Report on the suitability for Prairie Chickens and Ruffed . 
      Grouse of Two Areas in the Cook County Forest Preserve 
      District, and Recommendations for the Development of 
      these Areas. 
 Areas inspected--MoGinnes and 95th Street sloughs and va- 
      cinity, Cook County Forest Preserve District. 
 
 Date of inspection--January 30, 1940 
 
 Party--Forest Preserve representatives: Roberts Mann, Lynn 
      Hutchens; Natural History Survey representatives: 
      R. E. Yeatter, C. 0. Mohr, A. S. Hawkins. 
 
 Primary purpose: The Natural History Survey had been requested 
      by the Forest Preserve District administrators to render 
      an opinion as to whether or not the areas inspected are 
      suitable for prairie chickens and ruffed &rouse, or if 
      not suitable at the present time, could they be improved 
      sufficently to satisfy the needs of these two grouse 
      species. 
 
The Opinion: (1) Prairie Chickens. Chances for the success of 
     a planting are only fair under the present conditions 
     found--extensive fall plowing, almost complete crop re- 
     moval, heavy pasturing during the past summer and lack 
     of hay land. However it would be a valuable test to 
     determine whether the range, as it now stands, will hold 
     prairie chickens. We therefore recommend that a small 
     planting--about 7 cocks and 5 hens--be tried immediately. 
     We further recommend that immediate steps be taken and 
     every possible effort be made to improve the present 
     range. Immediate action is advisable because the grouse 
     cycle is now near the peak. Chances of obtaining grouse 
     planting stock and of establishing a new planting are 
     probably best at the peak of a cycle. The cycle will 
     soon be on the downgrade and will not again attain a 
     peak for another 10 years. 
 
     (2) Ruffed Grouse. The range as it now stands appears 
     to be capable of supporting several pairs of partridges. 
     We recommend that every effort be made to obtain (from 
     central Wisconsin or some other point equally near to 
     Chicago) several pairs for release. As in the case of 
     prairie chickens, this release should be made during the 
     present peak of the grouse cycle. The present grouse 
     range can be improved by adding drumming logs, and sup- 
     plementing the extensive haw and crab thickets and black 
     oak woods with other species named under suggested develop- 
     ments. 
 
Recommendations for prairie chicken range manaLement 
     1. If possible, drop the water in McGinnes slough to a 
     point at least 75 yards inside the present limits of the 
     shoreline. Reason: perhaps the weakest point, in the 
     McGinnes prairie chicken range is the small bottomland