitP io
©hDeg©Uo
<I—Iat
PO
CH
©
w
H 4 - O v O OsC^J !T V O v n i r \ N O O « * ■ • • • • • • (
Ov VAvO -=}- voI—I I—i
H O H VO r~l
O-rH
O 'A O O O c v ic ^ 'T i^ ir\vrv\o *AC O C A .cf^3“ vO CA I H W ON I H
rH rH *A
IS©
•H
fc wcS ©
PQ £■<o
CO -3- CAI • • • 8 1 * 1 1 1 1 1 - I t •CM -=*• ca VOI—i r—i i—! 0 0
O O i T i »A t—! CMI CO ON CO I I * I I I 8 VA I I*A
O O O Ov>S. 8 • • ® I 1 • !O A - r v . o04 (A iH
%m i| ©Ho<aj
CO
03t=>t
■s.3■fi«s5wOo
O CO CO 5 CO CO -^r
r—I rH
CA O £>- l i t *1 • •CM A -
V O
Ov CO CAe t 5 I I 8 ! 4 - I CM
CM
Ov rH CA {>• A- -3-VO D- A-• • • 1 1 1 e * | e e l • •
A— O rH rH - -3* CM CM
' A ' A O O O
CM CM rH -3* CM CM CM
v a *A O O vo, vOM - v On O OA i 1 I CM CM I O CA I CM
CA CA CM rH
00 O VO O vO• * • e •
OvNAcJ- O H H CM H r i
CM CM
O A N O O O O n © CO| • | • • s e • } « s
CA CM rH VO O CMVO
O V O C O O O 00 'A o '-A VO *A CM na VA ov 3 vO O - 3 rH I rH rH CAvO I «H
i—I CA
03 £ a?© £ j o ® * o *>3 Cj H CM CA^J-O f~t
CJ CO O
© 03m 'a&
03 03
03 rH © ©bfl O
P Q O S CO CJ © ©O XjVA p i rH CM O w .
00«H
m
EH
Bs
«}- pcd
Q
©CJ
* r
53►■3
p<3
&O
o
S3 Ofc*fc
J-P I oQ
P3
-P ^ * gCO
O wI ®
•I *4Ass o
<DCO
f•S<3
►H
s<3
COPIcK.
C_>
CO C"- IN- CA • * • ■ • >VACACACM r—I
.3- cm cm
I I I I I c CM 0O0 •0 0 ON
c a
s I v a
CM
CO On O n CAnO c a (N O --^ - CA I I 1
CM CM rH rH
CM VA NO| | VA VA | | rH
CM
.C* O O CA CN O OA CA
O NO NO CN CO i—I CA CA rH rH
VfA
• C I 1 1 I 1 I I • • I •
4 N O c o l l l l I I I n orH uS vTa c M CM NO
nO CA
VAON I UA
0 0 CA^A OI I • • • I •0 0 -3* oCM rH rH
I I I I I O VACO {A-m • ® ®On 0Q rH O -
VA IN-CO OI I H H « S I 4- I rHNO CM v > o _
I I 8 s—i CAOA
CK A - c r A - C A 0 4 - 4 -• » • e c | { ( | J | | e • 3 ®
CANO O V A ^t NO C'-CACMCM rH CA CM W H r l
H NO O NO O CA VA CACA VA rH I I I I I I I VA H CM CM
O O I I - ®
NO CM VA-3-o o o oI • I ! I I I • I • •-3" CM GO NOrH VA CM
CO rH IN- NO CAI I CM CM I ! I t l f l C M I r H
CQS3cd©
rO
P3w
OCO
rH *H O W rH S-i cd i—i - P cd cd S-i T- f cd - Pm o S ; o o_ Eh
S3 rQ -H%4 >5 Cd rH CM CA-ch VA >,O o m es
O CO o w
<sC3©
&©<D
rH
cd0 UO <D
•H >U O© i—1
c o O.
i rH CM
CO© CO CQ - d S3 cdo o
r d Sh
£ CO O S3 r-1 OrH © cd S3
CO COis is
©If w
•p x i ® w o h cd o X) .■ . .
fx, cd © © H bO O
U rH rU S3© © © Q £ o XI <H S m w
•H
TABLE
18 (continued)
91
SjR
to
o*=«!
CQ
w<D
O«=*!
r l - ^ O v O O C^Cvl 0 \ « A A N D A C O■ a . « • a
O n A NO -3*i—1 r—I
NOI •
0 3 On
O-mrH
O ^ O C H A n c M O ^ I -d" A ' A nO VA C O A - C t ^ A NO O - C> CO ! rH
H H -3
CA
' AI I I 1 I I I I I I I O CA
g e oNO CO 00
■ij* rH i—i CN?A I I J I I I ! I I I I A I AVA
VA{>-00
COCA
NO
togo<4
wo
Xi
CQ
>Hto
EO
0 A VA VA VA O• •
n o On i—! On CMi—I CM i—!
