A Late Spring and a Late Quail Hatch

The number of quail that hatch, and live until the hunting season is determined by several factors. Weather is the most widespread of these factors. (Stoddard, 1936). A study was made in 1950 and 1951 to learn how variations in the weather correspond to variations in the Iowa quail populations

Bobwhite Quail, Winter Weather and Agriculture

Bobwhite quail are still found in most of their historic range which extends north into Minnesota. The best Iowa populations are in the three southern tiers of Iowa counties. Their peak abundance occurred before 1900. Long cold winters and deep snows usually decrease quail numbers. However, in the best brushy cover near grain fields, they have persisted in good numbers even though the bitter cold winters of 1912, 1936 and 1960. The 1960 winter losses were estimated at about 70 per cent in scanty cover, but as low as 10 percent in high quality cover

A Late Spring and a Late Quail Hatch

The number of quail that hatch, and live until the hunting season is determined by several factors. Weather is the most widespread of these factors. (Stoddard, 1936). A study was made in 1950 and 1951 to learn how variations in the weather correspond to variations in the Iowa quail populations

Quail Hatching and Primary Feather Moult in Adults

This study was made to determine causes of changes in the young to adult ratio in quail shot by Iowa hunters. A total of 13,206 wings was collected from 1952 to 1959. Age of young and stage of moult in adults were determined by primary feather development. The hatching period was indicated by the age of young. Early brooding adults were first to mature the flight feathers. Late moulting adults were poor flyers and were easily taken by hunters

Removal of Brushy and Wooded Quail Habitat in Three Southern Iowa Counties in Recent Years

In southern Iowa there are still remnants of once extensive brushy upland game cover. Cost-share and privately financed brush removal programs, however, are further reducing the amount of remaining game cover. Three counties are considered here. Davis, Monroe and Wapello counties had some federally assisted clearing on 490 farms in the past 4 years. On 14 farms (1,820 acres) in Wapello County, since 1956, 82 acres of woody cover were removed by all methods. This included 25% of the choice quality upland game cover

History of Prairie Chickens in Iowa

The peak period for prairie chickens (Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus) in Iowa was about 1880 when 69% of the state was in farms. They were found in prairie areas throughout the state. Hunters found this grouse ideal game and bags of 25 to 50 per day were easily taken. Market hunters frequently killed 200 or more per day. Farmers trapped and shot the birds to sell or to eat. As long as marginal prairie areas were only lightly disturbed by agriculture, the prairie chickens held on, but when intensive farming began, the birds nested in hayfields or in over-grazed pastures where brooding was unsuccessful. By 1900, 90% of the state was in farms and birds were vanishing. A few remained until 1954 in a poorly drained portion of Appanoose County. Since then only occasional strays have been reported

The Value of Data From Four Iowa Quail Seasons

In the Iowa Conservation Laws, Section 109.39 titled Biological Balance Maintained is this sentence: The seasons, bag limits, possession limits, and territorial limitations set forth herein shall prevail for each and every species of wildlife to which they pertain as long as the biological balance for each species or kind remain such as to assure the maintenance of an adequate supply of such species. Outstanding among sports activities in southern Iowa is quail hunting. In order to maintain this sport at the highest possible level it is necessary to make regulations. As a sound basis for regulating, the commission must be furnished by the biology section, with continuous accurate information. The quail territory lies southeast of a line running north east from Shenandoah through Cedar Rapids. Officers in the counties in the quail territory furnish information on general quail conditions. Additional checks are made by the biologist. To be considered are brood size, and whether or not the population is distributed in the same density as in other years. Findings for the year are compiled and should data indicate favorable comparison with the previous season a similar season is recommended by the Biology Section

Penned Game Birds in Dieldrin Treated Fields

Granular dieldrin was applied by air to control Japanese beetles. Fourteen pheasants and 12 quail in four pens were exposed to the application. Nearby were wild quail, songbirds and starlings, but no pheasants. Later, remains of some wild birds were seen or reported. Nine quail and one starling posted at Ames had lesions similar to those in birds affected by toxemia. One quail that died before the operation and two pheasants that were examined did not show these lesions

Conservation and the Biology Teacher

Conservation practices are based on a need to retain the best features of soils, plants, and animals. These are the raw materials of commerce. Commercialization has accelerated until most land areas are now exploited

Palladium Nanocrystals on Al₂O₃: Structure and Adhesion Energy

We have investigated the structure and morphology of nanosized palladium clusters supported by a thin Al2O3 film on NiAl(110) using scanning tunneling microscopy. Well-ordered clusters with a diameter above ≈40Å were imaged with atomic resolution, allowing a crystallographic identification of the cluster facets. A new method to obtain quantitative information on the work of adhesion (adhesion energy) of metal clusters deposited on oxides is introduced. For Pd on Al2O3 we obtain a value of Wadh=2.8±0.2J/m2. This result is at variance with values recently derived on the basis of ab initio density-functional theory