pheasant decline in MN

[kabic]

Is access to land the reason for decline in pheasant harvest in MN? I thought it was changing farm practices.

http://lacrossetribune.com/news/loc...cle_14568c40-5b30-5bf7-a462-4e3acf3395cc.html

 

[BuckSutherland]

Is access to land the reason for decline in pheasant harvest in MN? I thought it was changing farm practices.

This is one that really gets under my skin. The entire blame for low pheasant numbers is to be placed on farmers?? Some would definetly want you to believe that.


There are a couple million acres in MN alone that have been paved over with houses, roads, and shopping malls built on them in the past 20-30 years. Farmers arent farming that much more land, its just that they are farming different land. Not to mention the abhorrent nesting conditions since 2010, 2 very harsh winters, and a a thriving predator population. And I suppose you could throw in the piss poor CRP ground that doesnt let you put in a shelter belt and all that great grass cover gets buried by heavy wet snow in the winter. Dont know how a pheasant is supposed to survive that.


If I remember correctly Scott County lost 168,000 acres of land to urban development from 1993-2007.

 

[Satchmo]

Lack of birds is more likely for all the reasons you and Stu listed. Access has nothing to do with population. If there were birds, there would be harvest.

 

[wiscwhip]

Sounds like everything else in MN though, overharvested. 655,000 birds in 2007, maybe with a reduced bag limit at that time, you would have a few more today? They aren't a long lived species in the wild, but they are prolific breeders. Every time I see something to do with fish and game management in MN, something or another is on the decline(other than wolves). D#mn, your DNR personnel are the poster boys for species mismanagement. Sad.

 

[bowhunternw]

I blame it on ethanol, which brought on high grain prices followed by loss of habitat. Farm country in MN is in trouble for wildlife.

 

[Greta&Gus]

The area we hunt in Clark co SD was hit with a bad ice storm 2 years ago when the hens were nesting that decimated the birds. It hasn't bounced back yet and probably won't for a few year still. They have lost habitat over the years but still had a good huntable population a few years ago. There are a Loy of factors hurting pheasants.

 

[biglakeba$$]

I have wondered this a number of times...

so pheasants were imported from China in the last century.

What is the climate like where they came from?
Are we trying to keep a species alive that was never meant to see this type of weather?

 

[sandbur]

I have wondered this a number of times...

so pheasants were imported from China in the last century.

What is the climate like where they came from?
Are we trying to keep a species alive that was never meant to see this type of weather?

Turkey are not from China, but I sometimes wonder what affect they have on grouse and pheasants. When turkeys are in my foodplot, pheasants are not there.

Statewide, I think lack of cover is the main problem for pheasants and I don't see any serious change coming.

I also question some of the practices I see on our state wildlife management lands. At the edge of the pheasant range, some conifers can keep our cover from filling with snow if they are set up properly.

 

[Freeborn]

Turkey are not from China, but I sometimes wonder what affect they have on grouse and pheasants. When turkeys are in my foodplot, pheasants are not there.

Statewide, I think lack of cover is the main problem for pheasants and I don't see any serious change coming.

I also question some of the practices I see on our state wildlife management lands. At the edge of the pheasant range, some conifers can keep our cover from filling with snow if they are set up properly.

Agree the issue is a lack of quality habitat. Most of the grasses in the wildlife areas is managed so poorly they produce little for pheasants. NWSG need to be refreshed through fire or other disturbance which I never see happening on public land. In addition, the mix of grasses planted appears to have been chosen based on price and not whats best for animals.

I also agree that on private land as much of the land that can be put under the till has been tilled.

 

[biglakeba$$]

Agree the issue is a lack of quality habitat. Most of the grasses in the wildlife areas is managed so poorly they produce little for pheasants. NWSG need to be refreshed through fire or other disturbance which I never see happening on public land. In addition, the mix of grasses planted appears to have been chosen based on price and not whats best for animals.

I dont know about that as a blanket statement. They burn the hell out of Sherburne Natl Refuge every single year. Thats 36,000 acres of pure bliss. They bust their butts with habitat work up there.

I havent seen a pheasant in or around the refuge in I dont know how long.

I am still curious where pheasants came from...... Is this a futile effort to "save the pheasant" if they are just simply not made for this environment?

 

[Riggsgwp->]

I agree with what Freeborn said only thing I would add is the importance of thermal cover for the birds and how it's being removed.

 

[sandbur]

Sherburne is national Refuge.

State wildlife areas are managed by different people.

 

[biglakeba$$]

That is true.... the sad fact is that there still isnt any pheasants there either and there is unbelieveable cover in there.

 

[bwoods11]

The best habitat to hold and keep pheasants alive is a shelter belt near a cattail slough.

Grassland is good, but in the winter they survive in the cattails and shelter belts and groves.

 

[Freeborn]

That is true.... the sad fact is that there still isnt any pheasants there either and there is unbelievable cover in there.

Hard to understand why there are not pheasants if there is such good cover. I am working hard to improve my place and still have a ways to go but I have pheasants. One thing that is taking a long time is the growth of my wind breaks (woody cover) which I think is key to keeping and holding pheasants.

 

[sandbur]

The best habitat to hold and keep pheasants alive is a shelter belt near a cattail slough.

Grassland is good, but in the winter they survive in the cattails and shelter belts and groves.

Our former state wildlife manger told me that same thing over 25 years ago. He said to put the shelter belt on the north and northwest side of the slough with enough space so the snowdrift would occur between the slough and shelterbelt. NOT in the slough.

 

[sandbur]

Hard to understand why there are not pheasants if there is such good cover. I am working hard to improve my place and still have a ways to go but I have pheasants. One thing that is taking a long time is the growth of my wind breaks (woody cover) which I think is key to keeping and holding pheasants.

I think wet springs hurt pheasant nesting success and chick survival. Just another factor, even with good cover.

 

[bwoods11]

Cattails I've got....pheasants I don't

I think you are just a bit north. You need some ag in the mix.

 

[bwoods11]

Our former state wildlife manger told me that same thing over 25 years ago. He said to put the shelter belt on the north and northwest side of the slough with enough space so the snowdrift would occur between the slough and shelterbelt. NOT in the slough.

Mix in a food plot nearby and you will have all the pheasants in the section!

 

[bwoods11]

I am on the northern fringe...across it actually. There's ag in the area, not as much as south of 94 though. Like I said previously, in 2012 there were a number of birds around. Since then...pretty sparse.

I'll trade you pheasants for deer!!:)