CA CN] O - i I I I I • I • «
CM ON NO
VACO vO CO 0 0 O n CN- CACM O - GO O - I I 1 t 1 i I ^2 ' 1 A
CM
A H 4 - 0 4e • • m 9
VACO v a .^2- i—! A - = i - CM CM
JN-CN- ^ J -N O . O N {N -g j • o | a ® g •> sCM CM t“ { -H" O s
CM CM
O A - v a VA O v a VA O O CANOVA VA CM CM O I I I CM CM i O CA I ON
CA-M- CM CM CM CM
On JS- £N-_^- CA « « » • « ( g |NO NO i—1 CO CA
rH CM i—1
VA {N- 0 0 ONON CA OOa a a e e g a a
CM iH OO O CA NO
H O O O O UN O A -H va O A.j - O A A CO i I I H H A nO I CM
H H A
Os
NOAA
”1
OoNO
©10*?5'Hcd
toP.oJHo
iHcd - P
+v cJ W OOg ^ s
? I .g .m P i cd H O O o CO o
> 5 ©I—Iu cd cdm o
cdb3©
TJB 8 .& whO ©f-i iHOCQ cd
©o
•H O W i—1 *H
© OCQ
>1©& t—Io ©
CM A - 3 * A > 51-4 CM cd W
to
■g£
* aCd►H© ^ d i
M CQ
W / - Ng
© » cd01 r t f P* S?O O «H
O
» . » ©w w bfl£ go o
cd
2© © OfaJO ©
© © ,-P «H
rH
#O
E~<
92
SECTION D
O b se rv a tio n s o f O ther W ild l i f e
93
G>H
S3§£-1
iHS\r*«
■ A ■ f cH0
♦nrHa55u0
XI4J>oMo0so
•H■P
SS©
€
vr» 4- vn cn I J I I I ICH -d-
o r i i n I i i ii—!
H N O N \ 0 CM rH
t H CM O Io -rH
Co' O n rH CH
rH -=rONXT\O'* CM
O VO Q \ CMS a S - 1
i ^ H v O CM NW>o n rH (HCM CO CM
-3"
H Cm H CO CM rH OH CJ\ CJ\ rH
©P l, ctf■i S31 S3 CO 'O 3 © dS TZJ P4
£>i.O£3 © <xJ o
W rH Hc; oj
sJs to IO rH ,‘C3f-« rH ©
5uni TJ^ <3
pc3 CO
o Xi w © - p
- p © H J-rrC) - P W ©W K H W «
cd- POEH
H mD H ON N ^A C O 0 0 N H (N O H O N O V 0 4 - ‘A H CM H"CM v a c M rH OA HrH H rH
S 3rH
OVCM rH CO 0 0 O N -3- rH rH
CM
Ov O v OA rH iH VO
CD V A v O v O rH I I rH I I I I I N I N I I VA I J I I * I I ICM ( A
CACJ^A I Af- CM EH
I CM OA VA I cvi3
I VO I I rH i vO CM
1 I I I H 1 I I
CM OA CM VA | N CM i—I j—irH OA
3 0 A CM r -1 I H I f> - I V A CM
I I I VO OA 1 CM I VO CM -3- I rH H
D - OA C O O CM
I I I H A !O v
1 VA O ON I rH OA
I VA j VA I 00 I I OA CM rH
,Q©fxr
O O V V A V O £>- -3* I I S I ON Iv OOA
I vO ! rH
I VA | OA CM CM
I rH I H I I S 1CM
mco*HQ©a
CO
•H «
CO XJ cd x)b.0 cd
© XJ © ©h m& -P O rH XJ
W tr jO O
s op A ^V2 &^ Icd t J ^ ? pc, © cd cdCO ttl S K Q
ooo
u
§
95
SECTION E
Weather Data
96
oCM
aPQ
H&r-i©
?oj s -csrH00P**3
ca*P«a
Q<D&
•PCtJ*4
§•6)EH
18 & CMO-
0 -1—1
CAOSoo -
16 0000
*T\so
3 0OCs-sr\
3OCO
0's,ir \
carH oOs
COsO
12 •?£Os CM
sO
■K- rH CO rH Cs- Osi—i
O © rH 0 >4
86 89 i—1
sO
OsVTv
Os -3"CO
101 ©I-p CO ! «J Q
<r\co -3*U-,
a - „~vOO
asVTA
SO cs-00
i—1sO
VA £N-CO
£s-sO
■3- -=}■CO sO
<TA soco vO\D
CM CS.CO
sOsO
rH so00
5"sO
Dai
ly
j T
empe
ratu
res
1
Max
imum
>H
a0
•Hs
©tiC CM COc3 • •U O - CM© 00 sO
£
OC'-'vj
Os]CM
COCS1
TJ J>- <D CM£
--5 SO 0 CM Oo
o » »&© CM
§1-3 <rM
CM03
-P CM<3 CM Q
rHCM
OCM
Osi—)
>?+> rH ca•H ©
o g i©Eh
i—Ias
tacoasCs-
MDCO
<r\CO
oo s
CO
CMCO
soCO
JN-a s
-3"so
CAsr\
\ r \u~\
00s o
£>-sO
-3-SQ
SOVO
s OvO
O ss O
u-AsO
OssO
O sSO
ctfs
*"D0o
<3-Petj
PI*
.3•SS3
TABL
E 20
(con
tinue
d)
97
OO I—I
VOrH
H
i—(
CMH
-X- rH O i—ISvH o
PO s
CO© - P CO <cd Q
tN-i
vO
£N-
C*V 0 0 0 0OO VO
ca
SH P H «4•r» Hcd (D
OO rH00 vO
O-00 vO
O -H- O s O -
O 00 Os VO
<rv cmCO VO
O- vOCO vO
vO00 vO
vO Cv. CO VO
rH CO CO vO
<N-OO
oO-
O - rHCO vO
vO O 00 VO
CM CMOO vO
vr\ o v o -co VO
vO vOOO vO
00 OvCO vO
£♦H
Av
era
ge
O 0 0 • •
Cv- IN-0 0 vO
