Bobwhite Quail and Changing Land Use

(Invited Paper) The downward trend of bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) numbers nationally is well established. Generally, this reflects deterioration and widespread loss of suitable habitat resulting from changes in land use. Since the 1940s research on the quail seems to have dwindled with few indications of on-going studies. There is much emphasis on setting aside areas as wilderness and natural areas and creating special funds, but these activities cannot accommodate the special needs of quail except in a general way. The intense emphasis on the economics of agriculture, use of chemicals in farming, and the activities of government and agricultural colleges have all but eliminated wildlife and diversity in many rural settings. Seemingly, a plausible course of action includes best land-use practices in concert with special programs of habitat development and preservation, an intensive effort to develop public awareness and support, the establishment of continuing long-term studies in connection with research-demonstration, a re-emphasis on well-trained field biologists with specialty in bobwhite ecology, a greater quail habitat management emphasis on public-controlled lands, a vastly improved and effective cooperation by various state and federal agencies, and carefully-planned and regulated land use for major soil types and/or ecosystems

HOUSE MOUSE BEHAVIOR AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO CONTROL

It seems explicitly evident that animal control practices must now, and especially in the future, emphasize fuller appreciation of the habits of each kind of animal. Further, this will require consideration be given to behavioral aspects as expressed by a population as a whole of a given species, as well as each individual animal within that population. Animals react with one another and with all characteristics of their environment; and, this in turn results in an identifiable reaction or behavior of each population as a unit of social organization. Although within broad limits some aspects of these responses, whether individual or group, are reasonably predictable, many are not. But, in this day of stringent regulations on food contamination and methods of controlling pests, reasonably predictable is no longer acceptable. The near-perfect, if actually not the perfect, technique is becoming a requirement. Therefore, to approach this level of success, one must attempt to interpret the behavior of each mouse and/or population in every infestation

An Evaluation of Some Marking Techniques Used on Bobwhite Quail

Summarized are data obtained from field testing various marking techniques used to distinguish individual, unrestrained bobwhite quail. Four methods and combinations of each included various types of back tags, colored leg bands, dyes, and radio transmitters. Discussed are methods, advantages, and limitations as based upon field observations of 195 back-tagged quail, 86 quail with colored leg bands, 55 dyed quail, and 91 radio-marked quail

Some Aspects of the Dynamics of a Hunted Bobwhite Population

Dynamics of a hunted bobwhite population have been investigated on a 1,450-acre study area near Carbondale, Illinois since 1952. Habitat conditions have not changed greatly during the study, and November densities have oscillated regularly about a rather stable long-term mean. Most of the variance of annual rates of population change is due to variation in net productivity from spring to fall rather than to variation in net losses from fall to spring. Population declines from November to April averaged 66% (range 36 to 81%); about 0.66 of this resulted from hunting. Post-hunting mortality, which was slightly density-related, partially compensated for hunting losses. Spring densities were correlated with (r = +o.75) and almost as variable as preceding fall populations. Net increases from spring to fall varied from 17 to 383 and averaged 235% of the breeding population. Multiple regression analysis showed that annual rates of productivity were significantly influenced by the combined effect of breeding density, length of snow cover during the previous 2 winters, and amounts of prenesting rainfall. Annual rates of population change were inversely related to the preceding fall density, but strong correlations between successive seasonal population levels caused periods of change as well as highs and lows to persist for several years. Major highs and lows each occurred at 8- to 10-year intervals. It was not clear whether 2 severe winters caused the apparent cyclic regularity or merely accentuated the lows

Attitudes of a Select Group of Illinois Quail Hunters

During the past 3-4 decades major social, political, economic, and environmental changes have taken place in the United States that have greatly affected quail hunters, their quarry, and their sport. Against this backdrop, we examined the attitudes and perceptions of a select group of Illinois quail hunters from 1954 to 1989 regarding issues such as stocking, predator control, habitat management, and harvest regulations. During this time, hunters became increasingly cognizant of the importance of habitat and less inclined to demand unproductive practices such as stocking. Concerns about predators peaked in the 1970\u27s. Hunters in the I980\u27s tended to want more liberal hunting seasons than did their predecessors. Possible explanations and implications of these trends are discussed

Краєзнавець, вчений, педагог (Геннадій Васильович Бондаренко)

У статті розкриті деякі аспекти наукової, педагогічної та громадської діяльності Геннадія Васильовича Бондаренка, голови Волинської обласної організації Національної спілки краєзнавців України.В статье раскрыты некоторые аспекты научной, педагогической и общественной деятельности Геннадия Васильевича Бондаренко, председателя Волынской областной организации Национального союза краеведов Украины.The article deals with some aspects of scientifi c, pedagogical and public activities of Henadii Bondarenko, the head of Volyn regional organization of National union of regional ethnographers of Ukraine