Pheasant Hunting

[Ratherbfishing]

In my neck of the woods (euphamistically speaking because there are few woods left here) pheasants have become almost as scarce as lips on a chicken.  I remember the days when it was common to see dozens of pheasants crossing the roads.  Loss of habitat and coyotes have diminished their numbers to the point where I'd feel like a cad if I did hunt them.  Are there states and/or regions where pheasants still thrive?

[gardnerjigman]

South Dakota. The pheasant is their state bird. We went every year when I was in high school. I've never seen so many in my life. Grouped up like geese on a golf course!

[Bluebasser86]

Populations are supposed to be up this year in western KS but being up from the last few years wouldn't mean much, they couldn't have gotten much lower. 

[Ratherbfishing]

I know pheasants aren't native to North America but having grown up with them, it feels like a huge loss to see their numbers dwindle so drastically.  With the advent of the corporate and "thousand acre" farms, there just isn't much space left for pheasants (or quail or countless other species for that matter).  Each year I see the farm fields creeping around the utility poles and closer and closer to the roadsides and since most farmers mow anyway, even that little bit of habitat is lost.

[gardnerjigman]

I know pheasants aren't native to North America but having grown up with them, it feels like a huge loss to see their numbers dwindle so drastically.  With the advent of the corporate and "thousand acre" farms, there just isn't much space left for pheasants (or quail or countless other species for that matter).  Each year I see the farm fields creeping around the utility poles and closer and closer to the roadsides and since most farmers mow anyway, even that little bit of habitat is lost.

 

 

I agree. We use to own German Short-Hairs and quail hunt all the time in South East Kansas. It's just a joke now. Odds are definitely against them. Coyotes, hawks, turkeys, disappearing habitat, harsh winters with worse than normal ice.

 

If they survive all that, then they have to deal with the idiots that drive around and road hunt, find a group nestled together in a hedge row, and pot shoot them in one shot.

 

Also the people that find a covey with dogs, but chase it down until they kill most of them, rather than just taking 1-3 and moving on.

 

Don't get me wrong, they can still be found, but not like they used to be. I remember busting multiple coveys of 20-30 birds in one section. Now... if you find 1 covey with 6 birds... be happy.

[Ratherbfishing]

A covey with ONE bird is a miracle around here.  It's actually a subject of conversation of you see one anymore.

[DirtyDeuceGoose]

Pheasant numbers have drastically decreased in just the last 10 years alone. When I started hunting (approximately 13 years old) I remember going to Iowa and being astounded at the number of birds. Also hunting in my home state of Minnesota wasn't terrible either. Then one winter we spoiled ourselves and went over to SouthDakota in the Watertown area. I have never seen so many birds in my life. Seems like after that the populations in my usual stomping grounds seemed thin. Now whenever I'm available to hunt it feels like we walk all day to flush maybe 3 roosters all day. I fear for the future of this game bird.

[cbass12]

Populations are supposed to be up this year in western KS but being up from the last few years wouldn't mean much, they couldn't have gotten much lower. 

We need consecutive years of good nesting, like we had this year.

[tipptruck1]

Were I lived in Iowa. I bet more people hunted them then deer. That is coming from a state that has world class deer in it. It was cheap and you could get a limit quick. Also many people I I knew. Never hunted with dogs. From what I have heard. It is getting harder to get a limit. Well in certain parts of the state. While other parts are seeing a increase.

 

Now living in WI for 10 plus years. I have only seen one of them. That was along a major HWY on Christmas a few years ago. I was surprised by that. In my part of the state. The habitat is not prime Pheasant territory. It is mostly soft wood forest. With very little grass plains. Almost all of them today in WI. Were farm raised, or along them lines.They keep releasing them, but in the end it never works out. 

[Catch 22]

I used to live in south eastern Pa around 1970. I used to kill two bird limits often without a dog.

And then no till farming took hold. Within about 6 years the birds diminished  to  almost nothing and never recovered.

Of course urban sprawl took its toll,but some of those areas are unchanged to this day and still void of birds.

C22

[Ronald K Smith]

Same problem in the bluegrass state of Kentucky. I read that 90% of our land is private owned, farmlands, industrial, and subdivisions. Pheasants aren't native to our lands and the fish & wildlife have no interest in doing anything about it as they do any small game specie. Their major interest is the big money makers of deer and elk. Our hunting preserves have pheasants, chukars and quail. Back in the 60's when we started having quail population problems the state started introducing Mexican quail hoping blend the native but with the same problems as everyone else, habitat and predators, it didn't work. Our local Quail Forever chapter helps support several wildlife management areas and quail is slowly coming back. Hopefully more WMA will have interest in doing the same.

[Matthew2000]

If you let 100 birds go only 25-30 will survive if you don't hunt them do that for 5 years in an area and the population should bump back up. The last two years I went to Ohio to visit my dad some one in our group has shot a bird with a greener look to them anyone know what's up with that.

[Ratherbfishing]

I used to live in south eastern Pa around 1970. I used to kill two bird limits often without a dog.

And then no till farming took hold. Within about 6 years the birds diminished  to  almost nothing and never recovered.

Of course urban sprawl took its toll,but some of those areas are unchanged to this day and still void of birds.

C22

 

Do you believe the herbicides applied in no-till practices are what caused the pheasants demise there?  I can't think of any other link.

[Catch 22]

The game commission says no, but they don`t have a better explanation. If the food chain is poisoned form the bottom up, everything is affected. The quail  were victims too.

[Catch 22]

A few yrs back I was fishing the John Day River,Or where 206 crosses it.There were cockbirds  cackling and flying all over the hay fields . It revived some memories for me.

C22