•cd
2cd
!>>
PIS
g
*
PW©JH
i—i rH < r\ TSc h OV o - £
(0•fc
o 0O CM /" S0O CO £N- oA)V\J
trH
Ov -H- OHCM Ov {S- rH
rHP
0 0 O vO v_>CM O v O -
cdx i •Hr-tU/P t>- a v o •3£ CM CO O - tsJO
*H £PCJO vO CM rH 1v c a O v £>- cd
Sm S P«d
o . Qo . \T u o CMOv CM O v o - rHrH cdo
•HrH 0 0 -H- &QP CM CO Cv. o
•“3 1—1op
0 ^ O ('H03 CM 0O £S~ J3© •H
P rHcd O
Q CM O -H-CM OO vO &
O£
i—1 CM -3-CM Cv- vO
OCM1
O O O rHCM O v s o s « r
rHOv Ov MH ■arH 0 0 vO H>
£o<Mcd
to P© cdh Q
. p g g *J H P 3 3
rH cd •H £ • S J icd ©
« a I . 5e a a©Eh
TABL
E 20
(con
tinue
d)
98
18
06 i—iIS-
O-rH 5l CA
IS -
16 CMON
rH£ S
i—i c aON
NONO
O n00 0 0NO
a Si VANO
12 CO
OOVANO
O rH
g HH
CO00 NONO
•P oto rHPb.0M, On
VOCO
NOCO
00NO
00NO
Dat
es 8 NOco •=3-NO
(S- VACO
{SNO
NO -3"CO
-3-NO
VO NO00 oNO
-3- VA00 CMNO
CA OO n
VANO
CM NOOn CMcs
rH VAON
CAc -
100
Dai
lyT
empe
ratu
a}*2* Min
imum
CDw!JH
I
rHCA
OCA
OnCM
CO•—vCM§q cs
»ri 02
•8oo \ow CN2
oIS ON * A rH 02
-PtoF*
<<CO02
CO©
- pcJ 02 Q CM
CMrH
0)O
•H UcJ Q)Q PJ
ECDEh
COCO
COCO
COOn
COON
5l
COco
COCO
VACO
-•3-0 0
NOCONO00
NOCO
oO n
ONCO
( SNO
rHt S
NONO
NONO
NO
rHNO
{S..CS
CANO
OnNO
O n.NO
CANO
CMCS
OIS
ONNO
15Eo
-pw©
■s<ti
-PtoPbOP
<*»Uo
c6•Prs5Q-*
area
TABL
E 20
(con
tinu
ed)
18
06 ON
X
C'-rH
i n00
XX
16 o
Onv nX
i nrH
On00
onX
3 i n00
i” !X
cn 1—1
o n00
CMm
12 CO .
o --=}•i n
-*ojN" i—1 Ctn rH r-J
£N-CO
Xi n
Sept
embe
r ...
......
9 .
10 On
CO
oCO
XX
rHX
Bat
es
7 8 O
00-5,.i n
X*X
CMX
x n -X
XX
i n oON
o£>-
-3 - CN2On
i nn -
on XX
CMX
CM XX
i ni n
rH 04X
o nX
W(Dh
1— CD♦H ^cd cdp P4
E
Eh
!
Iid
99
a-pO X O 0.2
Q
in in
X
TABL
E 20
(con
tinue
d)
100
CO I—I
I—I
VO
v ai—I
-3-rH
CArH
CMH
O H IN (—1 Ov iHS-r O© H
, o o - pO QV| O
W 03 ©
-P cdn
vO
VA
c a
CM
w©
> i -P ctJTrlcd
n
co
VA
ovO
o00
c a0O
00IN
VO{N-
COIN
cmCO
i n£N
vOIN
i ni n
VOIN
INVO
CAVO
CviCO
CAIN
rHIN
CA(A
cvi(TV
O
0 0VPs
ov O
cviV P \
VPs
oVO
CMVO
VAVA
VA-H-
vOCA
i—IVO
Cvi-3*
©WSatU©
I—i CA]
oCAI
OvCVl
CO.04
£©
£♦H
*OO vO
w CM
oINO v vn j rH CM
U©rO -3* O CM
-P o oCAICM
V)©
-P CMctf CM
Ovi—i
W©h
> > - p
a 2ctJ ©n.gl©
E~<
CM•
OIN
i—I\Q
OvO
vOVA
VAVA
INv o
0OvO
CMIN
OvvO
OvVO
-3-VO
rHVO
0 0£N
OV■s*
VAVA
vOVA
OVA
Ov-cJ*
Ov
-chVP’s
OVA
CAVA
OvO
vOVA
CM-3-
0ACA
•Pcd
•S
Sa
«tfscd
rB"w
S 'ou
«H
f-i©
■8-Po
O
!hO
et~l
cd-Pcd
TABL
E 20
(con
tinu
ed)
101
ooi—i
o-lrH
v£» .—I
ArH
-=* i—I
ArH
OC-rHOvHf—1U© o
£b a v
to oo ©
- P
VO
A
a
Cvi
W©U
> tprH «3•H JH
CO* ©P -£©
6 -<
OA
ON'A
rHvo
CMVO
CAvO
rHvO
i—I O-
AVO
OOvO
CAVO
i—iVO
CAVO
vOVO
OvO
VOvo
-3"CM
00CM
OCA
O-3-
OA-3 -
■3*A
AVA
CMVA
OOCA
CA
00CA
vo-3 -
voVA
voWA
Xctf
s
Ave
rage A
«O vA
VO • .
A -A
o A VOCA v o A
O ' O 00CM v o A
00 vO ACM v o A
o d© t v o VO2 CMq
VC A
•HPS v O CMO CM AO
O vr> vO -3 -A H
rH
J-i -3* v O O v© CM A !—1
' i©t> CA A -3*O CM VO CM
s
CM rH VOto cm VO CM©p0}
CNC5 i—i O -0 4 A CM
20 -3 -
VO 3
o v 0O i—1i—! A A
W©U
> > - § | §rH ctS•H Jh •Hcd © X q
n p . ctf •He 1©
©fHci
■fi
Ou
u©
raS©
fHO
<+H
eSPctf
Q
TABL
E 20
(con
tinu
ed)
18 53 ONCM
O -r-1
t>-VA
00CA
16 rHVA
coCM
VArH S
(N-CM
-3-iH
VA-=J- VOCM
CArH
VA-3- CMCA
12 ovo CAHT
*oCM rH O v rHi—i
OVO
OCA
£© O P rH S ©O© Ov Q
-3*vO
f t
CMCA
rHCA
Dat
es
7 8 s
3 20 1?
