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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

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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

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https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-aavx-ff06

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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

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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

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w

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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 .

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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

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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

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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

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No. Crowing Calls Per 10 Minute Intervals

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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*

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11?

118

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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 .

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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 .

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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 »

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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* ,

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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 .

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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 .

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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

a study of the exotic game bird introduction program in the … · 2020. 8. 4. · state game...

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