VO vOCM
VACM
-cfr -3"CA
CA VAVO
00CA
CM OOVO
CM
rH'A
OCA
W©
Dai
lyT
empe
ratu
Min
imum
102
©hCcd£©>
<aj
HCA
OCA
OsCM
^_ o oT3 CM©d
C'-p CM£OQ
CMO&H VA
CMU©
jQe -H-© CM©©Q CA
CMw©
P CMcd CMQ
rHCM
OCM
OvrH
©©
> > P
£cd ©Q P
6©
oVA
00CA
00CA
ICA
O-3-
CA
VOCA
00CA
rHvO
VAVA
CM-3”
CMVA
OVO
VAONCM
OCM
O nrH
Ovi— !
CMCM
OCM
O nCM
VACM
VACM
CM-3-
CA
VOCA
VACA
&
g£-PtoCDU
■acd
i—I CA IvOCMUCDrQ©o©«
cd-H£
•H£
‘tcd
j - tcd
«rHcdo—Iw>ot—io
-pcd
rHO
g6i—ICAI
VOCM
£©
■g©o<5>Q£O
«Hcd
Pcd
P©
udy
area
TABL
E 20
(con
tinu
ed)
18 CMcn 2
2
rH00cn
cnCM
16
■ V—-iCM
inH
OnCM
1—icn
3 0cn
12 3 ON
CM*-»t 1IV rH ON rH rH
CMcn
0cn
Janu
ary
9 1
0 CMcn
ONCM
OnCM
inCM
Bat
es 8 CpCM
-v .—MCM
£V e'enMDCM
\o 0•3* ONCM
in -M -NO
CS*m
cnVO
OnCM
cn 0in inCM
CM 3 0CM
rH COCM
CO©£<
Dai
ly
Temp
o ra
ti &•H
Min
imui
103
©bl c n onei* • •
c n i n© ■C*- CM>
<
rH rH CMc n .c t CM
O CM rHc n 'O -ct
On On nOCM -Cj" rH
CO CM NOr-N CM Cn rHTJHa n - CM O
•H CM -3" CM±2 !0© NO CM O n
^ CM no c nrH(VO n UM cm i n«H CJ CM
r>»cd -3- rH -3-71 CM CM£sd
n>c n i n i nCM i n cm
w©
P CM O OnCd CM m c n
Q
21 no c n
•M • t
0 i n \ oCM c n rH
ON 0 ev1—1 e n rH
W©
r*S P 1 1rH cd e s*H J-i •H *Hcd ©
Q P- cd rHS S s©
Eh
cd<1)Ucd
VPwSo
-Pw0)
'Hcd
TABL
E 20
(con
tinu
ed)
18 CN-vO 28
IN-i—1
UNUN CM
16 COUN
vOCM
UNi—1
OUN
-d-CM
- : trH
OON
ONiH
ONON
12 OVO
ONON
*rHIN- i—1 O v i—1 rH
°Q-H'
VOCM
>>Jh O cj rH
COi—i
, o _© Ov
' 3vOCM
10 0 0 ©
- PciS
C'-
00ON
ON-3"
COCM
£N-CM
vOs
CN-CM
UNs
ONON
■d- .3-ON
ON COCM
00rH
CM COCM
CNrH
i—1 CMCM
ONH
w©
rH ct5 »H $*ieg ©
« p j £ ©
EH
Max
imum
Min
imum
10k
©b£ Ov CMeg • •fn i—i rH©
4
UN ON
ooCM
ON (—I
*P—
CN-vO
ONCN-
UNVC
OvUN
on*CN
oVO
ovo
00voG \VO
vo-3-
voUN
UNON
ONCM
CMON
CM-cr
o-3-
•3 •35
TABL
E 20
(con
tinue
d)
00rH
CAVA
COCN
A -rH § CN
A
VOi—1
CNA - 3
VArH
CNA - 3
rH00VA
CArH
CNA - A
CNsH 5R A
A
Sfr i—1.—! i—1
&rH
O ,-Oj rH Oucd
S Ov
53 59 A
A
ACN
oA
VOCN
Bate
s 3 O
-3-OnCN
A - COA
v oA
VO CNVO
O
va vOA
OCA
-3* rHA
CAi $ A -
A
CN OA
O-3*
(—1 CNA
O
W©
Dai
ly
Tem
pera
tu
Max
imum
Min
imum
105
<Dfedu©>
<
vO A
Aa
iHA
oCA|
OnCN
00CM
•O22p* a -C CN
♦H■sO N ) O CN
i—I A - A { Ov CN
XlO CN
cdSACN
©cd CN
« CN
OCN
OvrH
A -A
CNVA
ONVA
CNVA
CN-3-
a -.-3-
-cr
VAv o
VOVA
OvO
rHCA
OOCA
A-CN
VACN
CNCA
*ACN
ONCN
COCA
voCA
OOCA
r*s -r-V
d gcd ©P 6H
©e-»
TABL
E 20
(con
tinue
d)
18 70
I—1 o -vO
cn-3-
16 cvio -
vncnvnH
<—iVO
<Mcni—1o~ §
ooH 3 3
12 oo -
cncntH H r— j—i ov 1—•
o cvicnH O•H i—1P«<3j OV
voVO
evenVT\e'
VOcnwmu?+3 CO cdQ
envo cncn£v- i—ivr\
evenvo 3 COcnvo vO
vjD 5 !-3- VO
VO cncn o
VOvocn
cvi oC'- 3
1—1 H{S- &
Dai
lyT
empe
ratu
res
Max
imum
1
106
00VO<M
O-■v
i—1VO
CnVO
o00 oCVI
ooCVI
04-3-
« Si
©j£cdb*.
m&ottd&<3jocs}
■sS>
TABL
E 20
(con
tinu
ed)
0 0rH
CMOO
oUN
CN- i—i
CMoo -? >
NOrH
IN-NO UN
u nrH
NONO $
3-3-£N~
nOOO
CMNO
CMrH
rH0 0
oVO
*rHIN-O nrH O
1O n
COIN-
CO£N- $ '
o nu n
Dat
es8 CM
CO A
o - NONO
NOUN
NO iHCO
0OUN
v > £ 3
•3" 0ONO
O n(TN
OO M-IN- 3
CM O(N- 3
1 I—1 OCN-
COON
8
Dai
ly
Tem
per
a tu
Max
imum
Min
imum
10?
0wicdU<D
£
HON
o<TM
O nCM
COCM
ra o cm^ CM £
• r i_ p
MO O CM O
H-V'i tN- caONrH
>*-3;cd CM
CO 0 <M 0
■ s
a R!
rHCM
OCM
O nrH
M©U
>> P i—I cd •rl Jh cd ©O §1
0EH
CM
-3-£>-
CO
ONO
ONO
ONO
rH00
CM00
ON
00£N-
UN(N-
CMO -
NONO
rHCO
COOO
ontr\
oNO
CS-NO.
vr\u n
ONUN
NONO
CMUN
v \
oun
COUN
CMNO
£N-UN
S
cd©SHcd
'3-Pw
S<H
rNcdaocd
-Pcd
Q-if-
TABLE
20 (continued)
108
coiH
H
\D i—i
a
CMrH
* rH rH rH
Snr H o© rH
ON
©- p CO CISQ
{>-
vO
cn
CM
rH
to ©
•rl £-4c v j © .Q P
& © e-H
co£V
-3*£N-
inVO
oIN.
OO00
COOO
VOoo
cnCO
COo -
oCO
O -00
0000
rHOv
vOOO
OvCO
>nco
•3-CO
00o ~
00v n
o -v n
CMVO
VOVO
o -VO
0 0vo
-3-V O
* n
OvLP\
CMVO
COvO
Oo -
voV O
CMVO
O0VO
-H-vO
Ovv n
O -* n
. 3
•Ha
oOv
Oo n
OvCM
GOOv
rHOV
H VO
OOv
u n00 COVO
00
00CO
COVO
OCM
cn00
Ov cnco
©ai
* 34->w
SO?4
©
uo<H
cd4-5P j
Q-*
109
SECTION F
Census Method Forms
n o
TABLE 21
F ie ld Observations Form
Date? __________ _____
Time a t S t a r t s
O f f i c i a l S u n rise s _____ a .m .
Temp, a t S ta r t s __ ________
W eathers _____________
H um idity s _______ _________
Ground C o n d itio n s ; __
TotajfeM an-hours S p en t in F ie ld s ___
O bservers _________.
Time a t Ends __ ____
O f f i c i a l S unse ts ______ p.m .
Temp, a t End; . , __
Winds _____ __ ________ ____
P r e c ip i t a t i o n ; . ________
O b se rv a tio n sMumber O bserved Age (Ju v , 1/3* H a b ita t &
Cock x Hen Young Brood 2/3? a d u l t s ) L o ca tio n A c t iv i ty
___ -
Names
TABLE 22
Landowner O b se rv a tio n s Form
Months _____
Number Observed Habitat &Date Cock Hen Young Brood Age Location Activity Time
Under Ages J u v . , 1/3# 2/3# 3A # o r a d u lts*
Under L o c a tio n : Whose p r o p e r ty , fa rm on w hich th e p h ea sa n t was se e n .
Under H a b ita ts Exainp3.es p a s tu r e , g r a in (c o rn , w h ea t, so y b ean s, e tc* .) hedgerow , ro a d s id e , o r w oods, e t c .
Under A c t iv i ty s Examples e a t in g g r a in , m a tin g , c o u r t in g , o r f ig h t in ge t c .
112
TABLE 23
F a l l F lu sh in g Count Form
D ate 2
Time a t S ta r t s
O f f i c i a l S u n rise s
Temp* a t S t a r t s __
W eathers
H um idity:
Ground C o n d itio n ss
a , in,
O bservers
Time a t Ends
O f f i c i a l S u n se ts
Temp, a t Ends __
Wind s
P r e c ip i t a t i o n s
No* o f Dogs:
p.m.
T o ta l M an-hours S p en t in F ie ld s
O b se rv a tio n sNumber O bserved
CockH a b ita t &
A c t iv i tyL o c a tio nHen
113
TABLE 24
Cock Crowing Count Form
D ate s .
Time at Starts ______ _____Official Sunrises __________a.m.Temp, at Starts _ _ _ _____Weathers ■Humidity s _____Amount of Dew on Covers ____.
Observer: ___ _Time at Ends ___Ground ConditionsTemp, at Ends __Winds __
(light, medium, or heavy)
T o ta l No*Station Calls Birds Cocks Hens
Number Time Heard Heard Seen Seen Remarks1 .2 .3 .4 .5*6 .7 .8 .9 .
10 .1 1 .12 .13 .14 .15 .16 .
Totals
IDA-
TABLE 25
P h easan t H unting R eport November 1 6 -1 ? , 1970
1 . I s t h i s th e f i r s t tim e you have hunted, p h easan t? ____
a ) I f answ er i s n o , where e l s e have you hun ted? _____ __
2 . Number o f h o u rs sp e n t h u n tin g s _ _ _ _ _
3* Number In h u n tin g p a r ty s ■
4 . Number o f dogs useds _ _ _ _ _ _ _____
a ) I f dogs were u s e d , d id you g e t a p o in t? _____ « .
, ,b) I f dogs w ere u s e d , were th e y t r a in e d f o r p h e a sa n ts? .
5o ,/D id th e p h e a sa n t run? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A pproxim ate d is ta n c e s _ _ _ _ _ _
6 , A pproxim ate tim e when p h e a sa n t was sh o ts _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
?« E xact w e ig h t o f th e cock: _______,
8 . Type o f co v er from w hich th e p h e a sa n t was f lu s h e d :
9# Did th e p h e a sa n t have any resem blance o f a w h ite r in g around h i s
neck? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
1 0 e Was th e p h e a sa n t banded? _____ __
Name:
A ddress:
SECTION G
Inhabitants of the Sandy Point Area
1X6
TABLE 26
Inhabitants of the Sandy Point Area
J. C. Smith E* D. Smith M# R, Dotson R« G, Dotson L m Re Dotson D* D. Lampkin Re D, Garrison E# Garrison M. R, Smith A* L* SmiLth, «Jr•J. N. SmithJ, W. SmithA. L9 Smith IIIL. W« RuffinM. M. HulaJ, A. Hancock IIID• OvermanFe HulaMe HulaA. HulaG* WilsonA. N, HofmeyerD, L* HofmeyerJ• HofmeyerAm N. Hofmeyer, Jr»S« J t Hula, S r•Sc Jt Hula, «Jr•Rc Wray E« Le Newsman J. P, Towe K. M» Smith Ec Peterson Zc Be Hula
LITERATURE CITED
A lle n j G. A. J r . 19&5* The t r u e p h e a sa n ts Genus P h a s ia n u s . G a z e t te , A lle n P u b l. Co. I n c . S a l t Lake C i ty , U tah , p p . 1 0 -1 6 .
A nderson , W. L . 1964* S u rv iv a l and re p ro d u c tio n o f p h e a sa n ts r e le a s e d i n so u th e rn I l l i n o i s * J . W ild l. Mgmt• 2 8 ( 2 ) s 255-263 ,
B e n t, A. C, I 963. L ife H is to r ie s o f N orth A m erican G a llin a c e o u s B ird s . Dover P u b l. Co. New Y ork, N, Y. p p . 310-323*
B e rg e r , A. J . 1961. B ird S tu d y , John W iley and S o n s, I n c . New York. 389 P*
B o h l, W» H. 1968, R e s u lts o f f o r e ig n game in t r o d u c t io n . T h i r ty - t h i r d N orth A m erican W ild l i fe C o n feren ce . H ouston , T exas.PP. 389- 398.
B oh l, ¥# He 19?0« The South Koi'ean r in g -n e c k e d p h e a s a n t. FGL-15*B ureau o f S p o r t F i s h e r i e s and W i ld l i f e , W ashing ton , D.C. 4 p .
B o h l, W« H®, and G» Bump. 1970 . Summary o f f o r e ig n game b i r d l i b e r a t i o n s i 960 t o 1968 and p ro p a g a tio n I 966 t o 1968® S p e c ia l S c i e n t i f i c R ep o rt - W ild l i f e No. 130, B ureau o f S p o r t F i s h e r ie s and W i ld l i f e , W ashington, D.C. 6 l p .
Bump, G« 1963o S t a tu s o f th e f o r e ig n game in t r o d u c t io n program ,T ran s , N. A. W ild l, and N at. r e s . C onf. 28s 240-247 ,
Bump, G* 1968. F o re ig n game i n v e s t ig a t io n , U. S . F ish , and W ild l ife S e rv ic e . R esource P u b l ic a t io n No, 49 . 14- p .
Bump, G . , and J , W, Bump, Kay 1971* P e rso n a l C o n fe ren ce . S o u th e a s te r n S t a t e s 1971 W orkship - F o re ig n Game C om m ittee.Richmond, V i r g in ia ,
'B u ss , I . 0 « , R. K. M eyer, and C, K ab a t, 1951* W isconsin p h e a sa n t r e p ro d u c tio n s tu d ie s based on o v u la te d f o l l i c l e te c h n iq u e ,J , W ild l, Mgmt. 1 5 (1 ) i 32 -46 .
Cham bers, G# D» 1965 a , Summary o f f o re ig n game b i r d p ro p a g a tio n ;1964 and I t e r a t i o n s ; 1960-1964. Supplem ent t o S p e c ia l S c i e n t i f i c R ep o rt - W ild l i f e No* 80 . B ureau o f S p o rt F i s h e r i e s and W ild l i f e 5 W ashington , D. C. pp . 1 -1 0 .
11?
118
Cham bers, G* D„ 1965b» P h easan t r e le a s e te c h n iq u e s and n e s t tem p erat u r e s s tu d ie s i n M is so u r i, pp . 1 -6 , U npub lished .
Cham bers, G, D. 1966, Summary o f f o r e ig n game b i r d p ro p a g a tio n .1965* and l i b e r a t i o n s , 1960-1965* Supplem ent t o S p e c ia l S c i e n t i f i c R e p o rt - W ild l i f e No. 80 . B ureau o f S p o rt F i s h e r i e s and W ildl i f e , W ash ing ton , D. C. p p . 6 -1 0 .
Cham bers, G. B . 1969* A s tu d y o f com parative su c c e ss o f e s ta b lis h m e n t o f e x p e r im e n ta l p h e a sa n ts fo llo w in g r e l e a s e . F e d e ra l A id P ro j e c t No. 13-R -23 . Work P lan No. 11 - Job No, 2 . M isso u ri D epartm en t o f C o n se rv a tio n . 24 p .
D a le , F* H* 1954a In f lu e n c e o f ca lc ium on th e d i s t r i b u t i o n o f th ep h e a s a n t i n N orth A m erica. P ap er P re se n te d a t th e 1 9 th N. A, W ild l . C onf. T ra n s , p p . 316-323*
D a le , F « H« 1956. P h e a sa n ts and p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n s . C h ap te r o fth e P h e a sa n ts i n N orth America* E d ite d by D# L. A lle n , The S ta c k p o le Co. and th e W ild l i fe Management I n s t i t u t e , W ashingto n , D„ C. 490 p . ■
D a v is , C. June 1971© P e rso n a l C o n feren ce . County E x te n s io n Agent f o r C h a iie s C i ty C ounty , V ir g in ia .
D e la c p u r , J* 1945* C l a s s i f i c a t i o n and d i s t r i b u t i o n o f th e game, o r t r u e p h e a s a n ts . C h ap te r o f th e R ing-necked P h e a sa n t. E d ite d b y W. L. MeAtoe. The A m erican W ild l i f e I n s t i t u t e , W ashington, D. C. 320 p .
De l a c o u r J . 1959* P h e asa n t B reed ing and C a re . T s F* H, P u b l. I n c .J e r s e y C i ty , N. J* 108 p .
D o tso n , Me R. J u ly , 3-970. P e rso n a l C o n fe ren ce .
S3Llis, J . A ., and W. L . A nderson. 1963* A ttem p ts t o e s t a b l i s h pheas a n ts i n so u th e rn I l l i n o i s . J . W ild . Mgmt, 2 7 (2 ): 225-239*
H ardy , J . W* 1962. Crowing c a l l c o u n ts , A nnual P ro g re s s R e p o rt,P r o je c t No, W -36-R-2. p p , 1 9 -2 5 . U npub lished ,
H ardy , J . W. 1963a* V ario u s te c h n iq u e s o f e v a lu a t in g e x o t ic gameb i r d r e l e a s e s . P ro c . 1 7 th . A nnual C onf. S , E. A s s o c ia t io n Game and F is h C om m issioners. 1 (7 )1 108-111 .
H ardy , J , W. 1963b* E x p e rim en ta l game b i r d p r o je c t . F e d e ra l A id R ep o rt No, W-36-R . N a s h v i l le , Tenn. 33 P# U npub lished .
H ardy , J , 1964, A g e n e ra l d is c u s s io n o f item s p e r t in e n t t oin t r o d u c t io n o f f o r e ig n game b i r d s . P ro ceed in g s - F i r s t S o u th e a s te rn F o re ig n Game C o n fe ren ce , p p . 96-51*
119
H ardy, J . W. 1966. D is p e r s a l o f r e le a s e d foreign* game b i r d s . T h ird A nnual M eeting o f th e S o u th e a s t F o re ig n Sana C om m ittee.C olum bia, M is so u r i. 12 p . U npub lished ,.
H a r t , D ., and T. R. M itc h e l l . 1947® Quail, and p h e a sa n t p ro p a g a tio n .W ild l i fe Management Institute, Washington, D. C. p p . 57 -65 .
H a r t , D. 2.963, P ro p a g a tio n o f game b i r d s . V irg in ia W i ld l i f e .R e p r in te d from A p r i l 19^3 I s s u e .
H a r t , D. 1969s.® F o re ig n game program s to c k in g and e s ta b lis h m e n tr e p o r t 1956 t h r u 19&9 s p r in g , p p . 1- 22 .
H a r t , D. 1969b . P ro g re s s r e p o r t p h e a sa n t e s ta b lis h m e n t in v e s t ig a t i o n s . P r o je c t No, W -40-R-16, 6 p .
Hart, D. 1969c . Personal Letter from D. Hart to G. Bump.H a r t , D. June 197Oa, P e rso n a l C o n feren ce .
Hart, D, September 1970b, Personal Conference,H art,, p . 1970c® P h ea sa n t p r e d a to r o b s e rv a tio n s a t Sandy P o in t by
G era ld B lan k , 1 p , U npub lished ,
H a r t , D« June 1971. P e rso n a l C o n feren ce ,
H in e s , I* 1970. A f i n a l r e p o r t o f T e n n e sse e 's e f f o r t s t o in tro d u c ep h e a s a n ts . P ap er P re s e n te d a t S o u th e a s te rn A s s o c ia t io n -o f Game and F is h C om m issioners. A t la n ta , G eo rg ia . 32 p . Unpubl i s h e d »
H ofm eyer, A. N« A ugust 1970* P e rso n a l C o n feren ce ,
Kimball, J . ¥ . 1949® The crowing count pheasant census. J . Wildl,Mgmt. 1 3 (1 ): 101-120 ,
K im b a ll, J . W. ? E. L. K ozicky , and B. A. N elso n . 1956. P h e a sa n ts o f th e p l a in s and p r a i r i e s . C h ap te r o f th e P h ea sa n ts in N orth A m erica. E d ite d by D, L. A lle n . The S ta c k p o le Co. and th e W ild l i fe Management I n s t i t u t e , W ashington, D. C. 490 p .
K ozicky , E. L« 1952. V a r ia t io n s in two s p r in g in d ic e s o f male r in g - necked p h e a sa n t p o p u la t io n s . J . W ild l. Mgmt. 1 6 (4 ) ; 429-437*
L a b isk y , R, F , f J . A. H a rp e r, and F , G re e ley . 1964. In f lu e n c e o f la n d u s e , c a lc iu m , and w ea th e r on th e d i s t r i b u t i o n and abundance o f p h e a s a n ts i n I l l i n o i s . I l l i n o i s N a tu ra l H is to ry S u rvey . B io lo g i c a l N otes 51* 19 P®
May, J , May 1971* P e rs o n a l C o n feren ce . S o u th e a s te rn S ta t e s 1971 Workshop - F o re ig n Game Com m ittee, Richmond, V irg in ia* ,
120
N elso n , L . K. 1964# A te n y e a r s tu d y o f r in g -n e c k e d p h e a sa n t i n t r o d u c tio n s i n Kentucky# F e d e ra l A id P r o je c t No, W-38-R. K entucky D epartm ent o f F is h and W i ld l i f e , F r a n k f o r t , K entucky. 151 p .
N elso n , L . K, 1968. I r a n ia n p h e a sa n t in v e s t ig a t io n s p h a se . S p e c ia l Problem s I n v e s t ig a t io n s , F e d e ra l A id P r o je c t No. W-38-9*K entucky D epartm ent o f F is h and W i ld l i f e , F r a n k f o r t , Kentucky* p p . 4 8 -9 2 .
N elso n , R. D , , I . 0 . B u ss , and G, A. B a in e s . 1962. D a ily and s e a so n a l crow ing fre q u e n c y o f r in g -n e c k e d p h e a s a n ts . J . W ild l, Mgmt. 2 6 ( 3 ) s 269-272 .
P o r t e r , H» C . , and G. R. E pperson , 1963. A key t o th e s o i l s o f th e c o a s ta l p la in s re g io n o f V ir g in ia . V irg in ia A g r ic u l tu r a l E x te n s io n S e r v ic e , Agronomy C i r c u la r No. 4 . 12 p .
R ob inson , L . H. 1968 . A s tu d y o f th e e x o t ic game b i r d in t r o d u c t io nprogram i n S ou th C a ro lin a 1960- 1968 . F e d e ra l A id P r o je c t No. ¥ -38-5* S ou th C a ro lin a W ild life R esources D epartm en t, C lem son, S o u th C a ro l in a . 124 p .
R ob inson , L, H® 1970. I n tr o d u c t io n o f e x o t ic game b i r d s i n S ou thC a ro lin a , P ro c . o f th e Twenty T h ird A nnual C o n fe ren ce , S o u th e a s te r n A s s o c ia t io n o f Game and F is h C om m issioners, p p . 152- 156.
R o b e rtso n , W. B . , J r . 1958* I n v e s t ig a t io n s o f r in g -n e c k e d p h e a sa n ts i n I l l i n o i s . 111. D ep t. C o n se rv a tio n , T ech, B u l l . No. 1 .138 p .
Roby, E. F . 1951® Two y e a r s tu d y o f p h e a sa n t s to c k in g i n G a l l a t in V a l le y , M ontana. J . W ild l. Mgmt. 1 5 (3 ) : 299-307*
Rom anoff, A. L « , and A. S . Rom anoff. 1949* The A vian Egg. JohnW iley and S ons, I n c . , New York, 918 p .
R u tle d g e , H. M ., and D. H a r t . 1969* O b se rv a tio n s i n p h e a sa n t e s ta b lish m e n t i n v e s t i g a t io n Sandy P o in t , C h a rle s C i ty C ounty . 5 P* U n p u b lish ed •
S e t t l e , F . H. June 1971* P e rs o n a l C o n feren ce .
S m ith , A® L . , J r . J u ly 1970. P e rso n a l C o n feren ce .
S m ith , J , W. May 1971* P e rso n a l C o n fe ren ce .
S u m rs ll , F . May 1971* P e rso n a l C o n fe ren ce . S o u th e a s te rn S t a t e s 1971 Workshop - F o re ig n Game C om m ittee. Richmond, V ir g in ia .
T a b e r, R# B. 1949« O b se rv a tio n s on th e b re e d in g b e h a v io r o f th e .rin g -n eck ed p h e a s a n t. Condor 5 1 (4 ): 153-175*
121
T a y lo r , W. H* 1971* F o re ig n game b i r d s to c k in g and r e s u l t s in V irg in ia * 11 p . U npub lished .
U* S , D epartm ent of* Commerce. W eather B ureau . C lim a to lo g ic a l D ata - V i r g in i a . V o l. 77 No. 1 - V o l. 81 No. 4 .
V ir g in ia Commission o f Game and In la n d F i s h e r i e s . 1960a. D e sc rip t i o n s and l i f e h i s t o r y o f V i r g in ia ’ s game b i r d s , V irg in ia W i ld l i f e . V o l. XXI No. 5 . pp . 6 -9 .
V irg in ia Commission o f Game and In la n d F i s h e r i e s , 19o0b, Newcomerst o V i r g in ia . E d u c a tio n a l D iv is io n , Richmond, V i r g in ia , h p .
W agner, F . H#, C, D, B esadny, and C, E a b a t. 1965. P o p u la tio n eco lo g y and management o f W isconsin p h e a s a n ts . W isconsin C o n se rv a tio n D epartm ent T e c lin ic a l B u l l e t in No, 168 p .
W a lc o tt , F , C. 19^5. H i s to r i c a l in t r o d u c t io n . C h ap te r o f th e R ingnecked P h e a s a n t. E d ite d by W. L. McAtee. The A m erican W ildl i f e I n s t i t u t e , W ash ing ton , D. C. 320 p 9
Y e a t te r , R. E. 1950. E f f e c t s o f d i f f e r e n t p r e - in c u b a t io n te m p e ra tu re s on th e h a t e h a b i l i t y o f p h e a sa n t e g g s . S c ien ce 112(291^): 52 9~ 530.
VITA
Hans F r e d r ik Edward Wa chtme i s te r
Born i n W ashington , D i s t r i c t o f C olum bia, November 1 ,
G raduated from S a l i s b u r y S ch o o l i n S a l i s b u r y , C o n n e c tic u t , June
19^3« R eceived B.A. d eg ree from B rid g ew a te r C o lle g e , June 19&7.
M.Aa< c a n d id a te , C o lleg e o f W illiam and M ary, 1967-1968 and 1970-
19711 G raduate te a c h in g a s s i s t a n t F e b ru a ry t o June 1971*
122